Sir Richard Taylor has been named the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year.
The Weta Workshop founder was crowned at a gala dinner in Auckland last night.
The Wellingtonian beat Doctor Sharad Paul, a skin cancer specialist who also runs a bookstore that benefits low decile schools, and Dame Suzie Moncrieff, who started the World of Wearable Art competition.
Sir Richard is described as an extraordinary New Zealander who's set a shining example by being a global player in the international movie industry, but decidedly choosing to base himself in New Zealand.
Weta employs well over 1,000 people and earns hundreds of millions of dollars a year.