High Achiever: John Beveridge

New Zealand is as good a place as any to succeed in business and Fletcher Distribution/Placemakers chief executive John Beveridge says Rotorua is as good a place as any to start out.

 

"It is possible to have a very good career here in New Zealand and it is sad so many youngsters see the bright lights of Australia as superior."

Born in Rotorua, the former Western Heights High School student says growing up here provided him with plenty of happy memories and a good grounding about what is good about life in New Zealand.

 

"Along with my three brothers, we had a big playground to swim, bike, fish, hunt, sail, tramp and ski in."

He started his working life as a cadet at the Government Tourist Bureau in Rotorua in 1979 before leaving to study at Otago University. His career has moved through consumer goods, finance and steel and cement manufacturing before getting into building and hardware distribution.

After 15 years in general management at Fletcher Building, John took on his current role leading the $900 million Placemakers company in 2009. He describes it as a case of being in the right place at the right time.

"I was running Fletchers' steel manufacturing business and got a call from chief executive Jonathan Ling. I must have being doing an okay job for him to have the confidence to give me this role."

But his ability to adapt and change paths for the right opportunity probably played a part in securing the position.

It's one he enjoys because it is so quintessentially Kiwi.

"I love the industry, for it is still a real grass-roots, Kiwi thing to build your own home or bach and do your own DIY.

"We are building New Zealand."

John says the big challenge ahead is the Christchurch rebuild, but he is proud of PlaceMakers' position as a leading player in the supply chain to help customers get jobs of all sizes done.

He acknowledges it is a tough market for house builders and sees his company as part of the team that supports the industry - in good times and bad - and he encourages young people to consider a career in building.

"Building is a great industry and, for young people, it is a great trade. You can make some pretty good money being a builder, run your business and be part of the New Zealand dream of owing your own house."

While he doesn't want all young Kiwis to head offshore, John says New Zealand builders are in demand worldwide and the Canterbury rebuild is a chance for a young person to get set up for life.

He and fellow Western Heights alumni Winstone Wallboards general manager David Thomas are doing their bit to help young people set themselves up through the creation of a $20,000 university scholarship for students from their old school.

"It is a school that has done wonderful things for 50 years in Rotorua. I was never a fabulous student, but have many fond memories and friends from those years."

The pair attended the school's 50th Jubilee in 2010 and reconnected with the school.

"Our desire is to provide opportunities to talented local kids to study and progress their education and careers and who with a helping hand from the scholarship can focus on being their best."

 

IN HIS OWN WORDS

What was your first job and what did you learn from it?

It was as a guide at Rainbow Springs. Being able to present a story and engage an audience was the key learning. It was a great place to work and it was great to be part of the tourism industry Rotorua is famous for.

Why is distribution such an important part of any business?

PlaceMakers is the builders' partner and more than just building materials. We help train and educate and provide a lot of know-how on sourcing the right materials at the right price, on time.

We are a key part of the chain and suppliers rely on us to get their products to market as efficiently as possible.

Our branches are run by owner operator franchisees who are building experts. They are key to our local branch and many of our staff are also qualified ex-tradies who really know their stuff.

What three skills/qualities do you see as most important in business leadership?

Communication skills, resilience and an ability to keep learning. Stay grounded and true to your values.

You completed the senior executive programme at Columbia University in 2005 - how has that helped you?

Going to Columbia in New York with 50 other senior executives showed me we are as good as any in the world. It also proved our business skills are wider, because we have to be able to do a lot of things well in our generally smaller companies.

We also have a better lifestyle and work life balance. Most of the other people lived in hotels and aeroplanes, were generally a little unhappy and had a goal to get better balance in their lives when they graduated.

My learning was to back myself and have go - treat setbacks as valuable experience, make sure work is fun and to never have any regrets.

If you could do any other job for a day, what would it be and why?

Host of my own fishing show, travelling the length of New Zealand reeling in big fish. We actually have a new show coming in April called PlaceMakers Big Angry Fish and I was lucky enough to get out on location with the crew and the host Milan Radovich.

He has no fears of [me taking over as host] as he is the best salt water fisho in New Zealand and I am a wannabe amateur, but it is going to be an awesome show.