“He lives and breathes what’s good for this country.”
We are proud to announce Sir Stephen Tindall as our New Zealander of the Year 2015. Sir Stephen Tindall is recognisable to many Kiwis as the man behind The Warehouse, but his work for New Zealand extends far beyond the ‘big red shed’. Sir Stephen had worked tirelessly through the multiple initiatives he has helped found with the express aim of reducing the gap between New Zealand’s ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’.
Along with his wife Margaret, he is co-founder and trustee of the Tindall Foundation, created to help family and social services, encourage employment and enterprise, and support the environment—among many other socially-conscious goals.
He was a founding member of the New Zealand Initiative, a think tank of 30 corporate members formed to develop creative ideas and solutions to positively transform New Zealand, including better education, affordable housing and a free and democratic society.
Sir Stephen has invested $250m capital into a large number of start-up and early stage businesses ranging from environmental technology to high-tech companies and other businesses with potential for export.
He was co-founder and former chair of the NZ Business Council for Sustainable Development, as well as being a member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
In 1997, Stephen Tindall became an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit. In 2006, he was awarded the Blake Medal from the Sir Peter Blake Trust. In 2007, he was made a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
The Kiwibank Local Hero Medals and the New Zealander of the Year Awards celebrate those people who use their passion for New Zealand to make our country a better place. These awards are an opportunity for New Zealanders to honour extraordinary Kiwis whose selflessness, creativity, and vision make us proud to call New Zealand home. Find out more about the New Zealander of the Year Award winners and those in the running for 2018.
