Craigs Investment Partners celebrates its 40-year anniversary

Founder of Craigs Investment Partners Neil Craig.

Craigs Investment Partners marked its 40th anniversary last night at its flagship State of the Nation client event at Mercury Baypark in Mount Maunganui.

The annual event brings together Craigs’ clients and professionals to hear the company’s investment director, Mark Lister, share his views on the economy, global markets, and how investors can take advantage of opportunities in the current climate.

The firm offers advice to both private investors and corporate clients, including investment advice and management, securities trading, research, cash management, institutional dealing, investment banking and corporate finance.

Founder Neil Craig addressed more than 700 audience members to mark the anniversary. He shared how the firm had grown from a small Whakatāne broker to one of New Zealand’s leading wealth management firms, now managing nearly $30 billion on behalf of 65,000 private wealth and corporate clients.

Of its 650 employees, more than 250 were based in Tauranga, where it established its head office in 1990, and it was hoping to open its future head office and branch at Two Devonport Rd in 2026.

A crowd of more than 700 gathered at Mercury Baypark for Craigs Investment Partners 40th anniversary.

Neil Craig attributed the company’s success to “a client-centric mindset, with well-timed innovations meeting clients’ needs”.

“In the 1980s, challenges like the Edgecumbe earthquake and the 1987 sharemarket crash tested the firm, but instilled Craigs with sound financial practices that led to long-term success,” he said.

Strategic partnerships played a significant role in Craigs’ evolution and relationships with global entities such as ABN Amro and Deutsche Bank strengthened the firm’s expertise and ultimately made Craigs a full-service firm.

One of New Zealand’s largest investment advisory firms, Craigs Investment Partners prided itself on its strong presence in the local communities it served.

Craigs has been involved with Tauranga-based Acorn Foundation since its start 20 years ago and was a founding principal sponsor of Community Foundations of New Zealand.

Other sponsorships included the Bay Oval, Steamers, Volcanix, BOP Cricket, the Garden and Arts Festival, Tauranga Riding for the Disabled, Priority One and the Tauranga Business Chamber.

Hayley Nelson, general manager of Craigs’ Tauranga branch, said both Craig and Lister’s presentations were well-received by the crowd.

“Although a lot has changed since the doors opened in 1984, one element that has remained constant is our focus on our clients,” Nelson said.