Mainfreight wins Company of the Year at the Deloitte Top 200 Awards
The financial figures for the Top 200 entities and Top 30 finance companies have been produced in full in today’s Dynamic Business 2019 report, with explanations and insight from the Herald’s team of business reporters.
Global freight and logistics firm Mainfreight has been crowned Company of the Year with its leader Don Braid also named Executive of the Decade at the prestigious Deloitte Top 200 Awards.
Fraser Whineray, who’s heading to Fonterra from Mercury Energy, has been named Chief Executive of the Year.
Dame Fran Wilde, the former Labour Cabinet Minister and Wellington Mayor, received the NZ Herald Premium Visionary Leader of the Year, a special award befitting of this year’s theme – Shaping the Future.
The Deloitte Top 200 Index consists of New Zealand’s largest entities ranked by revenue.
Don Braid, with his wife Michelle and daughters Emily, left, and Sarah attend the Deloitte Top 200 Awards held at Spark Arena. Photo / Dean Purcell
The awards event, held at Spark Arena tonight, acknowledged business excellence and leadership across 11 award categories.
Mainfreight’s straight-talking group managing director Braid has an infectious zest for business and dogged determination to deliver on the company’s 100-year vision, following the footsteps of the company’s co-founder Bruce Plested, said judging panel convenor and NZME Editorial Director-Business Fran O’Sullivan.
“The judges were unanimous that amongst a group of other high-performing CEOs over the past decade, Don Braid stood out as the most deserving of this recognition. Mainfreight has demonstrated that a company founded on Kiwi values can succeed with a focus on people and hard work. Leading the way has been Don Braid.”
Dame Fran Wilde, who attended the awards ceremony with husband Chris Kelly, won the Visionary Leader award. Photo / Dean Purcell
Braid has been at the helm of Mainfreight for all of the past decade and during that time group profits have risen from $35 million to $141 million this year with revenue increasing from just over $1 billion to $3 billion today.
His twin sons Cory and Jason also work in the business — Cory in Australia and Jason in Europe.
In judging the CEO of the Year award, Neil Paviour-Smith said Whineray had delivered record earnings for Mercury along with solid dividend growth. “Fraser is highly regarded and is motivated to contribute to New Zealand’s long-term success.”
Not only had he delivered those strong returns but also repositioned the company around its 100 per cent renewable generation position, while undertaking an active capital investment programme especially around wind generation, Paviour-Smith said.
The only award to be given without finalists — the NZ Herald Premium Visionary Leader — went to Dame Fran Wilde. In presenting the award, Judge Dame Alison Paterson said Dame Fran is a remarkable leader who has been instrumental in “helping lead New Zealand’s course with her tremendous vision, bold leadership and proven ability to get things done.”
Brothers Fraser and Matt Whineray attend the Deloitte Top 200 Awards held at Spark Arena. Photo / Dean Purcell
After having been a finalist in the category last year, David Pilkington was named Chairperson of the Year. He currently chairs the boards of Port of Tauranga, Douglas Pharmaceuticals and investment firm Rangatira.
The judges said he is an inclusive chair, facilitating an environment to get the best out of people, and was selected “due to his track record of success as a chair over a long period”.
Other award winners included Restaurant Brands' Grant Ellis, who took out Chief Financial Officer of the Year.
The award for Sustainable Business Leadership went to Air New Zealand.
Datacom’s account director and enterprise portfolio manager James David won the Young Executive of the Year.
The Deloitte Top 200 Awards held at Spark Arena. Photo / Dean Purcell
Datacom also took out Best Growth Strategy. The Warehouse Group was recognised for Most Improved Performance and Downer Group took out the award for Diversity and Inclusion Leadership.
Reflecting on the 30-year history of the Awards, Deloitte New Zealand chief executive Thomas Pippos said: “The calibre of businesses and their ability to deliver to their communities and stakeholders has improved significantly over the past three decades. They make a huge contribution to the sustainability of our business community and the regional communities in which they operate.”
2019 Deloitte Top 200 Awards
• Executive of the Decade: Don Braid
• Company of the Year: Mainfreight
• Chief Executive of the Year: Fraser Whineray, Mercury
• Chief Financial Officer of the Year: Grant Ellis, Restaurant Brands
