My biggest influence: Sir Selwyn Cushing

Sir Selwyn Cushing learned the value of good analysis.

Part two in our series looking at key moments in the careers of our movers and shakers 



The difference between popularity and credibility was one of the great lessons Sir Selwyn Cushing learned from his mentor, Sir Ron Brierley.

"Lots of people can't distinguish between the two," Cushing says. "Ron taught me to never worry about your popularity but always worry about credibility."

Cushing admits it is quite a few years since he has had a mentor, "but in the early days it was Brierley without a doubt".

Brierley also taught him plenty about hard work and the value of good analysis.

The pair hit it off in the late 1970s with the takeover of a Hawkes Bay asparagus company.

From there they moved on to much bigger targets with Brierley Investments. Cushing did two stints on the board of BIL in roles including executive director and chairman.

In the heady, relatively unregulated days of the 1980s, a string of successful takeovers saw the pair dubbed corporate raiders.

But Cushing says that title was a little unfair. "What we were was industry rationalisers."