Tainui Group Holdings CEO to exit Ruakura Superhub, The Base developer

TGH chief executive Chris Joblin. Photo / Supplied

Tainui Group Holdings chief executive Chris Joblin is to leave the Ruakura Superhub developer and major property investment company later this year.

Joblin has been in the job with Waikato-Tainui’s commercial development arm for nearly 10 years.

He joined as chief financial officer in 2009 and succeeded former chief executive Mike Pohio.

TGH board chairwoman Hinerangi Raumati-Tu’ua said that under Joblin’s leadership, the company had proven itself as a guardian of the assets of Waikato-Tainui, during which time shareholder wealth had grown by $987 million.

This was through equity growth and the distributions paid to Waikato-Tainui, as well as delivered signature projects for the Waikato region such as the Ruakura Superhub, she said.

The board and Joblin had agreed to an extended notice period to mid-November this year to enable a thorough recruitment process and orderly transition to the next chief executive.

Joblin intended to take the summer off with his family before considering his next career step, Raumati-Tu’ua said.

As well as growing net assets, the 50-member TGH team had added paid distributions of $212m to Waikato-Tainui during Joblin’s tenure, she said.

During his time as chief executive, the 490ha Ruakura Superhub - one of New Zealand’s largest infrastructure and property developments - had been activated.

This moved the project from vision and planning under Pohio to a fully working, rail-served inland port with large-scale distribution centres for world-class tenants.

Other achievements included delivering developments such as Amohia Ake, the new ACC regional centre in Hamilton, the five-star Te Arikinui Pullman Hotel at Auckland Airport, and the Cambridge Police Station.

TGH in this time had also established retail partnerships with Kiwi Property Group over The Base and Centre Place shopping centres in Hamilton, and helped regenerate central Hamilton with the buyout, extensions and renovations of the Hamilton Riverside Hotels and master planning for the future development of the Centre Place precinct.

Joblin had also brought a strong focus on environmental management and health and safety to the farming and forestry operations of TGH, the chairwoman said.

In 2022 Joblin was recognised as a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia-NZ and won the 2021 CEO of the Year Award in the Waikato Chamber of Commerce Business Awards.

The TGH board would shortly start a search for a new executive leader, Raumati-Tu’ua said.