Gray is the director of the food innovation hub being built near Showgrounds Hawke’s Bay, which is set to open in April next year.
He has been involved with a range of companies, organisations and iwi groups.
“Some people at my age would put their slippers on and go to sleep, but I’m the opposite.”
He initiated changes in financial management in the Department of Lands and Survey and the Department of Internal Affairs and was involved in the establishment of several state-owned enterprises.
Gray helped to establish Mighty River Power in 1999 and was chief financial officer (CFO) and director of investment for TVNZ from 1986 to 1998, helping lead investment into new technologies.
He became the general manager secretariat and group monitoring at Te Runanga o Ngāi Tahu in 2008, and was CFO of Hastings District Council from 2009 to 2015, where he contributed to major infrastructure activities and economic development.
He was on the board of Gisborne company Eastland Group from 2013 to 2020, serving as interim chair in 2017 and chairman of the audit, finance and risk committee from 2016-2020 — contributing to development and funding of regional investments in electricity and infrastructure.
During his time on the board, company equity rose from $181 million to $280m, total assets increased from $366m to $670m, and dividends to owner Eastland Community Trust (now Trust Tairāwhiti) totalled $55.9m — rising from $4.6m in 2013 to $10.1m in 2020.
While chairman, the group posted its most successful year in its history (at that time). Income was a record $84.7m with an audited profit of $17.6m, up from $14.8m in 2017.
His appointment coincided with Eastland Group’s large projects such as the new 26MW Te Ahi o Maui geothermal plant and preliminary work on the port’s twin berth development, which is now waiting on resource consent for the final stage to extend the port.
“I’m absolutely delighted, honoured and privileged to have been recognised by others,” he said.
“One of the things I’m very proud about is Eastland Group’s entry into the geothermal generation business with TAOM being built when I was there as a director — and I’m still involved with a joint venture, as an independent chair on another development they are doing.
“That company is held in high regard, right throughout New Zealand.”
Gray was inspired to take on accounting after he was top of the class two years in a row at Hastings Boys’ High School.
He then got his first job as an accounting clerk at Agriculture and Fisheries in Hastings, with his mother’s encouragement into the industry.
“I wanted to leave school and be a contractor and she said, ‘No you won’t. You go to the public service. You will be there for life’.”
A particularly proud achievement of Gray’s has been setting up big companies and changing the governance landscape in New Zealand.
“I’m lucky because the stuff I have been doing is interesting, and challenging, across a whole lot of sectors.
“I’ve had a career in central government, local government, and governance.”
His new wife Carol Gray said she was very proud of all his hard work and described him as a dedicated man.
“I’m saying ‘look at this gorgeous landscape and parks and beaches’ and he is more excited about power stations,” she said.
Gray said he felt privileged to receive the honour. He hoped to help Hawke’s Bay to grow more quality jobs and believed education was important.
“You dive into the deep end sometimes, and you either sink or swim.”
