Who will make it on to the New Year Honours List this year?
Video / NZHerald
Hawke’s Bay man Anthony Gray has been made an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori business and accounting in the New Year Honours.
The 71-year-old, who was just married on Boxing Day, has an impressive list of achievements.
“I’ve been quite lucky in the jobs I’ve had, and just like anything, you have to seize the opportunities as they come along and make the most of it because they are not always there.”
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 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.
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 and 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.
Anthony Gray has led a life of innovation and change. Photo / Warren Buckland
“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 newlywed 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 hopes to help Hawke’s Bay to grow more quality jobs and believes education is important.
“You dive into the deep end sometimes, and you either sink or swim.”
Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings newsroom. She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and has a love for sharing stories about farming and rural communities.
