Who Is New Zealand’s Richest Person? Forbes vs NBR
Ask around about New Zealand’s richest person and you’ll get conflicting answers. Two respected wealth rankings—Forbes and the NBR Rich List—disagree on who tops the pile, and the gap between their valuations can stretch into billions. The reason is straightforward: each list uses different rules to count wealth.
Richest on Forbes: Graeme Hart (world rank 307, $9.3B USD) ·
Richest on NBR: Mat and Nick Mowbray ($20B NZD) ·
Total NZ Rich List wealth: over $100 billion NZD
Quick snapshot
- Whether current 2026 rankings have shifted from 2025 data
- Whether all listed billionaires maintain permanent NZ residency
- Mowbrays overtook Hart on NBR in 2024 and widened the lead in 2025 (Wikipedia)
- Hart held NBR #1 spot from 2021 through 2023 (Wikipedia)
- NBR Rich List 2026 will reveal whether the Mowbrays extend their lead or Hart reclaims the top spot
The key facts table below consolidates the main data points from both major wealth trackers.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Richest (Forbes) | Graeme Hart |
| Forbes 2025 net worth | $9.3 billion USD |
| Forbes 2025 world rank | 307 |
| Richest (NBR 2025) | Mat and Nick Mowbray |
| NBR 2025 net worth | $20 billion NZD |
| NBR minimum entry | $100 million NZD |
| Total NZ rich list wealth 2025 | Over $100 billion NZD |
| Top NZ woman (Forbes) | Lucy Liu |
The pattern is clear: the same wealth can appear first on one list and second on another.
Who is New Zealand’s richest man?
The honest answer depends on which list you consult. Forbes (which tracks individuals globally in US dollars) names Graeme Hart as New Zealand’s sole billionaire, ranking him 307th worldwide with a net worth of $9.3 billion USD as of 2025. By contrast, the NBR Rich List (which tallies wealth in New Zealand dollars using local valuations) places Hart at second place in 2025, behind the Mowbray brothers who command $20 billion NZD through their toy manufacturing company ZURU.
The reason for the divergence runs deeper than opinion. Forbes applies conservative, globally standardized estimates to stakes in private companies and uses USD, which undervalues assets held in other currencies. The NBR Rich List factors in more optimistic local valuations and calculates in NZD—a combination that can produce figures several times higher than Forbes for the same underlying assets.
Graeme Hart profile
Hart built his fortune through leveraged buyouts in the packaging industry, accumulating shares in Rank Group Investments and related entities over decades. As of November 2023, he was the only New Zealander listed on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, where he held rank 226 with $9.71 billion USD. His global rank has slipped since then as asset valuations shifted.
Net worth sources
Three major trackers follow Hart: Forbes (conservative USD estimates), the NBR Rich List (local NZD valuations), and Bloomberg (real-time USD tracking). Each applies different methodology to the same private holdings, producing estimates that can differ by billions.
The Mowbray family’s $20 billion NZD on the NBR list versus an estimated $1 billion USD on Forbes represents roughly a 30-fold difference—a reminder that listed net worths reflect methodology choices, not just underlying wealth.
Who is the richest woman in NZ?
Identifying New Zealand’s wealthiest woman comes with a caveat: few Kiwis meet the threshold for global billionaire lists. Forbes lists Lucy Liu as a New Zealand-based billionaire, though public detail on her holdings remains limited compared to her male counterparts. The NBR Rich List tracks family wealth more comprehensively, but female-led entries rarely crack the top tier on pure net worth.
Lucy Liu background
Liu appears on Forbes as a New Zealand resident billionaire, though her profile is less publicly documented than figures like Hart or Peter Jackson. The gap in available detail reflects a broader pattern: wealth among high-net-worth women in New Zealand tends to be concentrated in family trusts and private holdings rather than publicly visible corporate leadership roles.
Do any billionaires live in NZ?
Yes—but the number fluctuates depending on methodology. Forbes typically recognizes between one and five Kiwis as billionaires in any given year, while the NBR Rich List, which requires a minimum of $100 million NZD to qualify, includes dozens of individuals and families.
Confirmed billionaires list
Based on 2025 Forbes data, the verified New Zealand billionaires include Graeme Hart ($9.3B USD, rank 307), Richard Chandler ($3B USD, rank 1219), Peter Jackson ($1.7B USD, rank 2019), Charles Gibbon ($1.1B USD, rank 2790), and Peter Beck ($1B USD, rank 2933). Each built wealth through distinct sectors: investments, filmmaking, software, and aerospace respectively.
New Zealand punches well above its weight in billionaire terms relative to population. With five confirmed billionaires on Forbes 2025 for a country of roughly 5 million people, the ratio outpaces many nations with much larger economies.
Who are the 10 wealthiest people in New Zealand?
Three Kiwis qualify as billionaires by Forbes standards. The full NBR Rich List extends much further, with the 2025 edition surpassing $100 billion NZD in combined wealth across all listed individuals and families.
The ranking below draws on the NBR’s annual compilation, showing how wealth distributes across New Zealand’s top holders.
| Rank (NBR 2025) | Name | Net Worth (NZD) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mat and Nick Mowbray | $20 billion | ZURU (toys) |
| 2 | Graeme Hart | $12.1 billion | Rank Group (investments) |
| 3 | Goodman family | $5 billion | Goodman Group (property) |
| 4 | Todd family | $3.5 billion | Todd Corporation (investments) |
| 5 | Sir Peter Jackson & Dame Fran Walsh | $2.6 billion | Film & digital effects |
| 6 | Rod Drury | $2.1 billion | Xero (tech) |
| 7 | Sir Michael Friedlander | $2 billion | Samson Corporation (property) |
| 8 | Fukutake family | $1.6 billion | Still Group (investments) |
| 9 | Talley family | $1.6 billion | Talley’s Group (agribusiness) |
| 10 | Peter Cooper | $1.6 billion | Cooper and Company (property) |
The implication: even at rank 10, Peter Cooper’s $1.6B NZD still qualifies him as a billionaire—yet Forbes lists only five Kiwis above that threshold in USD terms.
The table draws on Wikipedia’s compilation of NBR data, which aggregates the annual NBR Rich List rankings with sector and net worth estimates.
Top rankings from Wikipedia and Forbes
Wikipedia’s New Zealand wealth list serves as a cross-reference between Forbes global figures and NBR domestic rankings, making it a practical single reference for comparing how the same individuals appear on different trackers. The two lists agree on the top names but assign different positions and vastly different valuations.
Who is the wealthiest family in New Zealand?
The Mowbray family—brothers Mat and Nick—command the highest estimated wealth on the NBR Rich List at $20 billion NZD. Their company, ZURU, competes directly with industry giants like Mattel in the toy sector, and the family’s reported valuation reflects both business growth and the NBR’s more optimistic local assessment methodology.
Family wealth holders
Several other families appear in the top tier: the Goodman family (property, $5B NZD), the Todd family (investments, $3.5B NZD), and the Friedlander family’s Samson Corporation (property, $2B NZD). Each has built multi-generational wealth through distinct sectors, and each benefits from the NBR’s approach of valuing private company stakes at local market rates.
Wealth concentration among a handful of families raises policy questions for New Zealand. The Mowbray family’s $20 billion NZD exceeds the entire annual budget of the country’s Ministry of Health—illustrating the scale that private wealth can reach even in a relatively small economy.
Related reading: Invercargill Supervalue Lotto Powerball Winner · Luke Littler Net Worth
Frequently asked questions
Who tops the Forbes list for New Zealand?
Forbes 2025 lists Graeme Hart as New Zealand’s top billionaire at world rank 307, with an estimated net worth of $9.3 billion USD. He is the only Kiwi that year to appear on the global Forbes Billionaires list.
What is Graeme Hart’s source of wealth?
Hart accumulated his fortune primarily through leveraged buyouts in the packaging industry. His primary holding vehicle is Rank Group Investments, through which he controls packaging and manufacturing assets.
How many NZ billionaires are there?
Forbes 2025 recognizes five New Zealand billionaires: Graeme Hart ($9.3B), Richard Chandler ($3B), Peter Jackson ($1.7B), Charles Gibbon ($1.1B), and Peter Beck ($1B). The NBR Rich List includes many more individuals and families above its $100 million NZD threshold.
Who is next after Graeme Hart on Forbes?
Richard Chandler ranks second among Kiwis on Forbes 2025 at world rank 1219, with an estimated $3 billion USD derived from investment activities.
Is Peter Jackson a billionaire?
Yes, by Forbes standards. Peter Jackson ranks 2019th globally on Forbes 2025 with $1.7 billion USD, generated through his film franchises (The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit) and his stake in Wellington’s Wingnut Films and Park Road Post Production.
What is the NBR Rich List?
The NBR Rich List is New Zealand’s most comprehensive annual ranking of wealthy individuals and families. Published by the National Business Review, it values holdings in NZD using local market assumptions. The minimum entry threshold sits at $100 million NZD, though most listed wealth is not liquid—it represents paper valuations of private companies.
Are there female billionaires in NZ?
Forbes lists Lucy Liu as a New Zealand-based billionaire, though public detail on her holdings is limited. The NBR Rich List tracks family wealth more broadly, but female-led entries rarely reach the top positions, reflecting broader patterns of wealth concentration in family trusts and male-led enterprises.
What the rankings confirm
- Graeme Hart is New Zealand’s sole Forbes billionaire in 2025
- Mat and Nick Mowbray top the NBR Rich List 2025 with $20B NZD
- Five Kiwis appear on Forbes 2025 with individual billionaire status
- Total NZ rich list wealth exceeded $100 billion NZD in 2025
- Hart held the NBR #1 position from 2021 through 2023
What remains unclear
- Whether 2026 NBR rankings have shifted from 2025 data
- Exact residency status of all listed billionaires
- How ZURU’s Forbes valuation compares to its NBR valuation in 2025
- Whether any new Kiwis crossed the billionaire threshold since 2025
Graeme Hart is a billionaire and New Zealand’s richest person. Money is power and he has lots of it.
— The Spinoff Editorial Board, The Spinoff (independent New Zealand media outlet)
One family $20 billion [Mowbray/Zuru] greater than the entire annual budget of the Ministry of Health.
— Analyst commentary, NZ Rich List analysis video
New Zealand’s wealthiest individuals and families collectively hold over $100 billion NZD, a figure that has grown despite broader economic headwinds. Two philanthropists made Forbes’ 2024 Heroes of Philanthropy list, demonstrating that Kiwi billionaires are not absenting themselves from domestic giving.
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