Gareth Morgan (economist)

Gareth Morgan
Born 1953
Putaruru, New Zealand
Occupation New Zealand economist, investment manager
Spouse(s) Joanne Morgan
Children 4; Sam Morgan
Website garethsworld.com

Gareth Huw Morgan (born 17 February 1953) is a New Zealand businessman, economist,[1] investment manager, motor cycle adventurer, public commentator and philanthropist.[2]

Biography

Morgan was born in Putaruru, New Zealand to Roderic and Mary Morgan, the second of five children and the first to be born in New Zealand. He married Joanne Baird from Invercargill in 1975. They have four children: Samuel, Jessi, Floyd and Ruby. They also have four grandchildren.

From 1958–1970, Morgan attended school in Putaruru – Oraka Heights Primary and Putaruru High. He then attended Massey University for four years gaining a BA (Hons) in Economics. In 1982 he graduated from Victoria University with a PhD in economics.[3]

Morgan and wife Joanne are intrepid motor cycle travellers.[4] They have ridden every continent in the world on motor cycles, as part of their World by Bike expeditions. These trips are documented on their motorcycle travel website (http://www.worldbybike.com). Together they have written five motorcycle travel books[5] which document their unique style of unsupported motorcycle long distance tours.

He is father of Sam Morgan (founder of TradeMe), and was an early TradeMe investor and director. When TradeMe sold to Fairfax Media,[6] Gareth and his wife Joanne received NZ$50 million, which they donated[7] to their charitable foundation, the Morgan Foundation which administers the Morgans' philanthropic work. Gareth and Jo Morgan are also UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors.[8]

Work

Career and business

Morgan worked for the Reserve Bank of New Zealand in the early 1980s, before founding economics forecasting company Infometrics Limited in 1983.[9] That company became one of New Zealand's largest independent economics consultancy and forecasting businesses and for 18 years while under Morgan's leadership (until the end of the 1990s) maintained a regular national circuit of business and public speaking engagements focussed on raising the economics literacy of businesspeople and householders.

In 1984 he and business partner Andrew Gawith launched a twice weekly horse racing form guide, Bettor Informed, based on econometric modelling of all 7,500 gallopers on the New Zealand scene. The publication sought to identify the fair dividend for each horse and to instruct its readers when the odds being paid at the tote were a good return compared to the horse's actual chances of winning in that field. The publication was sold to Independent Newspapers Limited, owners of competitors Best Bets and Turf Digest.

In 2000, Gareth established Gareth Morgan Investments Limited (GMI),[10] a personal investment portfolio management service, which has grown to be one of the largest private businesses of its type in New Zealand. When the New Zealand Government initiated KiwiSaver in 2007, Gareth Morgan KiwiSaver Limited (GMK) launched the Gareth Morgan KiwiSaver Scheme.[11]

Morgan is well known for taking New Zealand's financial services industry to task for questionable ethics and abuse of investors.[12] Over two decades he's been persistent in exposing and criticising the sector, challenging the financial sector to produce safer and more ethical products. Morgan and his wife Joanne were early investors in TradeMe, founded by his son Sam Morgan. They were paid NZ$50m for their shares when Fairfax Media bought Trade Me in 2006. When asked what they would do with so much money, Gareth famously retorted "Let's just give it away." They founded the Morgan Foundation, which administers their philanthropic work around the world.

Morgan was a member of the Government appointed Capital Markets Task Force[13] (2008–2009) and the Tax Working Group (2009).[14] He is the chair of the Motor Cycle Safety Levy Advisory Council,[15] Patron of Wing 256 NZ Police Cadets,[16] and was North & South's New Zealander of the Year in 2007.[17]

In 2011, concerned that Wellington was about to lose its most iconic sports franchise, Gareth and six other Wellingtonians joined together to rescue the Wellington Phoenix, the only professional soccer team in New Zealand.[18] The new owners have promised to run the club at a profit and to reinvest every dollar back into the club and the development of the game in Wellington and beyond.[19]

Books and publishing

Morgan has instigated a series of public commentaries and books on issues of public interest. The purpose has been to raise awareness and encourage development of improved response to issues of public concern.

UNICEF Projects

Along with his wife Jo, Gareth Morgan has been a UNICEF NZ Ambassador and major donor since 2007 and has instigated a number of specific programmes in conjunction with UNICEF since that time. They include:

The Kiwi Heroes Programme

Since 2006 Gareth and Joanne have supported the work of a number of New Zealanders involved in significant foreign aid around the world.[26] They include:

Environmental

References

  1. "Business and economic standing in New Zealand". THICMI. 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  2. "Map of the locations of philanthropic work". The Morgan Foundation. 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  3. "Gareth Morgan's Victoria University Profile". Victoria University of Wellington. 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  4. "Traverse the world by motorcycle". www.worldbybike.com. 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  5. "Motorcycle Travel Books – WorldbyBike.com". Public Interest Publishing. 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  6. "Trademe price fair, says Morgan". TVNZ News. 6 March 2006. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  7. "Donation of Trademe windfall to charity". BBC News. 4 April 2006. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  8. "Gareth & Jo Morgan UNICEF ambassador profile". UNICEF. 2010. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  9. "Infometrics Company Profile". Infometrics Ltd. 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  10. "GMI Company Profile". GMI Ltd. 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  11. "Gareth Morgan KiwiSaver Scheme Profile". GMK Ltd. 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  12. "Gareth Morgan is a man who needs little introduction". magazinestoday. 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  13. "Members of the Capital Markets Development Taskforce". Ministry of Economic Development. 2007. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  14. "Tax Working Group timing may bring policy action". The National Business Review. 19 January 2010. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  15. "Motor Cycle Safety Levy Advisory Council". ACC. 12 October 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  16. "New Constables graduate from Police College tomorrow". New Zealand Police. 27 May 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  17. "New Zealander of the year". NZ Herald. 9 December 2006. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  18. "Wellington Phoenix Now Owned By Wellnix". 3 News. 23 September 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  19. "Owner's big plans for Wellington Phoenix". The Dominion Post. 15 October 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  20. "2011 Royal Society of New Zealand Science Book Prize". The Royal Society of New Zealand. 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  21. "Poles Apart Official Website". Public Interest Publishing. February 2008. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  22. "Health Cheque Official Website". Public Interest Publishing. 2010. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  23. "New Zealand's tax and welfare policies are a mess". Public Interest Publishing. 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  24. "Everything kiwis never wanted to know about fishing". Public Interest Publishing. 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  25. "Appetite for Destruction". Gareth Morgan. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  26. "The Kiwi Heroes Programme". The Morgan Charitable Foundation. 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  27. "Antarctica & the sub-Antarctic Islands to raise New Zealanders' awareness". Our Far South. 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  28. "The Antarctica 'Our Far South' expedition crew". Our Far South. 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  29. Amelia Wade "Morgan calls for cats to be wiped out", New Zealand Herald, 22 January 2013
  30. 1 2 3 "Call to eradicate New Zealand’s pet cats draws hisses from cat lovers", The Washington Post (Associated Press), 22 January 2013
  31. "Conservationists back anti-cat campaign", TVNZ Onenews, 22 January 2013

External links


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