Owen Glenn

Sir Owen Glenn
KNZM
Born Owen George Glenn
(1940-02-19) 19 February 1940
Calcutta, India
Occupation Businessman and philanthropist

Sir Owen George Glenn KNZM (born 19 February 1940) is an expatriate New Zealand businessman and philanthropist, who supports humanitarian causes worldwide through his family charity.

Early life

Born in Calcutta, India, in 1940, Glenn emigrated with his family to New Zealand in 1952. He attended Balmoral Intermediate School and Mount Roskill Grammar School in Auckland.

Career

Glenn is the founder and former executive chairman of Vanguard Logistics Services, the USA's largest neutral non-vessel operating common carrier [logistics industry participant] and among the top five largest NVOCCs in the world.

Philanthropy

In 2002, Glenn donated $7.5 million to the University of Auckland for the development of the Business School’s premises and facilities and ongoing improvements.[1] This contribution is believed to be the largest private donation in New Zealand educational history, and was driven by Glenn's belief in the business school's mission and in the benefits high quality business education holds for New Zealand business and society. As a result of this gift the business school’s complex, opened in early 2008, was named the Owen G. Glenn Building. Owen Glenn followed his initial $7.5 million donation by, in 2008, donating an additional $500,000 to establish the Barry Spicer and Owen G Glenn PhD Scholarships. These scholarships received matched funding of $250,000.

In 2008 Glenn claimed that the New Zealand government was considering making him the country's honorary consul in Monaco,[2] but such an appointment never eventuated. His political donations to the New Zealand Labour Party and the New Zealand First Party, which both the political parties denied receiving, caused some controversy in New Zealand politics at around the same time.[3] On 9 September 2008, Glenn gave evidence to the New Zealand Parliament's Privileges Committee regarding the accuracy of statements made by Winston Peters, Leader of the New Zealand First Party, about the donations Glenn had given to Peters. Parliament ultimately censured Peters for failing to declare the donations.[4]

Glenn supports a number of international charities through the Glenn Family Foundation[5] and helped establish the International SeaKeepers Society. The foundation also supported Hockey NZ, helped it achieve rights to the hosting of the 2011 Champions Trophy, which were taken from India due to organisation failures.[6]

Following the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, Glenn donated $1 million to the Christchurch earthquake recovery fund on behalf of the Glenn Family Foundation.[7] He stated, "I grew up in New Zealand, it holds a special place in my heart and to see such devastation, such hurt and such loss makes you want to help. This donation is something I can do and I strongly urge other expatriate business people to do the same. We all need to pull together and while we are a small country, it is a country made up of people with huge hearts. That's what gets you through in times like this."[8]

New Zealand Warriors involvement

In 2000, Glenn became a shareholder of the New Zealand Warriors rugby league team. After his relationship with 50% shareholder Eric Watson became dysfunctional, Glenn first considered putting his shares into a trust for the benefit of New Zealand Warrior fans. However, he ultimately sold his 50% stake to Watson in November 2015.[9]

Honours and awards

In the 2008 New Year Honours Glenn was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to business and the community.[10][11]

In May 2011, Glenn was awarded CPA Australia's highest honour—Honorary Fellow of CPA (FCPA)—in recognition of his global entrepreneurial success.[12]

In the 2013 New Year Honours Glenn was promoted to Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to philanthropy.[13][14]

Timeline

1940 Born in Calcutta, India.
1952 Family immigrated to New Zealand; attended Balmoral Intermediate and Mt Roskill Grammar.
Worked at the Bank of New Zealand.
1961 Overseas experience in Europe/Australia.
1962 Returned to New Zealand; worked for TEAL (now Air New Zealand), then Emery Air Freight . 1967 approx set up Penson Forwarding in Sydney before work with Swire Group.
1969 In the UK: joined the Swire Group (included Cathay Pacific Airways). Proposed they form a joint venture company with the Ocean Group.
Resulted in MSAS (McGregor Swire Air Services), later EXCEL Logistics – one of the world’s largest logistical groups.
1976 With a partner, set up Sydney-based freight company, Pacific Forwarding Group.
1978 DCL (Direct Container Line) was launched in the USA as an NVOCC (Non Vessel Operating Common Carrier).
Owen took over DCL (Los Angeles).
DCL soon became the biggest NVOCC and the second-largest exporter of goods in the USA.
1989 DCL won an "E for Export Award" from President Reagan.
Owen completed the Harvard OPM (Owner/President Management Programme 1989-1990).
1991 DCL won an "E Star Award" for continued contributions to the Export Expansion Program of the United States of America.
Owen was presented with a USA "Entrepreneur of the Year" Award.
1994 Owen led the formation of NACA (North American Consolidation Association).
2001 Glenn creates OTS Logistics Group through a series of acquisitions. DCL, merged with Brennan International and Conterm Consolidation Services in 1998, is renamed the OTS Logistics Group.
2012 London based private equity group Man Capital LLP acquires OTS Logistics Group.

References

  1. ↑ Official website of the University of Auckland Business School
  2. ↑ Young, Audrey (19 February 2008). "Donor now says Labour offered Monaco post". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  3. ↑ Ihaka, James (16 July 2008). "Peters gives Clark assurance on donation". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  4. ↑ "Peters describes censuring as 'useless facade'". New Zealand Herald. 23 September 2008. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  5. ↑ http://www.glennfamilyfoundation.org/
  6. ↑ Maddaford, Terry (14 September 2011). "Hockey: NZ wins hosting rights for Champions Trophy". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  7. ↑ "Owen Glenn gives $1m to quake fund". The New Zealand Herald. 27 February 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  8. ↑ Christchurch earthquake: Owen Glenn gives $1 Million to quake fund
  9. ↑ "Watson now Warriors' sole owner". Stuff. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  10. ↑ "The New Year Honours 2008" (11 January 2008) 2 New Zealand Gazette 47 at 48.
  11. ↑ Orsman, Bernard (31 December 2007). "New Year award for Labour's big donor". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  12. ↑ NBR staff (11 May 2011). "Owen Glenn gets accounting honour from CPA". National Business Review. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  13. ↑ "New Year Honours 2013" (29 January 2013) 8 The New Zealand Gazette 293.
  14. ↑ "New Year Honours List 2013". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
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