Automotive families still feature in latest NBR rich list

Prominent New Zealand families with ties to dealerships and the automotive industry have once again featured in the National Business Review’s 2025 Rich List, according to an Autotalk report.

The Todd family came in fourth overall with an estimated net worth of $3.5b. Although the family sold its Todd Motors business to Mitsubishi decades ago, its diversified portfolio now spans minerals, energy, property, and healthcare.

The Fukutaka family has played a key role in New Zealand’s EV sector by providing early backing for Drive Electric. It remains in eighth position with a net worth of $1.6b.

Former Caterpillar dealership owners, the Christchurch-based Gough family, are 41st on the list with an estimated net worth of $550m.

The Giltrap family, synonymous with prestige automotive retail in New Zealand, now sits at 64th on the list. Their holdings are valued at $400m, down from $480m last year and a ranking of 41st.

The Maber family behind the Power Farming Group has grown into a multinational agricultural machinery business. It holds spot number 73rd with an estimated net worth of $350m, up slightly from $340m last year.

Outside of the automotive sector, and at the top of the 2025 NBR rich list are Zuru founders, Nick and Mat Mowbray. They retain their title as New Zealand’s richest individuals with an estimated wealth of $20 billion, followed by packaging magnate Graeme Hart at $12.1 billion.

The NBR Rich List for 2025 includes 119 individuals and families with a combined wealth of $102.1b, up from $95.55b last year. Two women have made the rich list this year for the first time since 2019.

NBR Rich List editor, Hamish McNicol, commented “The country’s Rich Listers together employ thousands of people and generate billions of dollars of economic activity.”