Low-profile property investor and financier Brian Fitzgerald has added education to his mix of property and restaurant investments after taking a 5.7% stake in Endeavour Education Services.
Founded by Sir Neville Jordan, EEST has offices in Auckland, Wellington, New Delhi, Bangalore and Colombo where it markets tertiary institutes on a global scale. Fitzgerald’s investment follows a merger between EESL and EdCorp International in early 2017 that makes it one of New Zealand’s largest education services companies.
As a former executive of Equiticorp, which collapsed in 1989, Fitzgerald has a rich and controversial history in the finance industry. Along with long-time business partners Marc Lindale and Graham Jackson, in 1997 Fitzgerald co-founded Salisbury, which is probably best known for raising over $250 million to finance the huge Princes Wharf development on Auckland’s waterfront.
Other significant developments have included the $25m revamp of the Victoria Park Markets and roles in the creation of Hilton hotels in Auckland and Taupo. Fitzgerald’s expansive property interests trace back to numerous holding companies and, while precise valuations are hard to come by, he jointly owns the $16.5m historic Kauri Timber Building on Fanshawe St and a $13.25m commercial building on New North Rd.
Apart from property, Fitzgerald also has a major interest in the restaurant trade. In partnership with Graham Jackson and the Foley family, his trustees hold a 37.55% stake in Nourish Group, which added Auckland’s Soul Bar to a stable of 11 restaurants including the Jervois Steakhouses, the Crab Shack, and Wellington’s Shed 5 Restaurant. Outside of Nourish, there’s also a half-share in Wellington’s Backbencher gastropub.
Photo: New Zealand Herald/newspix.co.nz