Typically Sir William Gallagher is always up for a chat about his business even if like most people he’d prefer not to detail his family’s wealth publicly.
However, this year he declined an interview for NBR’s Rich List and is obviously trying to keep a lower profile since being roundly condemned late last year for remarks he made about the Treaty of Waitangi being a rort.
He made the comments, including complaining about monetary reparations for Maori, at a Christmas event for the Waikato branch of the Institute of Directors. The institute apologised days before he did for any offence caused. The normally outspoken business magnate took a few days to release an open letter that said he was a “businessperson not a historian” and needed to do more research and understanding on the topic from various viewpoints.
Sir William was awarded the institute's highest accolade, the Distinguished Fellow Award, in 2005.
He also dubbed climate change a rort in a media interview soon after the IoD event, saying while the climate is changing, “it has nothing to do with the activities of man.” No one seemed as offended by his views on that subject.
It’s not the first time there has been a risk of reputational damage to the Waikato-based fencing and security company, which is a major sponsor of The Chiefs Super Rugby team. Former long-time staffer Margaret Comer left the company in late 2016 after stirring up trouble following an incident where a stripper made claims against a Chiefs player. Afterwards, Sir William told NBR the incident was “the PC world gone mad”.
Gallagher Group started out in 1938 as an electric fence manufacturer with 10 staff. This year the global exporter, which is involved in animal management, security, and fuel systems, is celebrating its 80th anniversary. It has 1100 staff spread around 10 countries and has also dabbled in investing in a few technology startups such as green battery technology company ArcActive.
The company is owned 50:50 by trusts associated with Sir William and his brother, John, (both are directors) while their children and grandchildren are also beneficiaries. Both men’s sons, Ian and Keith Gallagher, work for the firm.
Sir Wiliam joined the company straight out of university in 1962, working his way up through the company ranks to become chief executive and chairman. He was made a member of the British Empire in 1987, a companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 1999 and was knighted in the 2011 New Year’s Honours list for his commitment to enterprise and his leadership skills.
The company is a big spender on research and development, committing over 10% of its more than $200 million revenue each year. It took out the top New Zealand security award last August for its mobile security app, Gallagher Mobile Connect, which allows building occupants, visitors, and contractors to access points like gates through their mobile phones rather than requiring a swipe card.
Sir William and his wife, Lady Judith, spend just under half the year travelling the world for business and for pleasure. They have a substantial property portfolio that includes their lakeside home, built in a French-style chateau style, valued at $15.1 million.
In the apology letter over his comments on the Treaty, Sir William pointed to the group’s charitable foundation committing several million dollars annually into community initiatives, ranging from support to low-decile schools, educational scholarships, community assets and many sponsorships locally and internationally.