With their corporate power struggles seemingly behind them, blood relatives Anthony and Ben Gough (pictured) appear to be getting on with being two of the most influential businesspeople in Christchurch.
As grandchildren from the two marriages of Tracey Thomas Gough, the pair had been locked in a bitter feud over board control of the diverse Gough Group, which was founded by their grandfather in 1929 and became one of Australasia’s leading infrastructure providers.
The High Court eventually determined Ben and his sister Gina Satterthwaite would maintain control over Gough Holdings by virtue of their 50.16% holding in a company looking to transform itself with the appointment in 2018 of Liz Ward as the new chief executive. “Liz comes to us with a powerful record of innovation that will enable developments we believe our customers want to see,” Ben says.
Outside the Gough Group, 43-year-old Ben owns Tailorspace, which functions as the investment vehicle for the Ben Gough Family Office through which Ben and his wife Penny have donated an estimated $165,000 toward new art in Christchurch. “Penny and I have been very fortunate with our own personal situation” Ben told The Press. “The ability to give back to the community is important.”
Meanwhile, Antony is also forging ahead with the $140 million development of The Terrace, a new riverfront hospitality and office precinct in downtown Christchurch that finally took in its first tenants in late 2017 after six years of development.
Anthony also has a 50/50 interest with fellow Rich Lister Graeme Wilkinson in the recently refurbished Russley Retirement Village in Burnside, which is valued at $42m. Renowned for his colourful attire and quirky nature, the 69-year-old has an honours degree in nuclear science and was a data processor and sheep farmer before he took up property development. “I suppose hospitality and property is just in my blood,” he says.