Once one of New Zealand’s most famous names, David Richwhite now leads a private existence with his family in London.
Along with his business partner Sir Michael Fay, Richwhite was one of Australasia’s leading young merchant bankers in the late 1980s. The pair’s Fay Richwhite investment bank played a central role in the controversial privatisation of New Zealand’s state-owned enterprises, making the duo household names and securing their fortunes.
After featuring in the Winebox Inquiry, which investigated claims of corruption and incompetence in relation to some of his business dealings, Richwhite moved overseas. First settling in Geneva, he later moved to London.
He is understood to be a keen hunter, fisherman and musician. With Fay, he co-owns Great Mercury Island, which has recently been the site of key archaeological finds. At present, DOC and others are working to eradicate the invasive Argentinian ant from the island.
Far more prominent in the public eye is Richwhite’s son, Topher, a talented musician and keen traveller. Topher and his partner Bridget Thackwray have been on a relatively high-profile trip around the world, partnering with organisations including National Geographic and the World Wildlife Fund. The media-savvy duo has worked with conservation projects and drawn attention to overpopulation and environmental concerns, including, most recently, the issue of poaching in Africa.
2018: $950 million