Some 17 years after leaving the company where he made his name, investor, chairman and occasional NBR contributor John Ryder continues to see his business interests grow.
Ryder first came to prominence as the joint founder and joint managing director of Ryman Healthcare, to which he lent the first half of his surname. A retirement home operator, Ryman is now one of the largest names on the NZX 50 Index, although Ryder left the company in 2002 after 18 years.
Since departing he’s focused on market issues and investing, particularly in his old domain of retirement homes. He’s the executive chairman of Qestral Corporation, which is developing several retirement villages throughout the country, including a new 300-bed home in the Port Hills of Nelson. The company is currently selling spaces in Christchurch’s $140 million Burlington Retirement Village, which is scheduled to be completed next year, while also planning to begin work on homes in Hamilton. The villages feature amenities such as pool rooms, cafes and gymnasiums.
Ryder is also the chair of New Zealand King Salmon Investments. The group recently announced it was seeking to test the waters down the South Island’s east coast in hopes of expanding its operations, and has expressed support for new, nationwide marine farm reconsenting rules being developed by the Government.
Ryder is a published author, having written Global Investing: A Guide for New Zealanders in 2016. He has been an independent chairman of leading private investment company Direct Capital since 2008, which led to his own roles crossing paths when the company invested with Qestral in February this year. He was also a founding director of Michael Hill.
2018: $100 million