Charlie Zheng is a joint owner of Wellington’s Cornerstone Partners, which has boosted its commercial property portfolio to an estimated $400 million recently with the purchase of the ex-Trade me offices at One Market Lane, as well as 93 the Terrace.
Cornerstone’s portfolio is estimated to rise in value as the seismic work taken to ensure each property meets the government’s National Building Standard makes them highly coveted in the Capital.
Zheng, a Victoria University graduate who has lived in the capital for 16 years, does not court publicity but came to the attention of those paying attention when he snapped up Kirkcaldie & Stains’ old Harbour City Centre building for $45.85m in 2014. Since then, wine and coffee has joined his stable of interests. He’s brought the ‘Wellington coffee experience’ to his home city of Xi’an through a joint venture with Mojo Coffee founder Steve Gianoutsos, opening two cafes in the city. Wine wise, he brought Murdoch James and Alana Estates in 2011 and 2014 respectively, replanting and rebranding the Martinborough vineyards under the Luna Estate brand, which was apparently inspired by the moon and his daughter’s name. The wine play is also an attempt to supply rising demand in the Asian market.
2018: $125 million