There aren’t too many billion-dollar-plus entities that have the vibe of a family-run business.
But it’s Tainui Group Holdings’ whānau-based culture that first drew Chris Joblin to the company.
And it’s a big reason why the 48-year-old remains passionately committed to the company in his role as chief executive.
Joblin grew up in Gisborne, on the North Island’s east coast, an upbringing he credits with instilling in him a love of the sea.
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His festive summer break will involve family trips to the coast, to fish and to dive, ahead of what will undoubtedly be an eventful 2022.
In mid-2022, the inland port at TGH’s Ruakura Superhub is expected to start operating. Its opening represents a milestone for the $3 billion-plus development.
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Tainui Group Holdings chief executive Chris Joblin says the company’s whānau-based culture aligns strongly with his own values.
Conceived about 15 years ago, the Ruakura Superhub’s underlying ambition is to transform the movement of freight in the upper North Island and generate major productivity gains for the country. Once fully developed, the superhub will take in 490 hectares and support 6000 – 12,000 jobs.
TGH is the business arm of Waikato-Tainui and serves as the kaitiaki (guardians) of the tribe’s commercial interests.
Taking an intergenerational approach to projects, such as the Ruakura Superhub, brings with it many advantages, Joblin says.
“It gives TGH the freedom to invest and do things at a level of quality that others wouldn’t do,” he says.
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TGH chief executive Chris Joblin shows Hamilton East MP, Labour’s Jamie Strange, far left, and Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash a model of the Ruakura Superhub.
“Novotel Tainui [Hamilton Hotel] is a great example. We built the extension here at the start of Covid. But we’re prepared to show leadership. It’s an important part of our role in the community: to show commercial leadership and show aspiration for our city and our region.”
Joblin left home at age 17 to study accounting and finance at Waikato University. After graduation, Joblin and wife Colleen did a 5½ year stint in the United Kingdom. Joblin worked at motor vehicle retailer giant Pendragon PLC, a job that enabled him to travel across Europe and to North America.
After coming back to New Zealand, Joblin worked at meat processor Affco for seven years before joining TGH as their chief financial officer in December 2009.
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Many New Zealanders don’t realise how impactful the Ruakura Superhub will be once it begins operating, says Joblin.
He worked under then chief executive Mike Pohio, a man he describes as a “great guy” with a clear focus on delivering strong commercial outcomes for the tribe.
Joblin became acting chief executive when Pohio resigned in 2015. He decided to apply for the top job two days before applications closed.
“Being chief executive wasn’t something I ever intended. My mindset was to position the business for a new person coming in, and I did that. It wasn’t something that I aspired to, but it’s something I really enjoy now I’m here.”
TGH manages more than a billion dollars worth of assets and has a workforce of about 50 staff. Visitors to the company’s Bryce St office often comment on its inviting, warm atmosphere, Joblin says.
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Joblin lists his ability to pull ideas together and turn them into reality as one of his personal strengths.
“We’re not a corporate monolith, we run it like a family business and that’s what makes TGH’s culture unique. TGH has a whānau-based culture. We encourage our people to take time out and do the things that they need to do in support of their families. That gives them balance in their lives.”
During his time at TGH, Joblin has invested in learning te reo Māori and broadened his understanding of Waikato-Tainui.
The Ruakura Superhub is the centrepiece of the tribe’s long-term strategy for intergenerational wealth creation. Originally envisaged as a 30-year project, it could now reach full development in 15 to 20 years due to demand from tenants.
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Joblin gives Finance Minister Grant Robertson a guided tour of the Ruakura Superhub in May.
One of TGH’s goals for the superhub is for it to become the most sustainable commercial hub in Australasia. Storm water from the site will be enhanced through open swales and a 10ha wetland.
“When you have that intergenerational outlook, knowing that the tribe is going to be here forever, it allows you to do things differently. That’s why design and environmental outcomes are really important,” Joblin says.
“Another property developer would have turned the Ruakura site into residential lots and sold it off. But because our owners have that affinity to the land and want to keep it, we looked for other development options that fit with that value set.”
With a view to the future, the superhub will feature an embedded solar power network. It’s anticipated the site’s warehouses will make use of automation, including fully automated operations such as dark warehouses.
Contemplating the future and understanding how innovations, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, will impact and influence the business world, excites Joblin. He lists his ability to identify future opportunities and adapt to change as among his key strengths.
In terms of his own future, Joblin doesn’t have fixed plans for where he wants to be in 10 years’ time. At some point, he’d like to do something different, such as pursuing governance roles. Supporting his children – Danielle, 17 and Thomas, 16 – and their endeavours will always be a priority.
But part of him will always remain connected to TGH and Waikato-Tainui.
“I’ve worked at TGH for a large part of my working life, and it does become part of you. For me, I just hope I leave TGH in a better place than when I started. I think that’s really important.”
