John Todd (businessman)

Sir John Todd
KNZM
Todd in 2009
Born
John Desmond Todd

(1927-02-12)12 February 1927
Wellington, New Zealand
Died29 July 2015(2015-07-29) (aged 88)
Wellington, New Zealand
RelativesCharles Todd (grandfather)
Kathleen Todd (aunt)
Bryan Todd (uncle)
Andrew Todd (uncle)[1]

Sir John Desmond Todd KNZM (12 February 1927 – 29 July 2015) was a New Zealand businessman and philanthropist who was head of the Todd Corporation.[2][3]

His was educated at Wellesley College of which he was dux in 1943[4] (at that time Wellesley College had a secondary department[5]). He later completed a degree in accountancy and commerce at Victoria University of Wellington.[citation needed]

Todd was a Founding trustee of the Arts Foundation of New Zealand, and served as a trustee for the Royal New Zealand Ballet and the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council.[citation needed]

In 2011, Todd was inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame.[6] He was made a Knight Companion of New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2012 New Year Honours, for services to business,[7] having previously been appointed a Companion of New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2009 Queen's Birthday Honours.[8]

  1. ^ Monica Showalter (2001). "New Zealand's First Billionaire". Forbes.
  2. ^ Monica Showalter (2 July 2001). "New Zealand's First Billionaire". Forbes.
  3. ^ "Head of New Zealand's richest family Sir John Todd dies". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  4. ^ Bruce Levick, Wellesley College 100 years on, 1914–2014, Writes Hill Press, Wellington, 2014, p. 157.
  5. ^ Bruce Levick, p. 175
  6. ^ "Past laureates". Business Hall of Fame. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  7. ^ "New Year honours list 2012". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  8. ^ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2009". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 1 June 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2020.