Richard Ballantyne

Chief Executive of J Ballantyne & Co Limited

Richard Ballantyne is a Director and Executive Director of J Ballantyne & Co Ltd. Ballantyne's has branches at Christchurch International Airport and Timaru and employs approximately 300 staff.

Educated in Canterbury, Richard gained a B.A. (History), B.Com (Accounting and Economics) at Canterbury University and is also a Chartered Accountant.

Richard has served on the Board of the Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce for three years. He is a Life Member of the New Zealand Retailers Association, Fellow of the Institute of Management and Institute of Directors. Richard is past President of the New Zealand Retailers Association, Canterbury Promotion Council (now Canterbury Marketing) and Canterbury Division of NZIM.

He also has a current interest as the Chairman of the Cholmondeley Foundation, which supports the children's Home and a Board Member of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. Richard is a member of three groups concerning the rebuild of Christchurch following the earthquakes - Re:Start 29.10.11, CERA Community Forum and Recover Canterbury.

Richard's specific business interests involve:

• The welfare of the central city as the cultural, social and commercial heart of the region for the benefit of both local and visiting people.
• The successful co-existence of the country's commercial, agricultural and economic interests with the environment (still one of the best in the world and requires careful management) and our dependence on the management of both in the long term.
• As the Firm has Branches in Christchurch City, Christchurch International Airport and Timaru. Richard is interested and supportive of the sustainable development and potential of the Canterbury Region.

He is married with three grown up children and in his spare time enjoys gardening, fly fishing, golf and reading history.