Who we are

Our elected Board of Trustees govern the Greytown Lands Trust and are supported by a management team with specialist service providers and advisors.

Together our people work towards our purpose of helping build our community to be as strong, cohesive, vibrant and progressive as it can possibly be.

The Trust is an integral member of the Greytown community. We will continue to build on our 150 years of legacy through focused stewardship of the assets of the Trust, for the benefit of the Greytown community now and in the future.

  • The Greytown Lands Trust Board consists of six individuals selected as Trustees by local residents.

    The process of selection takes place every three years by means of a poll of registered voters in the Greytown District electorate, held concurrently with local government elections.

    While Trustees are all elected for a term of six years, the commencement dates of our terms are staggered so that at each election only three positions on the Board at a time become vacant. This helps ensure there is a degree of continuity of governance from one election to the next.

    The Chair and Deputy Chair are appointed from among and by the Trustees. They put themselves forward for re-appointment every 12 months.

  • We are a statutory Trust and a registered charity, based in Greytown, Wairarapa, New Zealand.

    The purposes of the Trust are set out in our very own piece of Government legislation, the Greytown District Trust Lands Act 1979 (as amended) which, along with its predecessors dating back to 1871, has governed and influenced everything we do.

    As a registered charity, because all the profits we make are put to charitable use, we benefit from not having to pay income tax on our earnings.

  • Our Act
    The Greytown District Trust Lands Act 1979 (as amended) sets out our purpose and governs much of our business. It is the single most important piece of legislation that is relevant to what we do.

    Other relevant legislation
    Consistent among other things with our charitable trust status, the scale of our financial operations and our activities in the field of property ownership and property management and also as an employer, there is a wide range of other legislation that applies to our business. This includes but is not limited to:

    • Charities Act 2005

    • Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987

    • Local Authorities (Members Interests) Act 1968

    • Financial Reporting Act 2013

    • Income Tax Act 2007

    • Goods and Services Tax Act 1985

    • Public Bodies Leases Act 1969

    • Property Law Act 2007

    • Building Act 2004

    • Construction Contracts Act 2003

    • Resource Management Act 1991

    • Health & Safety at Work Act 2015

    • Employment Relations Act 2000

    • Holidays Act 2003

    • Privacy Act 1993

    • Trusts Act 2019

    Further information regarding this legislation can be found on the New Zealand legislation website.

Greytown Lands Trust Board of Trustees

Phil Holden

  • Phil was elected in October 2019. Phil is an experienced business professional with Chief Executive leadership experience over 20 years with organisations including Coffee Connection, The Lion Foundation, New Zealand Rugby League, Greyhound Racing New Zealand, Breadcraft and Harness Racing New Zealand.

    He runs his own consultancy and executive contracting business with a strong interest in strategy, culture and values, and leadership. Phil is currently providing Executive support to the New Zealand Shearing Contractors Association as their Executive Officer, and the Tractor and Machinery Association as General Manager.

    A member of the Institute of Directors, Phil’s governance and senior executive roles have been underpinned by his passion for values-based leadership. Phil is also Chair of Harness Racing New Zealand and Chair and Trustee of Greytown Lands Trust.

Derek Williams

  • Derek was elected in October 2022. Derek lives in Greytown and is semi-retired. He was born and raised in Canterbury.

    Early in his career, he held general management positions in the public sector and in the office of the State Services Commission before joining Ernst & Young, a major accounting and management consulting firm, where he became a partner. He subsequently formed a management consulting company with local and international clients focussed on strategy and performance improvement in the commercial sector.

    Before moving to Greytown Derek spent much of his leisure time in the Wairarapa, tramping, fishing and generally enjoying the country life centred on Greytown.

    He is currently working with several businesses in the Wairarapa in advisory roles.

Andy Holmes

  • Andy was elected in October 2022. Andy was born and bred in Greytown and has a long involvement with the community including running the 68-year-old family business, Holmes Construction Group. Andy is passionate about the well-being of the town and its’ residents. He has been a long-term volunteer and is actively engaged in recreational and sporting groups in Greytown, which gives him a strong understanding of the views of the community .

    Andy has recently retired from the construction business and now has the time, energy and desire to put into the Greytown Lands Trust and is looking forward to what lies ahead. Andy’s spare time is centered around his family.

Steve Meyrick

  • Steve was elected in October 2022. Steve is a 57-year-old orchardist who has lived in and breathed Greytown his entire life. He has volunteered with the Greytown Volunteer Fire Brigade for 32 years and recently stepped down from the role of Fire Chief.

    His family-owned orchard – which he has managed for over 25 years – has flourished under his management compared to the many that once thrived in our district and have now disappeared.

    Steve is a very passionate Greytown resident and is always looking out for his community.

Wayne Regnault

  • Wayne was elected in October 2013. Wayne is Greytown born and bred and follows in the footsteps of his father, Doug, who retired as a Trustee in 2001.

    Wayne has a background in building construction and project management. Wayne was re-elected to the Board in October 2019.

    Wayne held the position of Deputy Chairperson from October 2017 until September 2020 when he elected not to stand again for the position.

Matt Bell

  • Matt was elected in October 2019, Matt has lived in the Wairarapa for nearly 25 years of which almost 20 have been in Greytown.

    Matt has qualifications and experience in Town Planning and Property Management; and has had a 30 year career in property management and development in nationwide companies, and currently works for PGG Wrightson in their Corporate Property team as a national Property Manager based out of their Masterton regional office.

Greytown Lands Trust Management

Helga Perry

  • Helga started with the Trust in July 2013 as the Trust’s Administrator working part-time.

    In July 2021 Helga took on the role of Trust Manager and has the responsibility for keeping the Trust’s operation running as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

    Helga is supported by service providers contracted to the Trust.

Callum Mitchell - Rightway Ltd

  • Callum supplies accounting services and advice to the Trust.

  • Jake is based in Auckland and looks after the Trust’s managed funds portfolio.