New Zealand philanthropists including Sir Ray Avery and Sir Michael Hill have recorded their perspectives on the Covid-19 crisis, sharing insights from their own personal journey and offering valuable tips to overcome barriers brought on by the global pandemic.
As the world heads towards an inevitable recession, Arnaud says the six-part series intends to provide valuable insights from successful business people who have survived several recessions and overcome setbacks during their careers.
“Each interview focuses on three cornerstones; what crisis and hard times they have been through before and how they managed; what their insights are on physical and mental health through crises; and lastly how they are finding solace during the current lockdown in their personal environment, including their gardens which feature in the book.”
While recording the series Arnaud says there were many highlights of his conversations with New Zealand’s greatest business minds.
“Sir Michael Hill spoke of the most dramatic time in his life when he lost everything when his house burned down. While it was happening he knew it was an opportunity for change and that he would rebuild his business – a business he had been running from home for 23 years. It was actually while the house was burning that he wrote his most important thoughts on paper - and recommends people do the same in crisis. He suggests writing down long term goals and breaking them into yearly and monthly targets – all with the aim of achieving those goals.
“Reassuringly his advice is that if we have to start again, whatever happens remember you have learnt a lot of lessons on the way. Things will become normal again.”
The stock market crash of 1987, the 2007 global financial crisis and New Zealand’s earthquakes were pivotal times for Sir Eion Edgar, Chairman of Forsyth Barr.
“I went through them all and I think surviving those events was about making sure we had balance in our business. My Scottish heritage has meant that I’ve always been conservative in the way we have invested. In ’87 we had stopped taking clients 15 months before, so we were never in better shape when the crash hit.
“The most important thing in my experience is not to panic. Think logically. We will get through this; I think it may take longer but at the end of it we will come out as better people. I think as communities we will be more thoughtful. I think in my lifetime – and I plan to live another 25 years – we won’t ever see the same peak tourism we experienced previously. But we will be a better country I feel, we will come out better for it.”
Woven through the business wisdom, are personal accounts of how each philanthropist is spending their days in lockdown - the common thread being valuable time spent with family. Sir Michael Hill is committed to drawing a series of cartoons between learning the viola, Sir Eion Edgar has enjoyed reconnecting with old friends on Facetime and Sir Ray Avery has found respite in his garden, vacuuming leaves regularly and enjoying sitting down to enjoy barbecues.
“The garden is part of my mindfulness. I don’t pay to go to the gym, I’d rather do my garden because at the end of the day, I can see what I’ve done. This gives me peace,
“Gardening is like life. Sometimes you’ll find mites have infected it, and that required extra attention. But don’t give in, my reason for success is that I never give in,” says Sir Ray.
Sir Bob Harvey also finds respite from the crisis in his West Auckland garden.
“This is a time to love gardens because a global crisis has come to our door. We need more resilience, more strength and we need more gardens. I have always taken strength from the planting and the natural world.”
All gardens feature in Gardens of the Greats: Expressions of Extraordinary People, a stunning coffee-table book that celebrates the private landscapes of ten high profile New Zealanders and four global influencers. Most will know these people by name or by their philanthropic deeds, but few will have had the opportunity to see their magnificent personal gardens.
Gardens of the Greats: Expressions of Extraordinary People tell the stories of these well-known public figures through their gardens, illustrating how their outdoor spaces reflect their lives and their narratives.
The book is available for purchase with some of the proceeds donated to the Arts Foundation while the six-video series Covid-19 – Insights from the Greats is available to listen free at Branché Landscapes and on Facebook, Instagram, Arnaud’s Linkedin and Christina’s Linkedin
Pictured above: Christina Duthil & Arnaud Daurat
www.branchelandscapes.co.nz/news-and-partners/covid-19-insights-from-the-greats-interviews
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