Who we are

The Greytown Lands Trust is governed by an elected Board of Trustees and supported by a dedicated management team, along with trusted advisors and service providers.

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.

As a long-standing and integral part of the Greytown community, the Trust proudly builds on over 150 years of legacy. Through focused and responsible stewardship of our assets, we are committed to delivering lasting benefits for Greytown — both now and for generations to come.

  • The Greytown Lands Trust Board is made up of six Trustees elected as Trustees by local residents.

    Trustee election occurs every three years through a poll of registered voters in the Greytown District electorate, conducted alongside local government elections.

    Trustees serve six-year terms, with staggered commencement dates. This means that at each election, only three of the six Board positions become vacant, helping maintain continuity in governance.

    The Chair and Deputy Chair of the Board are elected from among the Trustees and are reappointed annually. This ensures that the leadership remains responsive to the needs of the community and provides an opportunity for Trustees to step into or rotate through these important roles.

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

    Our operations are governed by the Greytown District Trust Lands Act 1979 (as amended), a dedicated piece of legislation that outlines the purposes and responsibilities of the Trust. This Act, along with its predecessors dating back to 1871, has shaped our direction and activities for over 150 years.

    As a registered charity, we benefit from not having to pay income tax on our earnings, as all profits are used for charitable purposes.

  • Our Act
    The Greytown District Trust Lands Act 1979 (as amended) defines our purpose and governs much of our operations. It is the most important piece of legislation relevant to our activities.

    Other relevant legislation
    Consistent among other things with our charitable trust status, the scale of our financial operations, 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.

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.