Bill Gallagher - Chief Executive Officer

Bill Gallagher is a natural leader, whose communication skills and business influence are nationally and internationally recognised. Bill motivates and empowers people and has a firm disdain of what he calls "control techniques" of hierarchical management. He favours the coach approach. Bill Gallagher is the Group CEO and Chairman.

Bill represents his company and its philosophies throughout the world. He travels the world on a regular basis - holding seminars, training sessions and fielddays on many topics that include the containment of animals, security of property and people, agri-business, tariff removals and export issues. He spends up to 150 days a year on the road as a roving international salesman. His major skill is the ability to communicate across language and social barriers with an emphasis on ethics and integrity in his professional and personal dealings. Bill has a strong and active commitment to the environment he lives and works in - he is a major sponsor of the Rescue Helicopter, Waikato Stadium, Mounted Police, Gallagher Community Swimming Pool, Gallagher Hockey Centre and the establishment of the Performing Arts centre at Waikato University. He is also involved with many other civic and community organisations.

His passion for the ocean and scuba diving is legendary - he is frequently asked to comment on environmental issues and to address interested gatherings. He never travels overseas without his special dive mask packed into his luggage - one never knows where there might be an interesting wreck just waiting for him to give it the once-over!!

Bill has created a work environment that encourages personal empowerment and independent thinking. A true entrepreneur, he has a sense of urgency and "controlled risk taking" which is supported and managed by the positive team he works with.

He was awarded the MBE in 1987, the Queen's Medal (Commonwealth) in 1990. He was also the 1996 winner of the prestigious Excellence in Communication Leadership award, the first time since its beginning in 1961 that the award had gone outside North America. In 1998 Bill was awarded Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) in The Queen's New Year Honours List.

Bill is married to Judi Gallagher; they live in Hamilton City in the Waikato. They have 3 adult children and are proud grandparents of 4 grandchildren.

"One of our stated guiding values is that it must be the truth. Communications and actions should be transparent. If they cannot be defended then we should think again before speaking or acting."