Tributes Flow for Industry Titans

NZ has lost two of its leading business figures with the deaths of Sir James Fletcher and Nick Nobilo (pictured) on August 29. Fletcher, 92, became Managing Director of construction dynasty Fletcher Holdings in 1942. He was knighted for services to industry and the community in 1980. “We don’t have enough industrialists or business people that we can look up to. He is one we can revere,” said Fletcher family friend John Hart. Nikola ‘Nick’ Nobilo, 94, founded the Nobilo Wines empire in 1943 after emigrating to NZ from Croatia six years earlier. Nobilo helped steer the NZ wine industry away from hybrid grape varieties and fortified wines to a higher level of quality wines made from classic grape varietals. “You can’t talk about where New Zealand wine has got to in the world today – and it is absolutely impressive – without taking into account the contribution of the Nobilo family,” said Terry Dunleavy, editor of NZ Winegrower.

Sir James Fletcher: 29 March 1886 – 1974
Nick Nobilo: 23 August 1913 – 28 August 2007