Winton Land chief Chris Meehan takes leave for health reasons

Meehan has been one of the most energetic and visionary property developers to head a listed company in the past few years.

Chris Meehan of Winton Land (second from right) appeared in a Herald feature in May about 12 men shaping Auckland and beyond. Photo / Dean Purcell, Illustration / Phil Welch

He appeared in a feature by the Herald about the 12 men shaping Auckland and beyond in May.

Winton is one of the country’s busiest developers, its projects spanning hospitality as well as housing and retirement villages.

The Southland-born businessman affectionately named his company Winton after the small town he was adopted from.

“Parents adopted me from Winton. When my parents picked me up, I was in Winton,” he said in 2021.

Meehan’s wife is Olympian sailor Michaela Meehan, who is Danish and competed at the Atlanta, Sydney and Athens Olympics.

Michaela and Chris Meehan at the opening of Bravo. Photo / Simon Devitt

They are friends with Danish royalty and divide their time between Queenstown and Auckland.

Chris Meehan worked for many years in Australia, where he founded Belle Property, one of that country’s leading real estate franchises.

Meehan shot to public prominence here in 2021 when he listed part of Winton Land on the NZX and ASX.

That business is building new housing and retirement villages as well as hospitality precincts Ayrburn near Arrowtown and Bravo at Cracker Bay, in Auckland’s Wynyard Quarter.

Chris and Michaela Meehan at Bravo at Cracker Bay.

That new restaurant opened in the autumn to great acclaim.

He has paused his $750 million retirement village project in the Wynyard Quarter until the market improves.

He said Ayrburn near Arrowtown, which Winton developed, would get one million plus visitors annually.

Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 26 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.

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