Martin
Hawes

Martin has spent most of his career working in business and personal finance. For many years he has written books and articles on money matters and presented on topics such as investment, property, family trusts, mortgages, retirement planning and the share market. With that experience, Martin can present on a wide range of finance and business topics.

Martin has a reputation for being able to take difficult concepts and put them into easy-to-understand language. His presentations are not just informative but practical and entertaining at the same time.

Current work
Martin currently works with Summer KiwiSaver as the Chair of its Investment Committee. This role requires recommending changes to the Scheme’s investment mix and also communicating recommended changes to members. This requires communications direct to members but also through the news media and client presentations.

Martin stills sees clients: individuals and families who require plans to build wealth or turn their wealth into a steady income for their 20 Good Summers. Martin’s financial advisory practice is not aligned with any financial services provider.

Martin has significant expertise and position in retirement. He sits on the board of Retirement Income Group, New Zealand’s only Variable Annuity provider. He has written and presented extensively on the topic of retirement, most notably through his book 20 Good Summers and through seminars under the same title.

The idea of 20 Good Summers came to him on his 50th birthday (which he spent climbing frozen waterfalls in the Southern Alps). Martin realised that time was marching on and the number of summers he had left to do the things he loved was diminishing. It was time to get on with it!

Martin has presented on financial topics in many different situations. He has several times been an after-dinner speaker on finance without putting anyone to sleep. He has presented at conferences and in-house gatherings. Businesses frequently call on Martin to speak to their staff so that they have a framework for better money management.

Past experience
Martin has written over 20 books on personal finance and has been a columnist for a wide range of publications - Sunday Star-Times, NZ Herald, North and South, Accountants Journal, Canvas magazine, Juno and others. He has a wealth of knowledge on personal finance and uses that to help people to do the things that they need to do to be better off. Martin is well aware of the barriers to good financial management - these barriers are seldom a lack of knowledge and skills, but instead are things like attitudes and habits.

Martin has had significant governance experience both in commercial organisations and Not for Profits. He was the President/Chair of Save the Children NZ, Chair of the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust, Director of Whai Rawa Ltd (Ngai Tahu’s savings vehicle), Montage Interactive Ltd, Lifetime Income Ltd and numerous other small and medium-sized companies.

Martin has had a strong presence in all media. He was presenter of Financial Secrets which screened nightly on Television One and was also one of the expert presenters on the TV One show “The School of Home Truths”.

Martin continues with a variety of outdoor pursuits: mountaineering, rock climbing, ski touring and cycling. He has recently moved back to Christchurch from Queenstown to be closer to family.