Motorcycle racing champion turned business powerhouse, Mike Pero is one of New Zealand’s most recognised entrepreneurial figures.
Born and raised in Christchurch, Mike first made his mark on the racetrack, winning six national titles in road racing—an exceptional feat in New Zealand motorsport history. He soon switched gears, and by age 26, was earning six times the average income as a life insurance adviser, achieving the prestigious Million Dollar Round Table recognition in just his second year.
But Mike’s defining chapter began in 1991 when he launched Mike Pero Mortgages, disrupting the mortgage industry by creating a lender-funded broker model that reshaped how New Zealanders accessed home loans. Not one to rest on success, he went on to secure his commercial pilot licence, flying professionally for Mount Cook Airline before co-founding Pacific Simulators in 2005. The business, which designed and sold flight simulators, was sold just three years later for $15 million.
In 2011, he founded Mike Pero Real Estate—again from the ground up—and built it into a nationwide network of 62 offices before it was acquired by Liberty Financial for an estimated $20 million. Mike has held directorships and shareholdings in regional airlines and has continuously invested in ventures that blend savvy branding with hands-on leadership.
In 2021, his reputation as a strategic thinker and bold leader was further cemented when he hosted the TVNZ prime-time series The Apprentice Aotearoa, introducing a new generation of viewers to his trademark no-nonsense style. Despite his achievements, Mike has always remained grounded, preferring to see himself as a working-class Kiwi with a knack for scaling SMEs through franchising, marketing and customer-focused strategy.
Now proudly a superannuitant, Mike continues to mentor emerging entrepreneurs and share his 40+ years of business insight. From start-ups to corporate turnarounds, Mike Pero’s legacy is defined by grit, reinvention and an enduring belief in backing yourself.
Mike did an amazing job and we had great feedback from the directors that attended. Mike's talk was very inspirational and I learnt alot myself that I can apply not only to my work place bu ... keep reading Qantas
The success of the conference was due in no small part to the calibre of speaker and the industry insight and information Mike passed onto our delegates, both in session and in discussion afterwards. We thank him for his contribution toward ensuring the NZCF conference remains the premier conference on the industry calendar.
Very down to earth. Related well with our people. He spent time talking before the meeting about our organisation and our issues. He had a good handle on our business and his presentation hit the mark.
Initial contact with Mike was very positive. He was extremely accommodating and professional and really wanted to tailor to our needs. Mike tailored his presentation to meet the exact needs of the day. Very smart, interesting and witty. Overall a very good speaker.
Mike was an excellent speaker, connecting well with the audience and being right on brief. He set the scene exceptionally well for the remainder of the conference and was a true reflection of our theme "Living the Brand".
