Mike Ferrand

Mike brings a fresh perspective to the Babbage Group as an independent chairman with a strong, successful history in business. He makes a point of challenging organizations and their teams to achieve their goals, but says it’s important companies also celebrate their successes.

Mike is an experienced chief executive who has run a group of companies across New Zealand, Australia and Asia, and his commercial experience and leadership style have seen him take on a number of directorships in the past 20 years. As well as the independent chairman of Babbage, he is also executive chairman of Greenstone Group.

Mike’s career began with Marks and Spencer in England where he quickly rose through the management ranks of the iconic retail business. He came to New Zealand in 1989 to work for Farmers Trading Company, before managing Whitcoulls and then becoming chief executive of Blue Star Consumer Retailing. In 2002 he took a new career direction, becoming a commercial adviser and mentor to private businesses.