Lloyd Morrison
Hugh Richmond Lloyd Morrison | |
|---|---|
| Born | 18 September 1957 Palmerston North, New Zealand |
| Died | 10 February 2012 (aged 54) Seattle, Washington, United States |
| Occupation(s) | Investment banker, entrepreneur |
| Known for | Founder of H.R.L. Morrison & Co; founder of Infratil |
Hugh Richmond Lloyd Morrison (18 September 1957 – 10 February 2012) was a prominent investment banker and entrepreneur based in Wellington. In 1988, he established H.R.L. Morrison & Co, which went on to create the infrastructure firm Infratil in 1994.
Early life
Originating from Palmerston North, Morrison attended Wanganui Collegiate School before completing an LL.B (Hons) degree at the University of Canterbury.
Business
Morrison’s professional journey began in the early 1980s as an investment analyst at Jarden & Co, later advancing to a partnership role at O'Connor Grieve & Co. In 1985, he took on the role of executive chairman at OmniCorp, a New Zealand-listed investment entity operating out of London, which was eventually sold in 1988.
The founding of H.R.L. Morrison & Co in 1988 marked the start of broad investment advisory services. By the early 1990s, the company shifted its focus towards infrastructure investments, capitalizing on significant privatisations occurring in Australia and New Zealand. It became actively involved in sectors such as airports, ports, and energy. In 1994, Morrison introduced Infratil, one of the pioneering publicly listed infrastructure funds globally, with Morrison & Co functioning as its Manager. The firm grew its presence with offices established in Brisbane, Sydney, Auckland, and Hong Kong. In March 2006, it secured a global infrastructure management mandate from the New Zealand Superannuation Fund. Three years later, in 2009, it launched the Public Infrastructure Partnership Fund (PIP Fund), marking New Zealand’s first fund dedicated exclusively to Public-Private Partnership investments.
Morrison earned several prestigious awards throughout his career: Deloitte/Management magazine named him New Zealand Executive of the Year in 2007; he was honoured as Business Leader of the Year by the New Zealand Herald in 2006; placed 12th on the New Zealand Listener Power List in 2007; and was appointed Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2010 for his contributions to business.
In August 2011, NZX introduced the Morrison Index—its inaugural investable index representing the strength of New Zealand’s listed infrastructure sector—named to recognize Morrison’s influential role in developing this industry both domestically and internationally.
That same year, he received a lifetime achievement award from Wellington Businesses Gold Awards and was acknowledged as Visionary Leader by Deloitte/Management magazine for his transformative impact on New Zealand’s financial markets, infrastructure growth, and leadership within business.
Directorships
- Chairman, OmniCorp (1985–1988)
- Director, Infratil Australia Limited (1995–2000)
- Director, Wellington Airport (1998–2007)
- Director, Port of Tauranga (1999–2005)
- Deputy Chairman, New Zealand Exchange (2002–2005)
- Chairman, H.R.L. Morrison & Co (1988–2012)
- Director, TrustPower (2002–2010)
- Director, Infratil (2002–2012)
- Director, Infratil Airports Europe (2004–2012)
- Director, Auckland International Airport (2007–2012)
- Director, Fisher Funds Management (2008–2012)
Other
Morrison was deeply involved in supporting New Zealand’s arts community. In 1995, he founded the HRL Morrison Music Trust to encourage local musicians and composers via its label Trust Records. Additionally, he served as a trustee for the Chamber Music NZ Foundation and held a directorship with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
He championed various public initiatives including a 2003 campaign advocating for change to the Flag of New Zealand. In 2008, he authored "A Measurable Goal for New Zealand," which sought to establish a shared vision for national progress. As a trustee of Pure Advantage, he promoted New Zealand’s shift toward a green growth economy aimed at capturing a portion of the projected $6 trillion global market by 2050. In 2011, Morrison became part of a business consortium that acquired the Wellington Phoenix FC, New Zealand’s only professional football club.
Death
After being diagnosed with leukaemia in early 2009, Morrison succumbed to the disease on 10 February 2012 in Seattle at the age of 54. He left behind his wife and five children. His funeral included a tribute from Prime Minister John Key, who had previously worked with him in merchant banking.
In honor of his significant contributions to business, Morrison was inducted posthumously into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame in 2015.
External links
- 1957 births
- 2012 deaths
- New Zealand bankers
- Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit
- New Zealand businesspeople
- People educated at Whanganui Collegiate School
- University of Canterbury alumni
- New Zealand Symphony Orchestra people
- People from Palmerston North
- Deaths from leukemia in Washington (state)
- University of Canterbury Faculty of Law alumni