Stephen Collins

Born in 1946 and educated in Christchurch, Stephen entered the real estate business in 1968. He created Collins Real Estate in 1972, which he grew to be the biggest in its market before amalgamating with Harcourts in 1985. Stephen developed the technology, systems, training and education programs that grew Harcourts from 14 offices to its present position as a market leader in New Zealand and Australia and now with more than 600 offices worldwide now represented in China, South Africa, Singapore, Fiji and Indonesia conducting over 13 billion dollars in real estate sales every year. Now retired from daily involvement he remains on Harcourts International Board of Directors.

Stephen has been honoured with a Fellowship of both the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand and New Zealand Institute of Management. A past member of the Governing National Council of the REINZ he also represented the Real Estate Institute as a director of Realestate.co.nz, New Zealand's major internet provider to the real estate industry.

Stephen is a Past President, Life Member, and presently sits on the board of the Canterbury Employers Chamber of Commerce and represents them on the Canterbury Metropolitan Urban Development Strategy Committee and the Environment Canterbury Area Committee. He is a past President of the Business New Zealand Executive Board and its National Committee. Stephen is also Chairman of Lane Neave Solicitors, a Director of Syft Technologies Ltd., Vice Chairman of the Christchurch Heritage Trust, Council member of the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology, a Trustee of the University of Canterbury Foundation, and a Board member of the NZ-US Council as well as a business mentor to a number of businesses and individuals. Stephen is also a private investor in technologies and a real estate developer and investor.