Deloitte reveals New Zealand’s Best Managed Companies
Five private businesses receive globally recognised stamp of quality
Auckland, May 8, 2025 – Deloitte is pleased to name Barfoot & Thompson, Leighs Construction, Service Foods, Signature Homes, and Southbase Construction as New Zealand’s Best Managed Companies.
Now in its third year in Aotearoa, the Best Managed Companies programme recognises outstanding private businesses by evaluating them against global benchmarks for success.
Backed by a proven framework, Best Managed Companies has been celebrating excellence for more than 32 years globally, with these most recent winners joining more than 1700 other private companies around the world to be recognised and connected through the programme.
Sponsored by BNZ, the programme assesses entrants across a global framework encompassing four key pillars: strategy, culture and commitment, capabilities and innovation, and governance and financials. Entrants are evaluated by an independent judging panel to determine if they meet the “Best Managed” standard. The judges for the 2024 Best Managed Companies programme were Catherine Savage (Managing Director, Savage Group and Independent Director), Ben Fahey (Head of Corporate Banking, BNZ), and Ross Milne (former chair and Tax & Private national lead, Deloitte).
Winners are encouraged to re-enter the programme each year to maintain their Best Managed Companies status and challenge themselves to continually improve. New Zealand’s inaugural Best Managed Companies winner, Barfoot & Thompson, features as a returning winner, alongside Leighs Construction, Service Foods, and Southbase Construction. Signature Homes joins the cohort of winners for the first time.
Bill Hale, National Leader, Deloitte Private, said the Best Managed Companies for 2024 are setting the benchmark for business success in New Zealand.
“This year’s Best Managed Companies have achieved this recognition amid ongoing economic uncertainty, which speaks volumes about their resilience, adaptability and the strategic focus of their business,” he said.
“They’ve shown that strong leadership and a commitment to excellence can still thrive in challenging conditions.”
Hale also acknowledged BNZ, the Best Managed Companies programme sponsor.
“BNZ and Deloitte have a long history of partnering together in the market, and we thank them for their ongoing commitment to supporting business excellence.”
Applications for the 2025 programme will open soon. Businesses selected to advance to the next stage will undergo a comprehensive evaluation of their operations, to understand how their management processes compare to globally recognised benchmarks and identify opportunities for further development.
Hale said it’s exciting to see the Best Managed Companies programme continue to grow.
“This year shows definite growth in our New Zealand cohort, and we are encouraging more large private businesses to engage with the programme to help differentiate themselves in the market with this special recognition of their management practices.”
Hale said Barfoot & Thompson, Leighs Construction, Service Foods, Signature Homes, and Southbase Construction are part of a global cohort of Best Managed Companies, with opportunities to connect across borders as part of a worldwide community of leading businesses.
“Each of these companies has shown a strong commitment to purpose, performance and people. We congratulate them on their well-deserved success.”
For further information and details on how to enter the programme, visit Best Managed Companies.
ENDS
Note to editors:
Eligibility criteria for Best Managed Companies
- Businesses must be headquartered in New Zealand.
- Businesses must be privately owned.
- Businesses must have revenue greater than $50 million in the most recent year of operating.
- Businesses must have been in operation for more than three years.
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