Philanthropy Will Benefit From Buoyant Auckland Property Market

A buoyant Auckland property market will have done no harm to the Friedlander family fortunes which have been largely built on the back of investment in holdings that cluster thickly around city fringes, and this can only benefit the myriad of causes that the Friedlander family support.  Michael Friedlander is a well-known philanthropist through the Friedlander Foundation, as well as donating generously to the Liggins Institute, the Auckland Art Gallery, the Royal New Zealand Ballet and the Jewish community.

The family is well known for its philanthropy to both the arts and science and, donated in the name of Michael’s late wife the Harriet Friedlander Scholarship Trust is one of the most generous residencies offered to New Zealand artists. Mr Friedlander is also a benefactor of the Auckland Theatre Company and the Friedlander Foundation donates to stem cell research. Other recipients include the Auckland Arts Festival, NZ Arts Foundation, NZ Readers and Writers Festival, Wallace Awards and Home Interaction Programme for Parents and Youngsters. Considered one of the most influential businessmen in New Zealand, the Auckland lawyer was last year ranked in the top 10 of the NBR Rich List. He is one of a handful of people who have featured on the list of rich and powerful every year since 1986. The Remuera resident has amassed a huge portfolio of prime real estate over 40 years, believed to be hundreds of properties, through the Samson Corporation.

Family investment vehicles Samson Corporation and Sterling Nominees hold title to well over 200 properties in the priciest parts of the city. Among recent additions to what Samson Corporation describes as a portfolio of quality landmark buildings are the distinctive Ironbark complex in K Road and Auckland’s first six Green Star rated Geyser development in Parnell. Family assets also include a shareholding in Sanford Fisheries and ownership of a 3532ha farm in the Waikato valued at more than $20.5 million.

A consultant at law firm Keegan Alexander - where he was a partner for 40 years - Michael Friedlander was last year made Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the community.