Hugh Earle Perrett

1 Nov

Wellington-born Hugh Perrett has the grocery business in his blood - his father, Harry, was general manager of Foodstuffs (Wellington) from 1937 to 1953 - but Hugh started his professional life in a public accountancy in 1957.

In 1964 Perrett joined Lever Bros (New Zealand) where he rose to national sales controller for Levers and its sister company, Birds Eye Foods (NZ). In 1977 he was appointed general manager of Foodstuffs (Auckland) and in 1979 was promoted to managing director. He became managing director of Foodstuffs (New Zealand) in 1985.

Perrett led the group through a period of spectacular growth and development, expanding national turnover from $1.1 billion to $4.8 billion.