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Revision as of 20:50, 18 April 2016 by Gammacomma (talk | contribs) (facts and corrections)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Sir Francis Henry "Frank" Renouf (31 July 1918 – 13 September 1998) was an innovative and prominent New Zealand stockbroker and financier.
He was born in Wellington and educated at Wellington College and Victoria University of Wellington where he graduated Master of Commerce in 1940. He joined the 2nd NZEF as a Captain, was captured in Greece in April 1941, and spent four years as a prisoner of war in Germany (Biberach, Warburg, Eichstatt). On his return to New Zealand, he was awarded an Armed Services Scholarship and studied for a Diploma in Politics and Economics at Worcester College, Oxford and gained an Oxford Blue in tennis from 1948 to 1949.
He was a businessman and a stockbroker from 1950, as a partner in the Wellington stockbroking firm of Daysh, Renouf & Co ( the firm was originally Daysh, Longuet and Frethey).
He introduced unit trusts to New Zealand, and founded New Zealand's first merchant bank, New Zealand United Corporation. He initiated the the first NZ share index in 1957; the NZUC index, and the first listed property company, Property Securities Ltd. He was the first to provide underwriting services for equity and local authority debt issues. Daysh, Renouf & Co became known as Renouf & Co in 1977. Renouf set up three companies in 1981; Frank Renouf & Co, Renouf Corporation Ltd and Renouf Properties Ltd.
Frank Renouf was President of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association 1985-86. He was a keen supporter and follower of tennis and was a foundation member and President of the International Club of New Zealand. The Renouf Tennis Centre in Wellington is named after him. He was knighted in the 1987 New Year Honours List, for philanthropic services.
Renouf supported many Wellington cultural and sporting projects; the Michael Fowler Centre (1975), Downstage Theatre (1977), Wellington Cathedral (1978), Wellington College (1983) and the Renouf Tennis Centre 1986
He was married three times. His second wife (1985) was Susan Renouf (formerly Susan Peacock and Susan Sangster),
His third wife (1991) was Michele Renouf, to whom he was briefly married.
Sir Francis Renouf died in Wellington, New Zealand in 1998
References
- London Gazette (supplement), No. 50766, 30 December 1986. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
- ^ "Lady Michele Renouf: mistress of reinvention". The Australian. 13 February 2009. Archived from the original on February 19, 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
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- Obituary in Dominion (Wellington) of 14 September 1998 (pages 1,11).
- Sir Francis Renouf: an autobiography (1997, Steele Roberts, Wellington) ISBN 0-9583712-0-2
- Behind the Mirror Glass by Bruce Jesson (1987, Penguin)