Christopher Milne - A Biography

"Meeting clients, learning about their businesses, their goals, and their own passions, and then helping them be successful makes getting out of bed in the mornings a breeze"

In 1995 Chris Milne opened New Zealand’s first internet café and continues to be totally enthusiastic about the power of the internet to transform business and the way we live.

He is passionate about bringing the power of the Internet to businesses and enjoys seeing clients be successful online. “Meeting clients, learning about their businesses, their goals, and their own passions, and then helping them be successful makes getting out of bed in the mornings a breeze,” says Chris.

Professionally qualified with commerce and law degrees, and holding a practicing certificate with the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Chris is able to use his hard business acumen when examining a business.

He has also started, operated and sold, an energy efficiency business. “My experience over 12 years in starting the business and building up its branding, marketing, IT and finance systems, enables me to fully empathise with my clients. I know what is it like to have too little work, too much work, to suffer a full IRD audit, handle staff issues and all the things which are reality for a business owner in New Zealand”, says Chris.

In 2004 Chris founded Business Builders Group, a partnership specialising in business development. “So many of my clients needed to improve or commence their online business that I undertook a thorough search for an e-business partner I could trust and who I knew would deliver the goods for my clients. At a meeting of our national umbrella organisation of business consultants, the Business Development Network, and following a beauty parade of competitors, Zeald.com was unanimously chosen as the best website company in New Zealand and is therefore the preferred supplier for all our business consultants across New Zealand”, says Chris.

Chris has worked in accounting and finance in the UK, USA and Canada and has travelled extensively, including spending nearly a year travelling overland between Morocco and Capetown. His is also the author of a university textbook Handbook of Environmental Law and has lectured in both finance and environmental law.

Chris is a Hutt City Councillor and sits as a hearing commissioner in Resource Management hearings. He is also Deputy Chair of the City’s Finance and Audit Committee.

Chris is keen on the outdoors and has climbed a number of New Zealand’s highest mountains, has cycled right around the South Island and France, and enjoys tramping and has recently started white water kayaking. He is also a skier and plays competitive tennis. Golf is a leveller, but enjoyed never the less! In younger days he played senior cricket, opening the bowling as a left armer). To this day he plays a hard game of squash every Tuesday morning at 7am.

Chris is married to Jan and they have three teenage children. They live on a lifestyle block in Wellington, which Chris is restoring to its original forest. Clients often choose to come to Chris’ office to do their web planning. “Being off site, quiet, and in a magnificent environment where I’m so fortunate to live enables clients to have clear head and produce great results”, says Chris.