Society Insider: Charlie Waide on his marriage to Renee Wright; Simon Harding unveils $3m golfer’s paradise

Waide has been married to TVNZ 1 News weather presenter Renee Wright for 16 years. Together they have son Leo, 14, who is boarding at King’s College, and daughters Giselle, 12, Ara­bella, 10, and Lucciana, 3.

Over the past 11 years, his construction firm – Waide Commercial Construction Ltd (WCCL) – has grown to deliver hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of residential, commercial, and industrial projects.

Charlie Waide has been married to 1 News weather presenter Renee Wright for 16 years. Photo / Norrie MontgomeryWaide Commercial Construction has hundreds of millions of dollars in construction under way.

He says Wright has provided perspective, support and stability throughout the journey, from the uncertainty of starting the business to the growth that has followed.

“Renee and I went through a period where life was moving incredibly quickly. We were raising young children, moving homes, renovating, and at the same time, building a business from the ground up.”

Waide and Wright in Sydney. Photo / Instagram @ReneewrightTVNZ

The renovations saw Wright and the children move into her parents’ house in 2015 for several months.

Family time was often interrupted by work commitments, and there were periods where balance was difficult to achieve. But, over the years, Waide says his attitude to work and family has changed.

“The older I get, the more I realise that projects finish, buildings are handed over, and business achievements fade into the background.”

“Family memories stay with you forever.”

The family home is a spectacular two-storey waterfront villa in Devonport with 5 bedrooms, a cinema, wine cellar, games room, office, multiple living spaces, a stunning pool and pool house.

Waide and Wright take regular trips across the Tasman for work, concerts or major sporting events, and the family enjoy annual ski trips to Aspen.

Celebrating at the Oasis concert in Sydney last year. Photo / Instagram @ReneewrightTVNZ

Waide says being a father is the most important role he has.

“Running a business can be demanding, but I have become increasingly intentional about being present for important moments in my children’s lives.”

He says he and Wright have always complemented each other well with their strengths and different perspectives, and their shared commitment to family.

“Growing a business and raising four children inevitably brings challenges, but we have always approached those challenges as a team.”

The couple with their children Ara­bella, Giselle, Lucciana and Leo.

In his professional life, Waide, 46, who started on the tools in Cambridge in residential construction, says he still uses the lessons he learned in quality, relationships and reputation to run his business today.

“Over time, I moved to Auckland and stepped into larger and more complex commercial projects with a couple of mid-tier Auckland builders,” Waide says.

Waide at his Waide Construction Ltd offices.

This year, WCCL came in at No 11 on the Construction League Report’s top 50 builders in New Zealand, backed by a project pipeline exceeding $250 million.

Earlier this month, the firm’s work on the L-Oréal Distribution Centre in Auckland won an Excellence Award at the CBRE Industrial Property Awards.

WCCL worked on the $20m project in Ōtāhuhu with L’Oréal and James Kirkpatrick Group to deliver a 6 Green Star low-carbon, sustainable, healthy design late last year.

The L’Oréal Distribution Centre in Auckland.

WCCL has its headquarters in Wairau Valley on Auckland’s North Shore, and has built a team of more than 45 people. A purpose-built state-of-the-art gym called Waide Gym has been built there for staff to enjoy.

The Waide Gym at the WCCL headquarters.

“One of the things I am most proud of is the culture we have created,” Waide says. “Construction is a team sport, and our success is a reflection of the people we have around us.”

In the early days, Waide says the business was heavily involved in the high-end multi-level residential apartment market, winning multiple awards.

Waide Commercial Construction’s award-winning Milford 110 apartment complex.

This decade has seen the company also develop its own residential projects and expand into building industrial warehousing and data centres.

“Today we would be considered one of New Zealand’s leading builders in the data centre sector, with our third major data centre project due to commence later this year.”

“One of the decisions I am most proud of was having the confidence to evolve the business as market conditions changed.

“Rather than remaining in one lane, we have continually adapted, whether that was moving from residential apartments into industrial projects, expanding into data centres, or creating our own development pipeline.”

Simon Harding unveils $3m passion project

Former gold and bullion king Simon Harding has pulled off the coolest dad move Society Insider has seen this year.

Last Thursday evening, Harding, 61, unveiled his new $3m state-of-the-art facility, the Golf Lounge, at 1 Broadway, Newmarket.

“I have three teenage sons who are far better at golf than I am, so I figured I could make my own course and rules to even the odds – this plan hasn’t worked out so far,” Harding tells Society Insider.

The new premium space is on the second floor of one of Harding’s three neighbouring modern three-storey commercial buildings on Broadway.

The golfing bays at The Golf Lounge.

“It’s a great solution when you are a landlord with a vacant floor in a building on the city fringe,” Harding says.

“I also recognised the emerging, cool simulator technology and chose to surf the international trend of indoor 3D golf.”

Since reducing his major shareholding and resigning as CEO of New Zealand Mint several years ago, Harding says he has expanded his commercial property company, and has also become involved in dairy farming.

Simon Harding.

“NZ Mint was a great company and an award-winning international rollercoaster of an experience,” Harding says.

He was recently appointed Deputy Chair of the Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) and Unitec Council and says he enjoys being active in youth charities and scholarships.

Harding splits his time between a modern multimillion-dollar home in Auckland’s Eastern suburbs and a laid-back beachfront bach in Onetangi, Waiheke Island.

Harding owns a 12m Sealegs Kupe, which sells for up to $1.8m. He says he plans to resume his circumnavigation of New Zealand this summer, which was interrupted last year by a faulty bilge pump.

Harding intends to continue his circumnavigation of New Zealand in his 12m Sealegs Kupe.

Waiheke is known to have the highest concentration of Sealegs per square kilometre in the world.

At the annual Onetangi Beach Races, Harding won the Sealegs Amphibious Vehicle Race multiple times, with his good mate, advertising man Chris Hardy.

Harding is also working towards his goal of visiting every country. In April, he went ice driving in Lapland and has a tuk tuk rally to attend in Sri Lanka next month, followed by a Balkans adventure with his partner Victoria.

Harding says his sons, twins Ryan and Dylan, 18, and Josh, 15, are suitably impressed with The Golf Lounge, and all want to work there.

Simon Harding with his sons Josh, Dylan and Ryan at The Golf Lounge. Photo / Adam Firth

He says it’s been all hands on deck to get the lounge ready for opening.

“The day before opening, the bar fridge was too big to come in the lift, so a window was removed, and a scissor lift brought the fridge up.”

The venue’s modern country club-style interiors were created by Victoria Wilkes and her team at Outline Design, along with fit-out company Cubicon Interiors.

One of the bays at The Golf Lounge.

It features a bar reception and dining space, with a putting green, which opens on to seven spacious, climate-controlled, soundproofed bays for four players, featuring more than 460 international courses on cutting-edge TrackMan golf simulator technology.

There are also three private suites, two of which can be combined to host up to 30 guests.

The new venue features three private suites. Photo / Supplied

The whole floor can be booked out and can house up to 100 guests at a cost of between $5000 and $10,000. Standard membership starts at $29.95 per week, and the venue also welcomes bookings.

The licensed bar offers hot and cold bites, with a concierge service that will even collect orders from Archie’s Restaurant & Pizzeria around the corner. Two Pudu premium delivery robots, nicknamed Tiger 1 and Tiger 2, glide through the venue delivering food and drinks.

Robot Tiger 2 at the opening of The Golf Lounge. Photo / Adam Firth

Society Insider is told that the delivery robots are a first for a golf lounge, but some restaurants and hotels, such as SkyCity, have them.

At the opening, guests were welcomed with magnums of Taittinger Champagne and a signature cocktail, The Green Jacket, with tequila, yuzu, and melon and canapés from Little Wolf.

Simon Harding’s son Dylan cuts the ribbon at the opening of The Golf Lounge. Photo / Adam Firth Simon Harding and his dog Bailey welcome guests at The Golf Lounge. Photo / Adam Firth

Among those in attendance were Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour, Minister of Justice Paul Goldsmith, National MP Grant McCallum, Newmarket Business Association CEO Mark Knoff-Thomas, commercial manager Kelly Fulford and golfing influencer Miky Ryken.

MC Jay Reeve welcomes Deputy PM David Seymour to take the first swing at the opening of The Golf Lounge. Photo / Adam Firth Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour takes the first swing at the opening of The Golf Lounge. Photo / Adam Firth Paul Goldsmith, Simon Harding and Grant McCallum at the opening of The Golf Lounge. Photo / Adam FirthBethany Enright, Nadene Kelly, Freina Sands-Tapa, Fili Tapa, Alex Lusty, and Anika Klee at the opening of The Golf Lounge. Photo / Adam Firth Taylor Serage and Miky Ryken at the opening of The Golf Lounge. Photo / Adam Firth The Golf Lounge managers Greg McLean, Nate De Jong and Brad Sinclair at the opening of The Golf Lounge. Photo / Adam Firth

Party of the week

Caviar at HI-SO

SO/ Auckland’s 16th-floor HI-SO Rooftop Bar hosted its 3rd annual Rooftop Caviar Celebration to mark New Zealand’s alpine salmon caviar season.

More than 120 guests enjoyed fresh sashimi and yakitori stations, while Mt Cook Alpine Salmon dished out bumps of freshwater salmon caviar.

Salmon-centric canapés made rounds, including caviar-and-chive blinis, grilled salmon wings and salmon risotto.

A giant ice luge dished out chilled Zenkuro Sake, and Champagne Billecart-Salmon was flowing.

Guests included content creator and creatives Jess Molina and Siposetu Duncan, food reviewers Vanessa Zhao and Jasmine Kim, food blogger Ram Anciro, Dhall & Nash Fine Wines co-founder Puneet Dhall and its account manager Aliénor Moreau, and Mt Cook Alpine Salmon’s new CEO, Todd Grave.

Siposetu Duncan and Jess Molina at Caviar at HI-SO. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Anthony Gray and Vanessa Zhao at Caviar at HI-SO. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Ava Wardecki and Kirstin Keen at Caviar at HI-SO. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Craig Hudgell, Aliénor Moreau and Puneet Dhall at Caviar at HI-SO. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Kirsten Pirie and Jessica Carlsson at Caviar at HI-SO. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Luke Jacobs and Te Tane Trinick at Caviar at HI-SO. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Omar Shahab and Aliénor Moreau at Caviar at HI-SO. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Quintin Harriman and Nicola Chan at Caviar at HI-SO. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Sophie Smith, Omar Shahab and Olivia Barker at Caviar at HI-SO. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Stella Wang and Rachel Dunn at Caviar at HI-SO. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Zac and Julie Lumsden, Kirstin Pirie and Jessica Carlsson at Caviar and HI-SO. Photo / Norrie Montgomery

Ricardo Simich has been with the Herald since 2008 where he contributed to The Business Insider. In 2012 he took over Spy at the Herald on Sunday, which has since evolved into Society Insider. The weekly column gives a glimpse into the worlds of the rich and famous.