Leaving school at age 12, Hugh became a cattle drover and dealer, which began his lifelong passion for cattle trading. At age 17, like many Irish people, he left his hometown and country to make a better life for himself. After a short time in England and Scotland, he moved to Australia and worked as a sugar cane cutter in Queensland, on a hydro scheme construction in Tasmania, and as a water main trenching contractor in Melbourne.

Hugh Green was a powerhouse of a man who understood the value of a hard day’s work. He combined that work ethic with his ‘knack for a deal’ and together with old mate, Barney McCahill, grew a business digging trenches into one of New Zealand’s largest civil construction companies.

With profits from the contracting business, the Green and McCahill Group of Companies later diversified into property investment, predominantly in large farms in the wider Auckland and Waikato region.

A humble man of simple pleasures, Hugh’s strong social conscience inspired by his experiences of poverty growing up in Ireland, saw him donate extensively to charitable causes from early on in his career, whilst also continuing to indulge in his first love – cattle dealing.

The other touchstones of his life being his strong Catholic faith, his devotion to his family and his love for Ireland and New Zealand.

In 2012 Hugh passed away age 80 at his home in Mt Albert, Auckland where he had lived for more than 50 years. His business and philanthropic work continues today through the Hugh Green Group and The Hugh Green Foundation.