Alan Gibbs | |
Birth Place: | Christchurch, New Zealand |
Known For: | Gibbs Amphibians, Gibbs Farm, SKY TV (New Zealand) |
Occupation: | entrepreneur, businessman, art collector |
Alma Mater: | Canterbury University (B.A., 1961) Victoria University of Wellington (M.A., Economics, 1962) |
Parents: | Theodore Nisbet Gibbs Elsie Gibbs |
Spouse: | Jennifer Gore (Dame Jenny Gibbs) |
Children: | Amanda, Debbi and Emma and one son Thane. |
Alan Gibbs (born 1939) is a New Zealand-born businessman, entrepreneur and art collector. After a successful business career in New Zealand, which made him one of that country's wealthiest individuals, he relocated to London in 1999. He retains strong links to New Zealand through his development of Gibbs Farm, one of the world's leading sculpture parks. He is the founder of Gibbs Amphibians, based in Detroit, Michigan, Nuneaton, UK, and Auckland, New Zealand, which pioneers high-speed amphibious vehicle technologies.
Alan Gibbs was born in Christchurch, the son of Theodore Nisbet Gibbs and Elsie Gibbs.[1]
Gibbs went to London in 1963 as Third Secretary in the New Zealand High Commission, returning to New Zealand in 1965 to work in the Prime Minister's department.[2]
Gibbs is one of New Zealand's leading art collectors, and since 1991 has been establishing a sprawling 1000acres sculpture park at Gibbs Farm,[3] [4] which is located on Kaipara Harbour on New Zealand's North Island, north of Auckland in the Rodney district.
Among the art works installed on The Farm are monumental pieces by contemporary artists including Daniel Buren, Neil Dawson, Marijke de Goey, Andy Goldsworthy, Anish Kapoor, George Rickey, Richard Serra and Bernar Venet.[5] [6]
In 2018, Gibbs was inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame.[7]