Ian Latham

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After a worldwide career with the advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather (Sydney, Milan, Vienna, New York, Atlanta) I built a brand strategy consulting firm in Atlanta. Appointed New Zealand Honorary Consul in Atlanta in 1996. My wife Susan is a garden designer. Our daughter Clare is an actress, living in London.

 

 

Moira is a great person. Typically, the country that keeps the scorebook wins the cricket. However, Moira actually knows how to score a cricket match and she took the job seriously this year!! First win for Aussie in a long time. I hated cricket at school, afraid of the ball. But love playing now – all too infrequently. Even bought a new bat this year!

 

I will put modesty on hold and complete the questionnaire, if you insist. I read some of the ones that are there – I’m in awe of them. I’m not in that company at all.

 

Also, particularly sensitive about dropping out of Auckland University years ago, mostly because I was earning great money as a copywriter in an advertising agency, there was nothing at uni I could study that made a difference, and I hated walking up the hill from High Street through Albert Park, particularly in the rain. I remember the day I quit. It was pouring and I had to attend a lecture on Henry James. I stepped out of the building, looked across what is now Freyberg Place (it was Aotea Square in those days) in the downpour, then shook out and folded up my brolly and went back upstairs to work, never to set foot in university again – one of those big dumb decisions we make when we think we know everything.

 

Now, to my everlasting regret, I wish I had finished – a degree in English would have made me a better writer faster, or in History, which would have helped my World War II research – I’m studying New Zealanders in Greece and North Africa and the 2nd New Zealand Divisional Cavalry in particular (as well as Freyberg, curiously).

 

No cattle at the farm currently, just my retired polo ponies, including a mare and foal. At our peak, we had 20 Black Angus – beautiful cow and calf pairs – I loved my black cows! Managing feed over three winter months got to be too much of a chore, buying, trailering and manhandling large round bales – and the farm itself too small to be self-sufficient in hay (50 acres). I bet you never thought I would be a farmer!