College – Issue 45 2026

Leaving an imprint in business and philanthropy WORDS | MARTINE CUSACK

A man of words, the arts, and philanthropy, Old Boy Michael Horton (6045) has always stood strong in his belief that giving brings the greatest reward. Among the first boys in Richards House, he discovered his love of languages – including te reo Māori – and the written word, alongside the magic of the cello, while a College boarder in the 1950s. Named Head Prefect in 1956, Michael quickly understood the power of one small gesture in sustaining and advancing the success of another. Now 87, Michael was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) in 2010 in recognition of his services to philanthropy. Today, the University of Cambridge law graduate, former New Zealand Herald publisher, and free speech campaigner continues to share his business expertise and gift for giving in both New Zealand and Australia. Despite living in Auckland, Michael followed the “family tradition” and was sent south to Christ’s College in 1952. Today, he believes that “everything I have picked up and learnt at College has been of value”. “I was sent to College because my grandfather (1882–1888) went there, and my father (1922–1926), and Canterbury was regarded as the centre of education,” he explains. “I remember thinking it was cold and that I did not know anyone at school, but you just got on with people.” “After four years in School House, I shifted to the new Richards House in my final year.” His passion for languages was nurtured at College. “I’m a language nut,” Michael points out. “We learnt Latin – such an important language and I still recall it. I also had to do Latin at Cambridge for my law degree. “When I was at College, fellow student Bill Wardell, who became a distinguished medical scientist in

the United States, suggested that we should learn more about the Māori and te reo. So, we approached Headmaster Reg Hornsby. He simply replied, ‘I’ll arrange it for you’, and organised a tutor.” Michael was soon dedicated to his new interest and loved being able to share the language with others. Of his time at College, Michael recalls “enjoying playing the cello in the orchestra and being a member of the Chapel Choir”. “My time at Christ’s College certainly built up my resilience, setting me up for my next stage in life. “Straight out of school we had compulsory military training, and I then joined the family firm, Wilson and Horton, as a cadet reporter. “I did a one-year cadetship with the Herald before I went to England to do my law degree at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. However, having completed my degree in law, I thought ‘actually, I quite like writing’, so my father came over to England and got me a job with a group of newspapers that no longer exists probably.” Michael returned to New Zealand – and the NZ Herald – in 1961. “The last thing the Herald wanted was Michael Horton, so I was put in the worst department possible

– moving newsprint reels around before you print,” he recalls. He was also asked to teach people how to speak in public at the Auckland Debating Society. Michael would go on to share his voice in support of a range of causes and oversee the family business, holding the title of managing director of Wilson and Horton from 1972 to 1995. Amid a changing media environment and with a flourishing printing business on the horizon, Michael sold the family’s stake in Wilson and Horton to Irishman Tony O’Reilly’s Independent News & Media Group in 1996. He then established Horton Media – Australasia’s largest independent contract media printing business – before stepping down as chairman in 2014, recognising great change was coming for print. Returning to College for the 175th anniversary in 2025 and sharing his advice to Year 9 students, Michael suggests that they “fill their glass and take advantage of every opportunity in order to trigger something inside”. “You’ve got to