Graham Malaghan, Auckland, ONZM, for services to medical research and philanthropy
Since 1990 Mr Graham Malaghan has chaired the board of trustees of the Malaghan Institute for Medical Research in Wellington, along with giving significant financial backing to the Institute over a long period. The Institute, an independent research centre, based at Victoria University, was jointly named after Mr Malaghan's mother and father who, in 1967, gifted shares in General Foods Corporation, which they helped to establish. It has developed a world-leading reputation in the field of immunology, operating under the hypothesis that the key to fighting illness lies in harnessing the immune system. In 2009 Victoria University conferred an honorary Doctor of Science on Mr Malaghan in recognition of his high standard of governance, extraordinary vision, and strong commitment to the Institute. Mr Malaghan has championed the growth of the Institute's capital endowment fund, with the aim that the centre will be on a solid financial footing for the future.