Brigit Blair
Brigit Blair, of Christchurch, received the Insignia of a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to business. Mrs Blair established Linden Leaves in 1994; a manufacturer of more than 200 body and skincare products made from New Zealand natural ingredients. Linden Leaves sells its products in 13 international markets and stocks them in many prestigious international retailers in Australia, Canada, Korea and Europe. Mrs Blair has been the managing director for 15 years and was Her Business magazine’s businesswoman of the year in 2004. Linden Leaves was also a finalist in the 2004 New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Export Awards, received an Export Commendation for strong export growth in 2001, has been awarded a strategic planning award, and was on the Deloitte/Unlimited Fast 50 in 2003; an index of New Zealand’s fastest growing companies.