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Kiwi millionaire philanthropist Chloe Wright has died at home in Ōmokoroa, Tauranga, her family has confirmed.
A statement from BestStart, New Zealand’s largest early childhood education franchise co-founded by Wright and husband Wayne, released a statement announcing her death.
“As a humanitarian, Chloe dedicated her life to helping others, particularly young mothers, and children, in overcoming disadvantage and creating positive pathways toward full and happy lives,” the statement read.
Wright, one of the richest people in New Zealand, was described as a “force for positive change in the lives of thousands of New Zealanders, matriarch of her own loving family and life partner to husband Wayne”.
The statement ended with a message from Wright’s family requesting privacy “as they come to terms with this enormous loss”.
The Wrights founded BestStart Education, formerly known as KidiCorp, in 1996, and later founded the Wright Family Foundation in 2014, which BestStart now operates under.
Christel Yardley/Stuff
Kiwi millionaire philanthropist Chloe Wright has died at home in Ōmokoroa, Tauranga, her family has confirmed.
As chief executive of WFF, Wright personally funded organisations including Plunket, Perinatal Depression, Anxiety Aotearoa, and The Parenting Place, and was in 2020 made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to philanthropy, education and health.
In 2022, the Wrights were found to be the sole backers of broadcaster Sean Plunket’s online news radio station, The Platform, acquiring 75% of the company and placing the couple on the station’s directorship board.
When Stuff caught up with Wright in June 2022, she was “a driven and energetic mother of five in her 70s, and grandmother of 11, with a razor-sharp business acumen and strong desire to care for and protect women and babies, and uplift families through education.”
Plunket acknowledged Wright’s passing on X/Twitter as “very sad news”.
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