A number of leading business people have been recognised in the Queen's Birthday honours list announced on Monday.
Former public servant and corporate leader Roderick Deane has received a knighthood for his services to business and the community.
Dr Deane's resume includes dealing with the foreign exchange crisis at the Reserve Bank in 1984, leading the Electricity Corporation and Telecom and chairing Fletcher Building, Te Papa and IHC.
He is strongly identified with the reforms of the fourth Labour Government in 1984, which Dr Deane says is one of his proudest achievements.
"The fact that New Zealand did go through a period where, in my view, we rejoined the world by eliminating a lot of our excessive regulation and getting our economic policies into much better shape, and then getting a better rate of economic growth on the back of that - that certainly was very satisfying."
Sir Roderick is still a strong proponent of less regulation, and more market solutions, arguing the underlying problems of the global financial crisis and its fallout are the need for strong corporate governance of banks, and government's running sensible fiscal policies.
But he says his involvement with the disability sector remains his most satisfying achievement.
"If I was to be remembered at all, I'd like it to be with respect to the huge improvements in the disability sector and the way in which people with disabilities are now able to live much more normal lives and live in the regular community and engage in normal schools.
"Of all the things I've been associated with that would have given me as much satisfaction as anything."
Also recognised were businessman Neville Crichton, jewellry, book and department store owners Anne and David Norman, accountant John Shewanand businessman John Spencer who have been made Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
