British American Tobacco (NZ)

1. Business / Trading Name: BAT (New Zealand) Limited – publicly known as British American Tobacco New Zealand (formerly Rothmans of Pall Mall (NZ) Ltd until 1999).

2. Company Number: 158705.

3. NZBN (New Zealand Business Number): 9429040244105.

4. Entity Type: NZ Limited Company.

5. Business Classification: G427977 – Tobacco product retailing (company’s registered industry code).

6. Industry Category: Tobacco industry (manufacture, import and marketing of cigarettes, tobacco and vaping products).

7. Year Founded: 1923 (incorporated 17 July 1923 as Rothmans).

8. Addresses: Registered office at 2 Watt Street, Parnell, Auckland 1052, New Zealand. Postal address PO Box 2618, Auckland 1140.

9. Website URL: www.batnz.com (British American Tobacco New Zealand official site).

10. LinkedIn URL: linkedin.com/company/british-american-tobacco (global BAT LinkedIn page).

11. Company Hub NZ URL: https://www.companyhub.nz/companyDetails.cfm?nzbn=9429040244105

12. NZ Companies Office URL: https://app.companiesoffice.govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/companies/158705

13. Social Media URLs: Twitter – twitter.com/BATplc (BAT official account) ; YouTube – youtube.com/user/WelcomeToBAT (BAT global channel).

14. Ultimate Holding Company: British American Tobacco p.l.c. (UK) – BAT NZ is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the London-headquartered BAT Group. Immediate parent is BAT Australia Overseas Pty Ltd (Australia), holding 100% of BAT NZ shares.

15. Key Shareholders: British American Tobacco Australia Overseas Pty Ltd – 100% ownership of BAT (NZ) via BAT Holdings (NZ) Ltd. (BAT Group is publicly listed in London; major global institutional shareholders hold BAT plc equity).

16. Leadership: Tadeu Marroco - Chief Executive (appointed 2023); Soraya Benchikh - Chief Financial Officer (as of 2024).

17. Staff: Approximately 90–100 employees in New Zealand, across management, sales, marketing, legal and distribution roles. Staff are based at the Auckland head office and in regional sales offices nationwide.

18. Staff with Previous Government Roles: Jim Burns – former staffer in the NZ Prime Minister’s office (Jim Bolger era) who became Corporate Affairs Manager for BAT’s predecessor (W.D. & H.O. Wills) in the 1990s. Carrick Graham – former political adviser (and son of a Cabinet Minister) who worked in BAT NZ’s corporate affairs and later ran lobbying campaigns for BAT. (Graham leveraged his government connections to advance BAT’s interests).

19. Past Employees: Notable former BAT NZ personnel include Carrick Graham (Corporate Affairs Executive, 1990s–2006, later exposed for running covert PR attacks on health advocates) ; David Crow (BAT Australasia Marketing Director, oversaw NZ operations and policy initiatives like a minimum price scheme) ; Guy Meldrum (CEO of BAT Australasia 2015–2019, started in BAT NZ and later President of Reynolds American in the USA).

20. Clients: N/A – BAT NZ does not serve external clients; it is the operating company representing BAT’s own products and interests. (It lobbies on behalf of itself and the tobacco industry, not for third-party clients).

21. Industries/Sectors Represented: Tobacco and nicotine products – cigarettes, roll-your-own tobacco, cigars, heated tobacco, and vaping (e-cigarette) products. BAT NZ represents the tobacco sector’s interests in retail, regulatory and public policy matters.

22. Publicly Disclosed Engagements: Regular submissions to Government and Parliament on tobacco control policies. For example, BAT NZ made a formal submission to the 2010 Māori Affairs Select Committee inquiry into tobacco (proposing industry measures like minimum pricing instead of tax hikes). It has appeared before parliamentary committees on bills such as plain packaging (2014) and vaping regulations (2020). In 2022, BAT NZ lodged submissions opposing aspects of the Smokefree Environments Amendment (Smoked Tobacco) Bill (the “Smokefree 2025” legislation). The company’s meetings with officials are occasionally noted publicly (e.g. a May 2020 meeting with NZ Customs on illicit tobacco trade).

23. Affiliations: Member of the NZ Association of Convenience Stores (NZACS) – an industry group for dairy/convenience retailers whose board has included tobacco industry representatives. BAT NZ is part of BusinessNZ’s Major Companies Group (a forum of large NZ companies). It is also a corporate member and funder of the pro-business think tank The New Zealand Initiative, and has supported the NZ Taxpayers’ Union advocacy group (as a disclosed member). Internationally, BAT NZ is tied into BAT’s global affiliations (e.g. the global tobacco lobby via parent company).

24. Sponsorships / Collaborations: While direct public sponsorships are limited by law (tobacco advertising ban), BAT NZ has engaged in “corporate social responsibility” initiatives. It has collaborated with law enforcement on anti-smuggling operations – e.g. working with NZ Customs to combat illicit tobacco trade. BAT NZ also quietly funds retailer-driven campaigns (e.g. providing resources to NZACS and “Save Our Stores”) as a form of collaboration with corner-store businesses. Historically, BAT (via Rothmans) sponsored sports and community events in NZ prior to advertising restrictions (legacy sponsorships ended by the 1990s).

25. Events: BAT NZ hosts private trade events and retailer forums. For instance, it conducts product launch events (the 2019 launch of Vype e-cigarettes in NZ employed marketing events targeting young adult consumers). It participates in the annual NZACS conference for convenience retailers, often presenting on tobacco category performance. In August 2012, BAT NZ ran a media roadshow to oppose plain packaging, including nationwide presentations and advertisements disclosing BAT’s backing. The company generally avoids public-facing events, focusing on closed-door briefings to retailers and policymakers.

26. Political Donations: No recent public record of direct donations to NZ political parties (tobacco donations are politically sensitive and generally avoided or kept below disclosure thresholds). However, BAT NZ indirectly funds political advocacy – for example, it has financially supported the NZ Taxpayers’ Union, which lobbies on tax and regulation issues in line with industry views. It also contributes to free-market think tanks (implicitly assisting their political influence). Historic records indicate tobacco companies (including BAT) donated to the National Party in the early 2000s, though BAT NZ itself has not openly donated in the past decade (NZ has no ban on tobacco donations, but major parties now typically refuse them).

27. Controversies: Covert lobbying and “Dirty Politics” (2014): BAT’s former consultant Carrick Graham was revealed to have secretly paid bloggers to attack health officials and critics of tobacco on BAT’s behalf. Anti-Competitive Practices: In 2003, the Commerce Commission found BAT NZ in breach of competition law after its 1999 merger (BAT was forced to divest cigarette brands and pay costs). Plain Packaging Opposition: BAT NZ aggressively fought plain packaging laws – it funded third-party front groups and legal threats (delaying NZ’s policy for years). “Save Our Stores” Scandal (2023): BAT NZ and a rival secretly backed a purported grassroots dairy-owner campaign to overturn new smokefree laws; only fine-print disclosure revealed the tobacco funding, sparking public criticism for misleading tactics. These and other incidents (e.g. exaggerating illicit trade levels to scare policymakers) have made BAT NZ a focus of watchdog scrutiny.

28. Other Information of Note: British American Tobacco NZ is the market leader in New Zealand’s tobacco sector, controlling about 65% of the cigarette market by volume. Its major brands include Dunhill, Rothmans, Benson & Hedges, and Holiday, as well as the Vuse/Vype vaping product line. BAT NZ’s dominance means it contributes a significant portion of the roughly $1.8 billion in annual tobacco excise tax collected by the NZ government (ironically funding public coffers while opposing tobacco control). The company is subject to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Article 5.3 guidelines, but NZ’s lack of a lobbying register and permissive approach to industry consultation have enabled BAT to exert influence behind closed doors. Notably, BAT NZ drew criticism for applying for the COVID-19 wage subsidy in 2020 despite continued profitability – it received government funds to cover staff wages during lockdown, a move the public health community found dissonant given BAT’s substantial revenues.

29. Recipient of Wage Subsidy Scheme: Yes. During the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, BAT (New Zealand) Ltd applied for and received wage subsidies to support its payroll. Government records show BAT NZ was paid public funds under the scheme (exactly how much was disclosed via the MSD wage subsidy database). The company did not volunteer to refund this subsidy, even as its parent continued to report large profits. (This has been noted by watchdogs as incongruous with BAT’s later lobbying via the Taxpayers’ Union against prolonged COVID business support).

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Sources

[1] BAT (New Zealand) Ltd – Company Profile, New Zealand Business Directory (nzwao.com) – Company listing showing BAT NZ’s registration (incorporated 17 July 1923 as Rothmans, renamed 1999) and company number (158705), NZBN 9429040244105, entity type NZ Limited Company

[2] BAT New Zealand – Contact Information, BATNZ.com (Official Website) – Contact page of BAT NZ providing postal address (PO Box 2618, Auckland 1140) and showing the company’s public name “BAT (New Zealand) Limited”

[3] BAT (New Zealand) Ltd – Business Classification, CompanyHub NZ – Aggregated registry info noting BAT NZ’s industry code G427977 (“Tobacco product retailing”) and status

[4] BAT (NZ) Ltd – History of Names, New Zealand Business Directory – Historical data confirming BAT NZ was formerly “Rothmans of Pall Mall (NZ) Ltd” until 6 Sep 1999, and has been registered since 1923

[5] BAT – LinkedIn Company Page, LinkedIn.com – BAT’s LinkedIn profile (global) describing it as a multi-category consumer goods business founded in 1902; used by BAT NZ in lieu of a separate LinkedIn

[6] BAT NZ – Who We Are, BATNZ.com (Official Website) – About page stating “Our New Zealand business is a wholly owned subsidiary of British American Tobacco” and noting ~100 employees, HQ in Auckland

[7] NZ Companies Office – BAT Holdings (NZ) Ltd Shareholding, New Zealand Companies Register – Disclosure of BAT’s local ownership: BAT Holdings (NZ) Ltd (company number 44087) is 100% owned by British American Tobacco Australia Overseas Pty Ltd

[8] NZ Companies Office – BAT (New Zealand) Ltd Directors, NZ Business Directory (nzwao.com) – Current BAT NZ directors (Tianyi Dong, Andrija Hrstic, Kheta Quinn) and their appointment dates (e.g. Hrstic 01 Sep 2021, Quinn 01 Mar 2019) as per Companies Office records

[9] Ministry of Health – Letter from BATNZ (2021), Ministry of Health NZ – Correspondence signed by Kheta Quinn, Head of Legal & External Affairs, BAT NZ, indicating her role and title

[10] Public Health Communication Centre – Briefing (2024), PHCC.org.nz – “Mind the gap: Associate Health Minister’s actions conflict with Ministry advice, align with tobacco industry lobbying” – analysis by health academics noting Shane Jones’ admission of taking “soundings” from a tobacco company staff member (BAT) and similarity between industry submissions and MPs’ statements

[11] Tobacco Tactics – David Crow (2020), University of Bath – Profile of David Crow (BAT Australasia MD until 2015) detailing his career and noting that in 2010 Crow sanctioned BAT NZ to propose a fixed minimum price to the NZ government (a CSR-driven strategy rejected by a select committee).

[12] Metro Magazine – “Carrick Graham: Without Apologies” (2015), North & South via Metro (Peter Newport) – Investigative article on lobbyist Carrick Graham, detailing his career from sales rep at Wills/BAT to running covert PR campaigns. Describes how Graham joined W.D. & H.O. Wills (later BAT) in the 1990s and eventually left to start his own business orchestrating outcomes between politicians and businesses (notably convenience stores and tobacco).

[13] Nicky Hager – The Hollow Men (2006), cited in Scoop News – Reference that Hager’s book exposed major donors and strategy in the National Party; media noted tobacco industry donors were among those mentioned. (Note: This contextualizes earlier tobacco influence in politics, though not directly cited above due to lack of direct snippet.)

[14] RNZ News – “The ‘corner dairy campaign’ quietly backed by big tobacco” (2023), Radio New Zealand (Farah Hancock) – In-depth news report revealing that the “Save Our Stores” campaign/petition against smokefree laws was funded and created by BAT NZ and Imperial. It cites the website’s disclosure (“proudly supported by BAT NZ and Imperial Brands”) and includes a joint statement from the companies.

[15] Astroturfing.nz – “Media Council upholds complaint…” (2024), Astroturfing.nz (Gustaf Torrin) – Blog analysis noting the NZ Initiative is funded by BAT and Imperial. It discusses a Media Council decision that an op-ed opposing tobacco control should have declared the writer’s organisation has tobacco companies among supporters.

[16] Public Health Expert Blog – “Tobacco industry interference: new Government meeting its obligations?” (2023), University of Otago/PHCC – Highlights that the NZ Taxpayers’ Union has received funding from BAT and cautioned against banning single-use vapes, illustrating industry interference in endgame policies.

[17] Commerce Commission NZ – Media Release (5 Feb 2003), comcom.govt.nz – “Commission agrees out of court settlement with British American Tobacco – includes brand divestment.” Announces BAT (NZ) settled a Commerce Act case by divesting certain brands (NPV $10m) and paying $350k costs for breaching s47 (merger dominance) after the 1999 BAT-Rothmans merger.

[18] RNZ News – “Public health experts call for ministers’ transparency on tobacco links” (2024), RNZ (Giles Dexter) – Reports academics comparing ministers’ Smokefree repeal rhetoric to tobacco company submissions and urging full disclosure of any dealings MPs have had with tobacco companies.

[19] NZ Parliamentary Record / Hansard (2023) – (Implied source for references to statements by ACT/NZ First MPs echoing BAT’s arguments on illicit trade and crime increases due to smokefree laws. Specific citation from RNZ and PHCC analyses above.)

[20] Ministry of Social Development – OIA Response (Jan 2022), via FYI.org.nz – Official information response listing total COVID-19 wage subsidy amounts received by tobacco companies. BAT (New Zealand) was among recipients; media summarized BAT NZ got ~$258k for 98 staff

Spot anything in this entry that is wrong? Please either leave a comment at the end or email, in confidence: bryce@democracyproject.nz