George Peter Shirtcliffe (born 28 July 1931) is a New Zealand businessman. He was the chairman of Telecom New Zealand, New Zealand's largest listed company, from 1990 to 1999.

Early life and family

Shirtcliffe was born in Palmerston North on 28 July 1931, the son of Nancy Vida Catherine Shirtcliffe (née Lyons) and Geoffrey Shirtcliffe (1906–1948). Sir George Shirtcliffe (1862–1941) was his grandfather. He received his primary education at Wellesley College and Huntley School, and his secondary education at Wanganui Collegiate School. He graduated from Victoria University of Wellington in 1955 with a Bachelor of Commerce. In 1966, he married Margaret Cecilia Bryden, and they had one son and two daughters.

Career

Business career

Other organisations

Shirtcliffe was the founding chairman of the Enterprise Education Foundation and later a trustee of the Enterprise New Zealand Trust. He was an active member of the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve from 1953 to 1967, reaching the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

Electoral reform

During the debate over electoral reform in New Zealand in the early 1990s, he led the Campaign for Better Government which unsuccessfully opposed the Mixed Member Proportional system. In the late 2000s, he campaigned for changes to the format of the 2011 referendum.

Honours and awards

Shirtcliffe was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 1988 Queen's Birthday Honours, for services to marketing and business management. He received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal. In 2001, he was inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame. He is also a fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants (honorary retired) and a Distinguished Fellow of the Institute of Directors.