Our History

Heartland starts life as the Ashburton Permanent Building & Investment Society which subsequently merges with SMC Building Society and Loan & Building Society to become CBS Canterbury.

Southern Cross (later to become part of Heartland) opens in Auckland offering its North Island customers a range of investments, savings, loans and day to day accounts.

MARAC Finance opens to support the growth of small to medium sized businesses.

At the start of the year, Southern Cross, CBS Canterbury and MARAC merge to create the business that became Heartland Building Society.

On 31 August 2011, Heartland acquires PGG Wrightson Finance, bringing significant impetus to Heartland’s rural strategy and diversity to Heartland’s asset base.

Heartland is granted its bank registration by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, achieving its goal of becoming the only New Zealand operated, controlled and managed banking group, with a parent company (Heartland New Zealand Limited) listed on the NZX Main Board – the home of New Zealand’s equities market and best known financial brands.

Heartland Building Society converts from a building society to a company and becomes Heartland Bank Limited.

Heartland Bank Limited amalgamates with its parent company, Heartland New Zealand Limited. This means Heartland Bank Limited became the first New Zealand registered bank to be listed on the NZX Main Board.

On 31 October 2018, Heartland completed a corporate restructure which resulted in Heartland Bank Limited becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of a new listed parent company, Heartland Group Holdings Limited. On 1 November 2018, Heartland Group Holdings Limited listed on the NZX Main Board and the ASX under a foreign exempt listing under the ticker code HGH.