Mike Pero builds a home for John Britten’s legacy

by Metropol | January 21, 2026 8:42 am

You’ll know the name, and if not that, the radio jingle. But Christchurch entrepreneur Mike Pero has moved on from high-flying business deals – instead, choosing passion over profit. His time, energy and resources are now directed into preserving the legacy of one of the city’s original innovators: engineer and motorcycle designer John Britten, writes Metropol editor Nina Tucker.

Successful businessman and New Zealand’s first mortgage broker, Mike spent much of the past four decades building and selling companies across finance, real estate, aviation and technology. From 2011 to 2021, he grew the Mike Pero Real Estate brand from a single office into a nationwide network of 62 franchises – at its peak, a new office was opening every month. He’s been a household name ever since.

But on his 60th birthday in 2020, Mike Pero wondered what more he could do. He had conquered the business world, built a beautiful family, and accrued a reasonable nest egg. “What is life about?” he asked himself. “What is my purpose here going forward?” The answer would find him soon enough.

HOW MIKE MADE IT
Let’s rewind – business success was only ever one strand of a much broader story. Mike attended Shirley Boys’ High School in the early 1970s before leaving for a motorcycle mechanic apprenticeship at Doug Cresswell Suzuki. He went on to work for Norjo Motorcyles, and, by his early twenties, had established himself as a Yamaha dealer in Hornby. This was a passion he pursued in full. From the age of 16, Mike had been racing and, over time, would go on to win six New Zealand National Motorcycle Championships and set a national land speed record – achievements that still sit quietly in the background of his CV.

Soon came sales. Moving through retail management at Woolworths and grocery sales before finding his feet in the life insurance industry where he learned the mechanics of performance, discipline, and reward. “You got paid for sales results,” he says. “That suited me. In my mid 20s I was earning an income significantly higher than 90% of New Zealanders.”

His savings went towards a career as an airline pilot. He studied hard and within two years was flying for Mount Cook Airline, out of Auckland. Industry disruption in the late 1980s stalled progression to his scheduled goal of second officer on the new Boeing 747-400 with Air New Zealand. At the age of 30, Mike – not one to sit still – decided timing and age would be against him if he waited around, so he left his airline career the following year.

When he returned to Christchurch, he spotted a gap. Mortgage broking, as an industry, didn’t yet exist in New Zealand. “No one even knew the term,” he says. “So I went all in.” The business grew rapidly. What began with a modest investment became a nationwide operation and eventually sold in 2004. Mike was 44 and banked his first multi-million dollar nest egg.

More ventures followed. A joint-partnered business, Pacific Simulators and Flight Experience grew from a small back-street operation into a globally respected manufacturer of fixed-base flight training devices. The business sold in 2008, for another few million. Jetex Flight Simulator, Mike’s own retail simulator brand, still operates today and allows airline pilots and members of the public to utilise and train in a fully realistic (CAA-certified) Boeing 737-800 simulator. “We’re the only tourist attraction in Christchurch that rates a full 5 stars from its customers over the past five years across both Trip Advisor and Google Reviews. This is my benchmark. I have expectations for the Britten Museum to be the same.”

TO BRITTEN AND BEYOND
Ask Mike what he does now and he’ll smile at you. “I say I’m retired,” he says, “then I pause and add that I run a few businesses, investment properties, and I’m setting up a museum.” He can’t help himself. “Retirement in real terms, is always getting pushed back. I find that projects keep my mind stimulated and, in some ways, are even more relaxing than reading a book.”

When the Britten Museum opens in Christchurch on 18 February, it will represent the culmination of an idea that’s been quietly forming for years. John Britten’s story – a self-taught engineer who designed and built a revolutionary racing motorcycle in a Christchurch backyard – had always resonated with Mike. In the early 1990s, the Britten V1000 took on, and beat, some of the world’s biggest manufacturers at Daytona, USA. He became a sensation overnight – one that Mike believed was due more recognition.

When John Britten died in 1995 from inoperable skin cancer aged just 45, thousands of people grieved the loss of one of the world’s greatest men. “When you talk to people here, there’s a real sense of ownership,” Mike says. “John Britten was one of ours.”

In late 2024, while clearing storage, Mike came across a small kitset model from the 1990s of the Britten V1000. The timing felt right. With the blessing of John’s wife Kirsteen, he quickly rounded up a small board of trustees and the idea of a permanent museum began to take shape. “The original Britten build was not just about one man. It was about a group of young guys who worked relentlessly, following John’s direction, to create something extraordinary. It is science, technology, engineering and art – all proudly made right here in little old New Zealand.”

The Britten Museum was immediately granted charitable trust status for its cultural significance. Mike is the sole donor (money which he would otherwise “waste on toys”), supported by sponsors and contributors from across the community. “There’s no financial return in it for me – ultimately it’s a gift for the people of Christchurch and New Zealand to enjoy,” he says. “The financial goal is sustainability, that it can stand on its own and not be reliant on local body or government support. At this early stage, I’m confident this will happen based on the generosity of a number of supportive business owners.”

In the months leading up to opening, Mike has allocated an immense amount of his time to the project, working closely with team members and industry experts. “I’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity of local businesses,” he says. “Two in particular are MWF, a joinery business, and SignBiz, who are providing our imagery. Gary and Jim, the respective owners, have been integral. In hindsight, I could not have done this without them. Behind them are about a dozen other close partners and contributors, all chipping in with materials and labour.”

Naturally, the museum has already attracted international interest – Australia, United States, United Kingdom, Europe.

“The following of John Britten overseas is enormous,” Mike says. “I think people will be surprised when they see this exhibition. It’s more than most people will be imagining. I’ve travelled and seen enough museums around the world to know this will be among the best exhibitions I’ve seen.”

As for Mike riding the famed Britten bike himself? “Well, as far as I’m aware, [New Zealand motorcyle racing champion] Jock Woodley and I may be among the oldest to ride the Britten V1000 around a racetrack. That happened for me in November 2025 at Levels Raceway, in Timaru,” he says. “While my superannuitant counterparts are quite happy to ride free in a battery-powered bus around the city, I’m far happier racing around on a guided missile – capable of over 300kph – now that was the pinnacle of my racing career: the Britten V1000.”

THE LESSONS JOHN BRITTEN LEFT BEHIND
John Britten’s story continues to resonate well beyond motorsport. Dyslexic and largely self-taught, he challenged traditional ideas of education and achievement. For Mike, that message is central to the museum’s purpose. “Inspiration builds confidence,” he says. “And confidence changes lives. John had many of the same traits as Leonardo da Vinci.”
Mike says the museum is a resource that will be open to all the schools that want to bring their students through – it ticks all the boxes and includes hot topics like science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

As the museum took shape, Mike uncovered pages of handwritten and recorded quotes John Britten had shared over the years. Many now appear on the museum’s walls, woven into the experience itself. One quote, in particular, captured John’s philosophy: “If it’s not broken, then you’re obviously not testing it hard enough.”

“That was John in a sentence,” Mike says. “He pushed things until they failed, because that’s where the learning was. He was always operating at the edge.” It’s an approach Mike recognises instinctively. Across decades in print, radio, and television, he built a reputation for connecting with people – not through polish, but through authenticity. His natural ease helped him build trust in fiercely competitive industries, ultimately giving him the freedom to step away from them. “Communication has been the constant in my life,” he says. “It’s always been about connecting.”

Today, his priorities are different. The pursuit of scale and material success has been replaced by something quieter, more enduring. “I want very little now,” Mike says. “What this museum gives me is worth more than anything material. If it inspires people, if it contributes something meaningful to Christchurch for generations to come, then it’s been worth every bit of effort.”

Source URL: https://metropol.co.nz/mike-pero-builds-a-home-for-john-brittens-legacy/

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