Ben Forrest - The Ripple Effect
From humble beginnings, Ben built TESTntel into a nationwide business that pioneered data-driven compliance systems long before they became industry standard. Today, the award-winning company is helping transform New Zealand's workplace compliance industry through technology and innovation while extending its reach internationally, with the same innovative thinking now being applied to a new venture in the parking sector. Yet ask Ben Forrest about the business, and he'll soon start talking about the people—watching them grow, seeing leaders emerge, and the opportunities created along the way.
Rowing became one of the defining chapters of Ben's life. Multiple national championships and New Representative through all age grades and up to 2000 Olympic training Squad reflected the level he reached yet ask Ben about those years and he'll quickly move from medals to meaning. As he pursued competition at the highest level, it was Principal Nigel Toy who challenged him to recognise that our decisions ripple far beyond ourselves, while the sport itself taught him that failure is often the greater teacher. Both truths have stayed with him, forging a mental resilience that Ben believes is more powerful than physical strength and remains foundational to the way he approaches life.
When Ben reflects on Saint Kentigern's motto, Fides Servanda Est, he doesn't begin by explaining it. Instead, he asks, "What does it mean to you?" He believes it isn't something anyone else can define for you. It has to resonate with you personally, because only then does it become something you truly believe. For Ben, that personal understanding has become one of believing in himself—the confidence to live out the values and convictions he has made his own.
Ben has a simple reminder: Remember to Live. Life should never be defined by a single pursuit, achievement or success. It is richer than any one chapter and is about continuing to grow, embracing change and choosing to contribute.
Choosing to contribute has also shaped Ben's involvement with the Alumni Association. In recent years he has played a key role in one of the Association's most significant periods of renewal, helping modernise its governance, guide the review of its Constitution and champion a more inclusive vision of the alumni community, positioning the Association to serve future generations while remaining true to the values that define it.
If there is one thread running through Ben's life, it is this: we are not defined by those who came before us, but by what we choose to build for those who come after. A proud husband and father, he finds his greatest joy in seeing others realise their potential—whether in his family, his business or the wider community. His advice is characteristically simple: lasting change is rarely achieved from the sidelines or through criticism. Change is done by being involved.
