The National Business Review lists Mr Cleary as being worth $2 billion. He established his fortune in New Zealand through buying cheap farmland during the 1990s recession and converting it to highly profitably dairy operations.
Mr Cleary's business interests stretch from New Zealand and Australia to eastern and western Europe and on to the United States, Argentina and Chile.
Other business people named on the rich list who have Southern connections include the Tally family ($290 million), Philip Carter ($155 million) and Humphrey Rolleston.
The Tally family has expansive South Island-based fishing and vegetable processing interests but is showing a growing interest in becoming a meat processor through its share in Affco. The family launched a full takeover after buying out the Spencer family's 23.5% stake.
Mr Carter, a Christchurch property investor, was recently reported as a new shareholder in Pyne Gould Corporation, holding 13.3 million shares, or just under 1.6% of the company. He also owns the Crowne Plaza, in Queenstown.
Mr Rolleston was a long-time investor and director of South Canterbury Finance but sold out in advance of the finance sector collapse.
He still retained some ties with Timaru businessman Allan Hubbard through a stake in a South Canterbury company Dairy Holdings. He has a 16.5% stake is Mercer Group, another Hubbard company.
