Businessman and politician Sir Bob Jones has died at the age of 85.

“I can confirm on behalf of the family that Sir Robert Jones died peacefully at home surrounded by family after a brief illness,” The NZ general manager of Robert Jones Holdings confirmed on Friday.

Jones imposed himself on the New Zealand consciousness like few other businesspeople of his time.

He amassed a multi-billion portfolio of commercial buildings in Auckland, Wellington, and Glasgow, Scotland, as well as forming a political party to challenge Robert Muldoon’s National Party.