Michael Watt (philanthropist)

In 2009 Watt joined music mogul Korda Marshall in relaunching the Infectious Music record label (formerly known as Infectious Records). The label's most notable signing was alt-J, who won the 2012 British Barclaycard Mercury Prize for their debut album An Awesome Wave, which reached Platinum certification in the UK. Their other signings include General Fiasco, Local Natives, Cloud Control, Drenge, Superfood, RY X, The Acid, These New Puritans, and Vance Joy. Infectious Music was acquired by BMG Rights Management in September 2014.

In 2003, he made a significant donation to the New Zealand Special Olympics which sponsored the event. He also donated to the Hohepa Trust based in New Zealand, which cares for the intellectually disabled.

In 2000, he donated to Brisbane-based Brothers Rugby Club “saving them from collapse”, and subsequently is referred to as ‘club savior’.

While working with Capital Sports New York, he formed CSI in London and quickly saw an opportunity where sports bodies worldwide were not exploiting their international television rights intelligently, and in a pioneering move soon represented all soccer bodies in UK/Europe, as well as all international rugby and cricket federations. CSI's largest publicised contract was a deal with NewsCorp in the lead up to the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa, which led to the professionalism of the international Rugby Union, particularly in the southern hemisphere. Worth approx. $950m, this was largest sports broadcasting contract in history at the time. CSI represented all cricket and rugby federations, and most soccer federations, for 15 years. Their work is largely credited with shaping the current professionalism of most major sporting industries.

Watt produced numerous albums since the 1990s, most notably Vince Mendoza's Grammy-nominated Epiphany in 1999, which is considered a classic by many in the jazz music industry including Bill Laurance of Snarky Puppy, John Beasley and The Juilliard School of Music..

Earlier endeavours include sponsoring the Durham Miners' Gala when it was on the brink of collapse in the late 1990s. His UK domestic work also includes supporting the Easington Colliery Band, as well as many other music-based non-profits including The Sixteen, the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, and across the Atlantic the Jazz Foundation of America. By forming the Ronnie Scott's Charitable Foundation in 2015 he is continuing to support major musical charities across the UK and provide free instruments to disadvantaged youths.

In the 1960s Watt worked as an explosives expert for oil exploration crews in North Africa, the Middle East, and Central America. In the late 1960s/early 1970s he worked for the National Supply Company oilfield division of Armco Steel, out of Houston, TX, and Louisiana on the early development of sub-sea wellheads and blow-out preventers. During this period he became a partner of Drexel Oil Services in Aberdeen, Scotland. After a project with the Israeli Government off the Sinai Peninsula, Watt sold out of all his oil interests in 1976.

Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, he was expelled from Christ's College, Christchurch, in 1955 and spent the next 10 years working in various blue-collar industries (including oil drilling, construction, and rigging) around the world, as well as numerous hotels and jazz clubs in the United States.

Michael Heseltine Watt ONZM (born 16 December 1940) is a New Zealand entrepreneur, philanthropist, and investor. He is one of five New Zealanders who were featured in the Sunday Times Rich List 2009. He was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the community in the 2005 New Year Honours.