Jordan Keene and Simon Wood Leave $217K Debt After Liquidation

The collapse of Wellington Excavator Hire Limited has left more than $130,000 owing to unsecured creditors, with directors Jordan Keene and Simon Wood at the centre of the failed business.

The company went into liquidation in April 2023. In their final report, liquidators Christopher McCullagh and Stephen Lawrence of PKF Corporate Recovery & Insolvency confirmed:

• Nine unsecured creditors are owed $130,358.47 and will get nothing back.

• Heartland Bank recovered $28,755.32 from the sale of secured vehicles, against a $65,122.75 debt.

• Inland Revenue received just $2,500 of a $20,592.06 claim.

• One employee was paid $1,156.99 in holiday pay.

With no assets left, the company will now be struck off the Companies Register.

While Wellington Excavator Hire is finished, both men remain involved in other companies.

• Jordan Keene is listed as a director of Whiskey Soda Co Limited, Human Performance Lab Limited, and EEFFOC Limited, and is a shareholder in Jomash Investments Limited. He has also held roles in other now-closed businesses.

• Simon Wood is connected to NZ Excavator Hire Limited and Skullduggery Limited.

Their ongoing presence in business raises questions for those left out of pocket by the liquidation.

Outside of business, Keene has shared some of his personal struggles publicly. In late 2024 he launched a Givealittle campaign called “Let’s turn the toughest week of my life into a positive for others.”

In the fundraiser he spoke about losing his father, the end of a long-term relationship, and his own mental health battles. The campaign raised $1,210 for the I Am Hope Foundation, with Keene pledging to complete a demanding MURPH workout for every $100 donated.

The liquidation leaves suppliers, contractors, and Inland Revenue out of pocket, while both Keene and Wood continue to hold directorships elsewhere. It’s a reminder of how exposed unsecured creditors are when companies fold, and how directors can move on even when debts remain unpaid.

Source: PKF Corporate Recovery & Insolvency, Liquidators’ Final Report (5 April 2024); Givealittle.