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Sam Kennard has led Kennards Self Storage’s transformation from a 12 centre business into a leading Australasian operator. Appointed CEO in 1994, he has driven growth through premium property development and major acquisitions, building a network of over 120 centres and a multibillion-dollar portfolio across Australia and New Zealand.
Joining Kennards Self Storage in 1991, after completing a Bachelor of Business (Land Economics) at Hawkesbury Agricultural College, Sam was later appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer in late 1994, taking over from his father Neville Kennard (1937 - 2012). The company had 12 storage centres operating at the time. Since 1991, he worked in a number of customer-facing roles in the business, as well as Operations, Marketing, Construction, Finance, Property Acquisitions and Development.Since becoming CEO in 1994, he has grown the business from 12 storage centres to 128 and employing over 400 people across Australia and New Zealand today. The market value of the assets owned and managed now exceeds $4.5 billion, and is the largest privately owned self storage business outside the USA.
At Kennards Self Storage, our story has always been about people, customers, and playing the long game.
In this conversation with Rob Langton, our CEO Sam Kennard reflects on his journey — from joining the family business at a young age to helping grow it into a network of 125+ centres across Australia and New Zealand. The way our teams take ownership, the pride in our centres, and the trust we’ve built with customers — it all starts from the values he’s championed over decades. This is a candid look at the thinking, discipline, and mindset that have guided that journey — and continue to shape how we show up today.
Watch the full interview to hear how long-term thinking, empowered teams, and a deep commitment to customers come together to build a business that lasts.
His career has given him extensive experience in property, business, organisational culture, property development and self storage operations. The focus, key strength and central growth strategy has been acquiring property and ground-up development of high-quality premium location storage centres in metropolitan markets. His career also includes large scale acquisitions and mergers of multi-site self storage portfolios.
In 2004, ten years after his appointment as CEO, he successfully acquired Australia's largest storage operator, Millers Self Storage, in an industry defining $220 million transaction of a 24 storage centre portfolio. This more than doubled the size of the business and was game changing for KSS. In 2007, he negotiated and acquired the company's first significant trans-Tasman investment, acquiring 8 operating self storage centres in New Zealand.
In 2025, the company acquired National Mini Storage 13 centres in Auckland in a transaction of over $400M.
Sam is currently on the Board of the Self Storage Association of Australasia; Self Storage Association of Asia; The Centre for Independent Studies; and, the Wenona School Foundation. He is a regular contributor to self storage and property journals, particularly the Mini Storage Messenger; Inside Self Storage and The SSAA Insider.
You can also follow Sam on LinkedIn and X.
To reach out to Sam email: contactsam@kss.com.au
