[3] Fyfe was born in Christchurch, joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force straight from high school, and earned a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) honours from the University of Canterbury in 1982.

[1] Fyfe rose to be Flight Commander in charge of maintenance of the Air Force's Skyhawk Squadron at the age of 24.

[8][9] Fyfe was on the board of clothing designer and manufacturer Icebreaker from July 2012,[10] and its executive chairman from September 2013.

[13] In late March 2020, he was appointed as a liaison between government and the private sector for the extent of the Covid-19 crisis.

[14][15] In the 2021 New Year Honours, Fyfe was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to business and tourism.