Our Futurespace conference in Auckland was a call to action – to lead with purpose, embrace change, and build resilient systems that serve people and place. A fantastic line-up of speakers explored the evolving landscape of consulting, sharing insights and new ideas about leadership and innovation. Sessions emphasised the importance of values-based decision-making, ethical practice and clear communication. Check out the highlights from #futurespace2025.
-1-1-1.png)
As business leaders, some decisions are black and white. However, as the challenges become more complex, there’s an increasing grey zone in making the right call.
But James Castrission says the one tool that you’ve got as a leader is the concept around values-based decision making. When your decisions are based on your core values, your team will understand why you’ve chosen that direction and be more likely to support you as you move towards your goals.
Just make a call and deal with the consequences instead of kicking the can down the road.
James, a world record breaking Aussie explorer, took us through his phenomenal journey to the South Pole and the life or death decisions he and his mate Jonesy had to make on the way. A fantastic session to open Futurespace 2025!
-1-1-1.png)
“We don’t need more dashboards, we don’t need more reporting, we need a system that brings data together and provides clarity.”
Dave Braendler from Tonkin + Taylor did a PhD in AI before many of us knew what it was, and he gave us a framework to ensure data clarity in those crucial first 90 days of a project.
He urged business leaders to keep people at the heart of AI adoption – it makes a workplace more human and unlocks unexpected benefits.
-1-1-1.png)
“Let us move forward together, guided by collective responsibility. The work ahead is ours to shape. Kia kaha, Kia māia, Kia manawanui.”
Hinerangi Hemara-Haeana from WSP spoke about how Māori data sovereignty can be embedded within engineering projects. She drew on her experience of working on the Ōtaki to north of Levin highway project and spoke about why iwi engagement is essential and also a foundation for ethical practice.
“It’s really important for iwi to be at the table.”
-1-1-1.png)
The sheer scale of the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi portfolio means it relies heavily on professional services consultants to deliver the infrastructure Aotearoa needs.
We heard from Alison Murray about NZTA’s vision to be a modern, efficient organisation and its infrastructure procurement strategy that’s designed to respond to challenges and do things differently.
Alison says they’re listening to feedback from business leaders and taking action to support a healthy market, for example sharing its pipeline of work to give consultants certainty and visibility.
“It’s not perfect, but it’s improving.”
-1-1-1.png)
The New Zealand market is too small for engineering consultancies to be competitors all the time – sometimes we need to partner up for success, which requires a shift in mindset.
Simonne Eldridge at Tonkin + Taylor calls this “co-opetition” – industry players who at times collaborate and other times compete.
An insightful korero about why collaboration, not the model, delivers infrastructure success.
-1-1-1.png)
Grant Maxwell and Steph McLeod from Stantec spoke of their experiences responding to the 2022 Nelson floods and how that led to the formation of The Engaging Professional Services in Emergency Management project.
They talked about how the project aims to improve co-ordination between Civil Defence Emergency Management, asset owners, local community, and professional services, and the important role consultant engineers play in disaster response.
Grant and Steph also spoke about how the project enabled improved disaster response when it was adopted during flooding in the Nelson-Tasman region earlier this year.
-1-1-1.png)
“By giving people clarity and autonomy, we lower the social risk and make it relatable to communities.”
Amy Shattock from Stantec spoke about why infrastructure projects often encounter resistance from the very communities they are meant to serve.
She also talked about how projects can be perceived by the community and the importance of communication (including using 3D glasses as an interactive prop).
Amy then offered strategies to overcome community reluctance and garner support for infrastructure projects.
“We can no longer convince people with facts; it must be combined with messaging from someone who is just like them.”
-1-1-1.png)
We were lucky to have Steven Lefton from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) beam in from the US to share insights into Firm of the Future – a research initiative designed to explore and prepare for the evolving landscape of engineering and design firms by 2035.
Core themes of the project include technology integration, talent management, environmental awareness, adaptability, leadership and strategy, evolving business models, client relationships, social responsibility, community impact and collaboration. More on the Firm of the Future project here.
-1-1-1.png)
How many global trends in the consulting sector can you fit into a five-minute korero? This power-packed panel featuring Jonathan Cartledge from Consult Australia, Ian Fraser from GHD and Sarah Whitehouse from AECOM gave us quick-fire insights into key challenges and opportunities in different regions around the world.
The hot topics in Australia, Asia, Canada and the US are all familiar – workforce development, sustainability, the regulatory environment, risk allocation.
By delving into the global space, we were also reminded of what New Zealanders are well known for on the world stage – we’re pragmatic, we’re keen to solve problems and we get stuck in.
-1-1-1.png)
“Nobody sees our culture the same way we do. People see a mountain, they don’t see the stories. We think differently, we see differently. Some things we can’t put into words, we have to express through our bodies.”
The kōhanga generation are here – they’ve grown up going to kōhanga reo and kura kaupapa – and they’re reshaping what leadership in engineering looks like.
This was a powerful session from our panellists Rikona Andrews (AECOM), Kumeroa Pihama (Tonkin + Taylor), Emily Afoa (Tektus) and James Kendrick (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Tamaki nui a Rua), facilitated by L’Rey Renata (GHD).
-1-1-1.png)
“Truly listening is everything. By listening a lot of problems can be solved.”
Lee Renata spoke about the importance of communication, connecting people to strategic alignment, capability building and supporting middle managers for better outcomes.
Lee is a transformative change leader and workforce strategist with expertise in aligning capability to organisational strategy and driving sustainable transformation.
She talked about balancing empathy with reflection and turning effort into results.
“Until we focus on strategic outcomes, we will not achieve our potential. Strategy often falters in the space between intent and execution.”
-1-1-1.png)
Scott McKerrow from Context Architects talked about how consultancies are employing and adapting to new technologies.
Scott reflected on how technology has changed during his career – starting out with drawing boards and pencils to the rapid adoption of AI in the industry.
“The pace of technological change is unprecedented… We need to focus on how our future roles will fundamentally change.”
While AI is rapidly changing the nature of consultancy leadership, there is one aspect Scott says will still be important to hold on to.
“What will remain, and what we must elevate, is our humanity.”
-1-1-1.png)
A thought provoking session with Claire Lyons (clairity) on innovation beyond the idea. She gave us three key things to consider as business leaders:
- Do you know your WHY? Do you have a clear purpose for innovation?
- Do you know your HOW? Do you have a clear strategy and process for it?
- Do you know your WHO? Do you have dedicated leadership and resources to make it happen?
-1-1-1.png)
“Technology doesn’t grow business, people do.”
Rowan Hallam from Woods talked about how applying the right tech at the right time in surveying builds the trust of clients. He looked back at the pace of change in technology in surveying in the last 20 years, and how the expectations of clients have also changed.
But, as Rowan says, engaging the right surveyor early – someone who understands both the tech and the project context – is critical.
“Passionate people drive progress.”
-1-1-1.png)
The goal for Project Velocity was clear – to deliver warm, dry and safe homes for New Zealanders.
We went behind the scenes of the project with Scott Cracknell at Context Architects and heard about how they worked with Kainga Ora to create thousands of homes with speed and efficiency.
It was a carefully planned method, blending principles like lean, kaizen and agile. It was designed to make housing cheaper, faster and more reliable, and every consultant understood their role, responsibilities and priorities.
Great insights into systems thinking and process improvements!
-1-1-1.png)
Neil Thompson from Beca is a technologist, economist and engineer. He talked about why effectively delivering infrastructure is essential for meeting New Zealand’s future needs and how collaborative and courageous forms of procurement enable better outcomes.
He urged engineers to think of themselves as being part of a high-tech industry and to consider their roles within the infrastructure system.
“Let’s provide a more cohesive story to pull all these bits and pieces together.”
-3-1-1.png)
Sinéad Coffey from Tend2Create challenged business leaders to ask themselves three questions when opening the next bid: Does this opportunity align with who we are? Can our people absorb it without breaking? Will this process make us better, not just busier?
“Bidding is broken. Not because people don’t care – but because the system rewards speed over sense. Every week across Aotearoa, brilliant people step into bid rooms already running on empty. We celebrate deadlines as endurance events, and we call survival a success metric.
“But what if the first line of infrastructure failure isn’t out on site? What if it’s right here – in how we design the bid itself?”
-1-1-1.png)
Hamish Sutherland (Horizons Regional Council) and James Kendrick (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Tamaki nui a Rua) concluded Futurespace 2025 with an engaging and entertaining presentation about their mahi on the Te Ahu a Turanga project.
The pair talked about the challenges, successes and takeaways of the project and how matauranga Māori was integral to its success.
Hamish shared a story about when Matua James told him, during the project, that he considered him to be one of his sons. “We’re now whānau.”
They both spoke about the importance of the matauranga process in the success of Te Ahu a Turanga.
As Matua James said: “The challenge is to see another project like Te Ahu a Turanga again.”