Futurespace 2024 – ACE New Zealand
Being a consultant at the top of your game means being aware of market trends and solutions. We need to have strong business acumen and cultural competency. We must be aware of the latest innovations and ideas to elevate our people and our businesses. To do this, we need to meet the right people, have the right conversations and immerse ourselves in the right environments to challenge ourselves.
Futurespace is an opportunity for C-suite, executives, up-and-coming leaders, innovators, designers and consultants to enhance their professional repertoire. It’s about being in the room with some of the best consultants in Aotearoa to develop professional skills in leadership, innovation, and business development.
This year’s theme is courageous change – when the market is hard, when we feel scared or stuck, when everyone around us is waiting for someone to be a leader, this is the time to be courageous and step forward. An exciting line-up of presentations will explore navigating disruption, the client experience, people leadership, and technology and innovation.
This two-day conference features international and local speakers, mini masterclasses, rapid fire discussions and ample networking, allowing you to work ON the business, not IN the business.
Keynote speakers
MC David Downs, Chief Executive of NZ Story Group
Kemi Nekvapil, author and leadership coach
Blair Enns, founder of Win Without Pitching
Anton Matthews, Director of Hustle Group
Themes
We’ve lined up 16 speakers from across the country who will deliver presentations in line with four themes that we know professional consultants in Aotearoa want to know more about:
Navigating disruption
Client experience
People leadership
Technology and innovation
Registration
Registration is open now – find out more and register at futurespaceconference.nz.
What does good look like? Consultant and client perspectives – ACE New Zealand
Join ACE New Zealand and local business leaders in Ōtautahi Christchurch as we ask the question: “What does good look like?”
This event will feature a panel discussion with Siobhan Hartwell from GHD and Dan Tombleson from Lumen, as well as insights from client representatives, including Lynette Ellis from Christchurch City Council and Lawrie Saegers from Rawlinsons. Our ACE New Zealand Regional Chair for Canterbury/West Coast, Andrew Davidson from WSP, will be your host and this event is generously sponsored by Resure: Insurance and KiwiSaver Advisors.
Come along to engage in meaningful conversation, gain valuable knowledge and enjoy drinks and nibbles with your colleagues and peers.
Date: Tuesday 30 July 2024
Time: 4.30 -7.30pm
Cost: Free
Venue: Scoundrel NZ, 375 Saint Asaph Street, Christchurch, 8011
Speakers
Siobhan Hartwell – Regional General Manager NZPac at GHD
Siobhan leads GHD’s business across Aotearoa and the Pacific as Regional General Manager. She is a civil engineer with more than 25 years’ experience on a wide range of water related projects in the UK, New Zealand, Australia and the United States. She was on the Board of Water New Zealand for five years with one year as president and was appointed as a Fellow of Engineering New Zealand in 2019. She has delivered a number of strategic studies through her career including developing founding documents on New Zealand’s water infrastructure to support water reform. Siobhan is passionate about shifting the approach to infrastructure delivery to a holistic approach that uplifts outcomes for communities and the environment.
Dan Tombleson – Managing Director at Lumen
Dan is an electrical engineer who trained at The University of Auckland, New Zealand’s premier electrical engineering institute, and has spent his career in the electricity sectors of New Zealand and Australia. He is passionate about improving the state of our national grids. They are multigenerational assets that we have a responsibility to look after and hand on in better condition. This is why he specialised in strategic asset management. Engineering grunt at this level ensures that the collective good work performed today gives us the best possible long-term results for investment. He believes in tools such as reliability-centred maintenance, failure modes and effects analysis, systems thinking, life cycle cost analysis, and quantitative risk modelling.
Lynette Ellis – Head of Transport and Waste at Christchurch City Council
Born and raised in the King Country, Lynette Ellis graduated University of Waikato with a Master of Science. Lynette started working in the transport industry in London and quickly gained experience on complex transport networks as project manager on a major cross-city cycling project. Upon returning to Aotearoa, she became a “naturalised mainlander”, settling in Ōtautahi Christchurch. Lynette has been at Christchurch City Council for 15 years and is currently the Head of Transport and Waste. Lynette recognises the integral role transport has in all of our lives and is a firm believer in continually improving urban services and systems.
Lawrie Saegers – Managing Director at Rawlinsons
Lawrie has a consistent drive and determination to make projects successful through a balanced approach to diligent cost management and a steadfast “best for project” mentality. He has delivered some of Rawlinsons largest and most diverse projects across many sectors within building and infrastructure. Lawrie is regularly sought out to provide peer reviews on other major projects and frequently acts as Engineer to the Contract. His areas of specialty include project budgets, building strong stakeholder relationships, procurement strategies and contracts, due diligence, and contract administration and dispute resolution.
Host
Andrew Davidson – ACE Regional Chair for Canterbury/West Coast and Head of Structures at WSP
Andrew is an experienced Structural Engineer with both consultancy and contractor experience. He has a strong passion for leadership and ensuring appropriate solutions are provided for clients with diverse needs. A chartered professional engineer with buildings, bridges and water retaining civil infrastructure design and assessment experience. He is also passionate about business which extends to considering client drivers beyond what is directly asked.
ACE staff and Board members attending
Julia Byers – ACE General Manager of Strategy and Government Relations
Hannah Bryce – ACE General Manager of Engagement
Jo Orr – Technical Directory Advisor at Mott MacDonald
Ian Fraser – Chief Executive APAC at GHD
Brad Rooney – General Manager at ElectroNet
Register
Secure your spot today – register here.
ACE Awards Gala – ACE New Zealand
The ACE Awards celebrate Aotearoa New Zealand’s best consultants in engineering and professional services and showcase the exceptional mahi ACE members do for communities here and overseas.
This year’s ACE Awards Gala, sponsored by Beca, will be held at 7pm on Thursday 21 September, day two of the Futurespace conference, at the historic Dominion Museum Building at Massey University in Wellington.
We’ll recognise the consultants who go above and beyond ‘business as usual’ to deliver projects and initiatives in the built and natural environment.
Winning an ACE Award is a big deal, and we’re looking forward to celebrating all the achievements with you and your clients.
Projects will be awarded gold, silver or merit based on the level of achievement, how much the project has exceeded expectations and whether it sets a new industry standard. Judges may also present special awards where there is a unique contribution to the industry or community.
Read about the 2023 ACE Awards finalists
Tickets
A ticket to the ACE Awards Gala is included in any full registration for the Futurespace conference.
Individual tickets are $195 plus GST and tables of ten are $1955 plus GST. Each ticket includes a three-course meal, drinks and live entertainment.
Ticket sales close on Friday 8 September.
Get tickets
Dress code
The dress code is semi-formal (suit, tuxedo or cocktail attire) and the venue is all indoors.
Sponsored by Beca
A big thank you to Beca, the 2023 ACE Awards Gala sponsor.
Christchurch YP Breakfast 14 February – ACENZ
Teaching BIM and Virtual Design Construction at Ara
The first Christchurch Young Professional event is a Breakfast that will be held on Wednesday, 14th February from 7:30 – 9am at the GHD Christchurch Office. The guest speaker Mazhar from Ara will share his experience in teaching BIM and will cover: Software and hardware eco systems, virtual design and construction, virtual reality and augmented reality visualisation and building performance analysis. This event is free of charge and includes a light breakfast.
Although this event is targeted at Young Professionals (35 years and under), we welcome anyone interested and/or those Young at Heart!
2024 ACE Awards Gala – ACE New Zealand
The ACE Awards celebrate Aotearoa New Zealand’s best consultants working in the built and natural environment and the exceptional mahi being done for communities here and overseas.
The awards recognise the consultants who go above and beyond ‘business as usual’ to deliver projects and initiatives. Our award entrants are often up against really complex challenges, like tight timeframes, small budgets or remote locations, so the results we’ve seen from this year’s entrants are truly remarkable.
It’s the rigorous judging criteria that makes the ACE Awards stand out, and the calibre of entries this year was especially high. Our judges are consultants at the top of their game, handpicked each year from the industry. As well as outstanding consulting services, they focus on technical expertise, sustainable value and client satisfaction.
Projects are awarded gold, silver or merit based on the level of achievement, how much the project has exceeded expectations and whether it sets a new industry standard. Judges may also present special awards where there is a unique contribution to the industry or community.
2024 ACE Awards finalists
See the 2024 ACE Awards finalists.
Tickets
A ticket to the ACE Awards Gala is included in any full registration for the Futurespace conference.
Individual tickets are $235 plus GST and tables of ten are $2,350 plus GST. Each ticket includes a three-course meal, drinks and live entertainment.
To get tickets, visit the Futurespace registration page and select “ACE Awards Gala”.
Venue
The ACE Awards Gala will be held at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre.
Contact
If you have any questions about the ACE Awards, email ACE Team Administrator Yasmin Rudman-Cruse at yasmin@acenz.org.nz.
If you have any questions about the People Awards, email ACE General Manager Engagement Hannah Bryce at hannah@acenz.org.nz.
2026 ACE New Zealand SME Summit
Details Leadership that drives impact today and shapes success tomorrow The SME Summit 2026 recognises this tension and is designed to help leaders navigate it with confidence and clarity – providing practical tools for today and strategies for tomorrow. The SME Summit is ACE’s commitment to supporting leaders who shape the built and natural environment for generations […]