Introducing Jonathan Wright – Senior Property Consultant

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Jonathan Wright, who has joined our Land Disposal and Property Advisory team as a Senior Property Consultant.

Jonathan brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in the property industry, and is known for his extensive technical expertise across both government and private sectors. His work and experience have spanned across acquisitions, disposals, legalisation, and Crown conveyancing.

Jonathan holds a Master of Science from Otago University and Toitū Te Whenua Accreditation in all categories, and has specialist knowledge in the Public Works Act 1981, Land Act 1948, and Treaty Settlement legislation and has contributed to regulatory standards reviews, further demonstrating his expertise in the field.

Introducing Luisa Rika – Senior Property Consultant

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Luisa Rika, who has joined Align as a Senior Property Consultant.

Luisa brings a wealth of expertise from her previous roles as a Property valuer and Senior Property Consultant. Her strengths include property negotiations, stakeholder engagement, market research, project coordination, data analysis and property strategies. She has previously worked as an NZTA Contract manager and closely with Local Authorities, leveraging her negotiation and analytical skills to support both local and national large-scale infrastructure projects.

Luisa holds a Bachelor of Business Studies, majoring in Property Management and Valuation. She is a member of the Property Institute of New Zealand, actively contributing to the industry as Secretary for the local Top of the South Committee. Luisa’s proactive approach and commitment to excellence make her a valuable addition to our team.

Introducing Jeffrey Burris – Junior Property Consultant

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Jeffrey Burris who has joined our Auckland Property team as a Junior Property Consultant.

Jeff brings a wealth of knowledge and skills from his previous roles, including property negotiations, GIS, data modelling, forecasting,  research and data analysis. Jeff has previously worked as a Land Acquisition Consultant in America, where he successfully negotiated and purchased land for large-scale residential developments as well as with Regional Councils where he was able to apply his GIS and analytical skills and knowledge and deliver a transportation infrastructure project that involved sensitive environmental variables and land constraints.

Jeff has tertiary qualifications in Political Science and Water Resources and a Bachelor of Science in Geospatial Analysis and is highly motivated, self-driven and is eager to learn, and has a very keen eye for detail.

Introducing Nicole Piper – Senior Property Consultant

We are delighted to welcome Nicole Piper back to our Align team after taking a break to raise her family. Nicole is a very experienced property consultant with a wealth of knowledge. Nicole has experience working on complex property acquisitions for both central and local government, in particular NZTA, Auckland Council, Watercare and Auckland Transport. Nicole’s skills and experience span across acquisitions and disposals, easements, leasing and licencing of airspace, subsoil and surface rights, site and route selection and iwi negotiations.

 

Nicole has a Bachelor of Business Studies, Valuation & Property Management from Massey University and started out her career as a valuer before moving into Property where she has worked for the past 15 years. Nicole is a self-motivated individual with a strong work ethic, exceptional time management and attention to detail, which sees her working well under pressure and to tight deadlines. Nicole is committed to making a lasting positive impact on people and communities and is a strategic thinker who sees the big picture, and is dedicated to delivering favourable outcomes for all.

Introducing Greg Aitken

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Greg Aitken, who has joined our Auckland property team as a Senior Property Consultant.

Greg is a very experienced property consultant, having worked in both the public and private sectors in property acquisition and planning in NZ and abroad for the past 20+ years, where his focus has been towards the planning and property aspects associated with land development and the acquisition of property for utility, and more recently renewable purposes. Greg has broad industry experience including Renewables, Telecommunications, Commercial, Industrial, Residential and Subdivision developments.

Greg has a Bachelor of Resource & Environmental Planning from Massey University, and enjoys meeting and working with landowners and the public to secure long-term relationships that benefit all parties.

Introducing Shyla Chhika

We are delighted to welcome Shyla Chhika to the Align team as a Marketing Administrator. Shyla is a dedicated and versatile designer with a first-class Bachelor of Honours in Design from Massey University, specialising in graphic and spatial design, bringing a creative and adaptable approach to diverse design challenges. Shyla’s experience spans various disciplines, including Graphic Design, Interior Architecture, and Business Support.

Shyla has prior experience working as an Interior Design Graduate and an Administrator, where she used her graphic design, visualisation, technical drafting, and spatial planning skills to undertake a variety of tasks, including 3D modelling, technical drawings, and producing eye-catching marketing material.

Shyla is passionate about creating meaningful and effective visual solutions and functional spaces and looks forward to making a positive impact on future projects with fresh perspectives and innovative design.

Property Advisor of the Year – Celeste Patutama

We are extremely proud to share that Celeste Patutama has been named the 2024 Property Institute  ‘Property Advisor of the Year’

Celeste has demonstrated distinguished leadership in the property advisory and consultancy profession, providing unparalleled expertise and dedication throughout her career. She has shown an ability to navigate complex portfolios and deliver tailored actionable advice – solidifying her reputation as a trusted consultant. Since joining Align, Celeste has been nothing short of inspiring, and this award is a testament to Celeste’s hard work and the high esteem in which she is held by her peers and clients. We are incredibly proud to have Celeste as part of our team and excited to see her continue to lead and innovate in the industry.

Please join us in celebrating Celeste’s remarkable achievement!

Introducing Mellinda Bridge

It is with great pleasure that we welcome Mellinda Bridge as our new Wellington Business Support Administrator.

Mellinda is a results-driven, highly organized and experienced administrator with a track record for streamlining processes and enhancing operational efficiency. Mellinda has a passion for customer service and delivering top-tier administrative support.

Mellinda has extensive Administration experience, having worked in similar roles with Transdev and WSP, where she was responsible for the smooth day-to-day running of the office, including facilities management, fleet management, security, on-boarding, travel arrangements, stakeholder management, invoicing, and coding, as well as reception and administrative duties.

Mellinda has a vibrant, ‘can-do’ personality and a great work ethic. She doesn’t shy away from a challenge and loves to learn.

Introducing Rachel Hume

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Rachel Hume, who has joined our Align Property Team in Auckland as a Senior Property Consultant.

Rachel has 19 years of experience in a variety of roles, including 14 years of public sector experience in property, planning, and project delivery within complex organizations and political environments. Rachel is values-driven and has a strong personal commitment to making a lasting positive impact on people and communities. She is a strategic thinker who sees the big picture, and actively plans work programs to align with organizational strategic direction and prioritizes resources to deliver on strategic outcomes.

Rachel has previously worked in a variety of property and planning roles with Kāinga Ora, Eke Panuku, Auckland Council, and Opus where she has liaised with multi-disciplinary teams and government agencies, providing comprehensive and detailed analysis, advice, feedback, and recommendations on Future Development Strategies, and holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Valuation & Property from Lincoln University.