“I believe the most impactful solutions are created when analytical rigour meets broad collaboration – when technical expertise, strategic thinking, and stakeholder insight come together to solve challenging problems.”

Over a diverse career spanning engineering, infrastructure advisory, banking, asset management, and investment planning, Shaun has led complex projects across sectors including energy, transport, water, housing, and education. His work has delivered tangible outcomes such as cost savings, improved productivity and efficiency, improved decision-making frameworks and reduced carbon emissions, for organisations ranging from local councils to national agencies.

Originally trained as a Mechanical Engineer with a Master’s in Industrial Engineering, Shaun began his career in process engineering with Bilfinger / Steinmüller Africa, contributing to large-scale industrial and energy projects. His early work ranged from commissioning, plant optimisation, detailed engineering design and root cause analysis through to business development and developing long-term strategy, giving him a foundation in both technical excellence and commercial insight.

In South Africa’s banking sector, Shaun applied his process optimisation skills to credit risk and profitability management at African Bank. He developed new governance frameworks, improved portfolio performance, and created models that drove efficiency and reduced lending losses by around 10%.

After moving to New Zealand, Shaun joined Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, where he provided assurance and investment management advice on significant national transport projects across the central and lower North Island, aligning business cases with strategic goals, improving processes, and ensuring public funds were invested for maximum impact.

At Aurecon, as Infrastructure Advisory Manager, Shaun has delivered whole-of-life cost and carbon frameworks, financial and economic models, asset registers, and decision-support frameworks that help clients such as Watercare, Tauranga City Council, Waka Kotahi, and Kāinga Ora make better, evidence‑based investment decisions. His work has directly contributed to multi‑million‑dollar savings and measurable environmental benefits.

He offers clients:

• The ability to synthesise technical, financial, and strategic perspectives into practical, data-driven solutions.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams through complex projects, ensuring alignment between stakeholders, objectives, and delivery.
• Deep expertise in process optimisation, investment management, and asset lifecycle planning and management.
• A collaborative, coaching-oriented leadership style that builds capability and long-term value.

Passionate about technology and innovation, Shaun actively looks at methods to integrates new tools into his work for data analytics, and process improvement — and helps teams apply these tools to improve performance.

Outside of work, he enjoys running, finding new food spots and exploring what New Zealand has to offer.

“I’ve learnt that the best projects are outcomes-driven and place social value and a shared community vision at their centre. I begin by listening—understanding expectations and co-creating the vision—then turn it into results through an evidence-led, research-informed and genuinely collaborative approach, from strategy through to delivery.”

Johnson (Chen) Yang is a Senior Consultant at Resolve Group, having joined in August 2025, with more than eight years’ experience in New Zealand’s transport sector. He works end-to-end across the project lifecycle—from early advice and business cases through preliminary studies, detailed design, and delivery—helping public and private clients turn complex problems into practical, fit-for-purpose solutions. That whole-of-lifecycle view underpins his passion for innovation that makes transport systems safer, more efficient, and more intelligent—for today’s communities and future generations.

Johnson blends strategy with on-the-ground delivery. His work spans multimodal street and intersection design; Safe System audits and reviews; speed management; transport and Traffic Impact Assessments (TIAs); microsimulation and traffic modelling; and project and work-package management and assurance. He has completed more than 50 independent peer reviews of design drawings, TIAs, and Safe System Audits (SSAs). Alongside consulting, he is completing a part-time PhD at the University of Auckland on the safety of connected and automated vehicles in mixed traffic, applying data-driven approaches and emerging vehicle technologies.

What Johnson offers:

• Transport planning and design—specialising in TIAs and modelling (microsimulation and intersection capacity analysis), plus concept-to-detailed design for intersections, corridors, cycleways, and bus hubs—grounded in Safe System principles to deliver practical, fit-for-purpose outcomes.
• Independent peer review of design drawings, TIAs, and SSAs.
• Project and work-package management and assurance—balancing time, cost, risk, and quality.
• Clear, concise communication and governance that keep diverse stakeholders aligned from concept to completion.
• Research-to-practice capability—turning evidence into actionable advice, including data analysis and the application of emerging technologies.

Outside work, Johnson enjoys tramping across Aotearoa’s trails. He’s an avid reader and film fan and spends low-key weekends exploring new walks and cafés with friends.