“Infrastructure is for people and people must be at the core of a project. Great infrastructure is created by great relationships.”

Based in Auckland, Rick is a transportation, procurement and management consulting professional with 40 years’ experience in the road and rail industries. He has held roles as Transit’s Land Transport Manager, National Highways’ Manager and Chief Executive and was also the General Manager of Infrastructure and Engineering for KiwiRail.

His professional career has provided him with extensive experience in performance-based contracts, institutional strengthening and asset management. His ‘change management’ capability includes building talented teams with a reputation for innovation and efficiency and identifying and establishing operating capabilities in times of change and transition. More recently as an adviser on major World Bank projects and Gateway Reviewer for large rail projects in Victoria, he has been able to both share his experience and gain an appreciation of emerging best practice

Rick recognises Resolve Group as an industry leader and believes that, as such, it is critical that it remain at the forefront of strengthening institutional knowledge. A personal commitment to enhancing sector-wide capability, and Resolve Group’s vision of guiding clients to deliver transformative solutions and ‘looking around the corner’ to help create more liveable environments, are two of the reasons Rick cites as drivers for himself and the company. As a member of our Strategic Advice team, he is key to maintaining these values.

Rick offers his clients:

• The ability to steer projects through complexity.
• Experience in operationalising demand management to reduce congestion and complement construction.
• Guidance on strategy development, including for start-ups and reforms, incorporating tactical implementation, innovation and efficiency.
• Strategy, planning, development and implementation for major system change, comprising asset management, outsourcing, procurement, performance contracts and private sector collaboration.
• Skills to develop vision, policy, decision making and regulatory frameworks and capabilities in organisational design.
• The creation of platforms for innovation and collaboration through established and respected relationships in the private and public sector.
• Experience in the development of smart growth plans to proactively drive land transport decisions.
• Connections and long-standing relationships across change agendas with leaders from central and local government, businesses and suppliers.

Rick has a vintage car and is a cautious Harley rider (meaning road safety is much more than just a work focus!). He enjoys weekends on the Hauraki Gulf coast. Mountain biking is meant to provide a bit of exercise but making time doesn’t seem to get easier. Of most importance to Rick are his wife, Jeanette, three grown sons and their families and his commitment to a local church.

“The encouragement I’ve received to learn and grow within my role has also let me support and assist other staff members to do the same. And this, in turn, has let me feel that I am making a positive contribution to the world. Honestly, what more can a job deliver?”

Way back in 1993, while Dawn was doing her MCom, Philippa Walker, one of the founding partners of Resolve Group, gave her a job. They stayed in touch after she moved to PwC and then overseas, and Philippa became not just a mentor, but a friend. When she returned to NZ in 2008, Philippa gave her a temporary position and things worked so well for both sides that she remained.

Dawn lists one of the most significant things that has kept her at Resolve Group as the company culture Martin and Phillipa have instilled. This includes, most importantly, high regard for the wellbeing of its employees, which comes along with the deep value they place on family, their own and those of their staff.

She says, “This adaptable and thoughtful company culture, has let me raise a daughter on my own and allowed me to shape my job to meet my own needs alongside the requirements of the positions I’ve held.”

Dawn also attributes this culture of care to our high retention rates and our high workplace ‘wellness’ scores and is pleased to support it being sustained and adapted by our Senior Leadership Team.

With over 20 years’ experience as a management consultant and internal auditor, Dawn has implemented management accounting systems for Manukau City Council, Transit, Serco and Merial Pharmaceuticals. As Resolve Group’s Business Manager, Dawn’s work is focused on finance, legal, corporate governance and insurance.

When she is not working, Dawn is adjusting to her recently emptied nest which has given her time to do more voluntary work with The Spirit of Work NZ, Engineers Without Borders, Habitat for Humanity and as a mentor to business students.