Date: |
21 Apr 2026, 4.30PM – 7.00PM |
duration: |
2 hrs 30 mins |
Venue: |
GHD - Auckland |
Address: |
27 Napier Street, Auckland |
Cost: |
Free event |
Join the Auckland Branch and GHD for a high-level panel discussion featuring insights from the New Zealand Auckland Council, Infrastructure Commission, and Watercare, and discussing the economic outlook for Auckland, the future of infrastructure planning and delivery.
Speaker: Gary Blick – Economic Outlook for Auckland
Gary Blick, Chief Economist at Auckland Council, will examine the evolving economic landscape and its relevance for Aucklanders and the engineering community. This presentation will connect macro‑economic trends with local impacts, highlighting what they mean for infrastructure investment, development and long‑term city outcomes.
Speaker: Geoff Cooper – National Infrastructure Plan
Geoff Cooper, Chief Executive of the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, will unpack New Zealand’s first National Infrastructure Plan and what it means for the future of planning, investment, and delivery. He will explore the long term challenges facing the country’s infrastructure system and how a more coordinated, evidence based approach can support sustainable growth and resilience.
Speaker: Mark Crowle – Programme Delivery in the Water Sector
Mark Crowle, Chief Programme Delivery Officer at Watercare, will share sector specific insights from delivering large, complex infrastructure programmes. Drawing on real world experience, this session will focus on the practical realities of governance, sequencing, capability, and delivery certainty in a highly regulated and rapidly evolving environment.
Panel Discussion: Infrastructure, Delivery, and the Future
Bringing the themes together, the panel discussion will explore how strategy, economics, and delivery intersect—and what this means for engineers, clients, contractors and decision‑makers shaping New Zealand’s infrastructure future.
MC: Claire Edmondson – Director Strategy, Public Policy & Government at GHD. Claire has extensive senior-executive leadership experience across both central and local and the private sector including as the former Chief Executive of Infrastructure New Zealand.
The evening will start with at 4.30PM with a 30-min catered networking session, followed by presentations of the speakers at 5PM, then wrapping up with a Q&A panel and further networking. This event is kindly sponsored by GHD.
Join the Auckland Branch and GHD for a high-level panel discussion featuring insights from the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Watercare, and Auckland Council on the future of infrastructure planning, delivery, and economic trends.
Join the Auckland Branch and GHD for a high-level panel discussion featuring insights from the New Zealand Auckland Council, Infrastructure Commission, and Watercare, and discussing the economic outlook for Auckland, the future of infrastructure planning and delivery.
Speaker: Gary Blick – Economic Outlook for Auckland
Gary Blick, Chief Economist at Auckland Council, will examine the evolving economic landscape and its relevance for Aucklanders and the engineering community. This presentation will connect macro‑economic trends with local impacts, highlighting what they mean for infrastructure investment, development and long‑term city outcomes.
Speaker: Geoff Cooper – National Infrastructure Plan
Geoff Cooper, Chief Executive of the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, will unpack New Zealand’s first National Infrastructure Plan and what it means for the future of planning, investment, and delivery. He will explore the long term challenges facing the country’s infrastructure system and how a more coordinated, evidence based approach can support sustainable growth and resilience.
Speaker: Mark Crowle – Programme Delivery in the Water Sector
Mark Crowle, Chief Programme Delivery Officer at Watercare, will share sector specific insights from delivering large, complex infrastructure programmes. Drawing on real world experience, this session will focus on the practical realities of governance, sequencing, capability, and delivery certainty in a highly regulated and rapidly evolving environment.
Panel Discussion: Infrastructure, Delivery, and the Future
Bringing the themes together, the panel discussion will explore how strategy, economics, and delivery intersect—and what this means for engineers, clients, contractors and decision‑makers shaping New Zealand’s infrastructure future.
MC: Claire Edmondson – Director Strategy, Public Policy & Government at GHD. Claire has extensive senior-executive leadership experience across both central and local and the private sector including as the former Chief Executive of Infrastructure New Zealand.
The evening will start with at 4.30PM with a 30-min catered networking session, followed by presentations of the speakers at 5PM, then wrapping up with a Q&A panel and further networking. This event is kindly sponsored by GHD.
Presenters
Auckland Branch
