Speakers & panellists

David Kelly

Chief Executive of the Registered Master Builders Association

David Kelly is the Chief Executive of the Registered Master Builders Association.   Registered Master Builders is the oldest representative body for builders in New Zealand, both residential and commercial, ranging from New Zealand’s largest contractors down to small residential firms. David is also the Chair of the Construction Safety Council.

Prior to talking up his current role, David was a Deputy Chief Executive for the Department of Building and Housing and subsequently Director of the Canterbury Recovery Programme for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.  In those roles, David was extensively involved in the Government’s response to the Canterbury earthquakes from day one, including establishing the technical investigation into major building collapses, which provided key technical information to the Royal Commission.  He also led the Building Act changes that were part of a package of reforms in the construction sector.  

Going back further, David held a number of senior roles in local government including that of Chief Executive of South Waikato District Council.

Hon Phil Twyford

Minister for Housing and Urban Development

Hon Simon Bridges

Leader of the opposition

Justin Candish

Director, Scott Construction

Jeff McHardy

Project Manager, LT McGuinness

Jason Howden

BIM Technical Manager Warren and Mahoney

Stephen Cummings

General Manager, McKee Fehl

Warwick Quinn

CEO, BCITO

Warwick Quinn is the Chief Executive of the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation. He is the former Chief Executive of Motor Trade Association and Registered Master Builders Association.  He has also held the positions of General Manager Regulatory in Land Information New Zealand and the statutory positions of Valuer-General and Chief Crown Property Officer. He has worked in local authorities, multi-national property companies and banks. A registered valuer by profession he is a past chair of the Valuers Registration Board and a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Valuers and the Property Institute of NZ. Warwick also holds a MBA from Henley Management College in the UK.

Rick Herd

CEO, Naylor Love

Rick, is a qualified civil engineer with over 40 years’ experience in the commercial construction, infrastructure and engineering contracting industries.    

At the age of 16 Rick started a cadetship with the Ministry of Works, firstly in Christchurch, then in Wellington where he was involved with the construction of the Wellington motorway and the Ngauranga Gorge interchange (including the first two incrementally launched bridges built in New Zealand).

Rick then joined Mainzeal Construction in Wellington, progressing to the role of South Island Manager for
Mainzeal Property and Construction, during which time the company did many of Christchurch’s retail developments during the mid-1990s. 

In 1996, Rick graduated with a MBA while working full time. For the next few years, Rick was based in Nelson where he became CEO of N&B Group (Nalder and Biddle), General Manager LVL of Nelson Pine Industries Ltd and CEO of Brightwater Engineering.

In 2012, Rick became South Island Regional Manager for Hawkins Infrastructure, before being attracted to Naylor Love Construction to take up the role as CEO in January 2013.

Robert Amor

BIM Acceleration Committee

Johannes Dimyadi,

Compliance Audit Systems

Chelydra Percy

BRANZ Chief Executive

Chelydra has been CE of BRANZ since 2013. Prior to starting with BRANZ, Chelydra held a range of leadership roles with science and innovation organisations such as Callaghan Innovation, KiwiStar Optics and Scion. Chelydra has also worked in the electricity supply and telecommunication industries. She is a graduate of Victoria University of Wellington and a Companion of the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand.

Panel Discussions:

Anthony Leighs, Managing Director, Leighs Construction
Aidan Jury, Chief Operating Officer, Jennian Homes 
Helen O’Sullivan, Chief Executive, Ockham Residential
Adrian Mathieson, Regional Managerm CalderStewart
Quin Henderson, Chief Executive Officer, Southbase Construction




Peter Fehl, Director Property Services, Auckland University
David Kelly, CEO, Registered Master Builders Association. 
Richard Harris, Principal, Jasmax 
Teena Hale Pennington, Chief Executive, NZ Institute of Architects

Craig Hudson

Xero country manager : New Zealand