Senior Geotechnical Engineer

Nick Speight Director

Nick is a Chartered Professional Engineer and Director of Initia Ltd with 19 years of experience in Geotechnical Engineering.
Nick specialises in providing value-add and Client focussed geotechnical solutions to building and infrastructure projects.
His geotechnical experience has been developed over a broad range of projects including Auckland CBD residential and commercial towers, large-scale industrial warehouses, major infrastructure projects such as Auckland International Airport’s second runway, wastewater storage tunnels and deep storage tanks.
Nick’s technical expertise is in retention design and construction for deep excavations, foundations, compressible soils, site seismicity, and earthworks.

Nick Speight is a member of Engineering New Zealand and the New Zealand Geotechnical Society.

Senior Geotechnical Engineer

Andy Pomfret Director

Andy is Member of Engineering NZ and a Fellow of the British Geological Society with over 20 years’ experience in geotechnical engineering. He has worked extensively on both residential and commercial land development, roading, school, hospital, airport and port projects in New Zealand, the Pacific, the Indian Ocean, the United Kingdom and the Caribbean.
Andy has both supervised and managed large-scale investigations on both greenfield and brownfield sites utilising a whole range of site investigation methods including geophysics. In addition, Andy has managed numerous overwater site investigation in remote challenging locations. He has worked for a wide variety of clients including Local Authorities, Earthquake Commission, large housing companies, commercial property developers and international aid organisations.
Andy is experienced in earthworks, site seismicity including liquefaction and lateral spread mitigation, foundations and slope stability. Andy’s strengths provide good practical project specific advice to the client and the project team, including contractors.

Andy Pomfret is a member of Engineering New Zealand, British Geological Society and the New Zealand Geotechnical Society.

Senior Geotechnical Engineer

Matt Wansbone Director

Matt is a Chartered Professional Engineer and Director of Initia Ltd with over 14 years of experience in geotechnical engineering in New Zealand and internationally. Matt has broad experience across a range project types and sizes. He has held key technical leadership and design management roles on some of New Zealand’s largest infrastructure projects including the Waterview Tunnels and the Puhoi to Warkworth Motorway, and has a passion for combining technical expertise with practical experience to provide robust and efficient engineering solutions. Beyond major roading and tunnel projects, Matt’s experience includes numerous commercial and residential developments, as well water, wastewater, energy sector and dam projects. Having worked in a range of multi-disciplinary project delivery teams, Matt knows the value of effective communication between project participants and in taking the time to understand the unique challenges of each project.
Matt has particular technical expertise in retention design, foundations, slope stabilisation and geotechnical earthquake engineering. Matt is highly experienced in numerical modelling and understands where there is (and isn’t) value in using advanced analytical tools to deliver value to projects.

Matt is a member of Engineering New Zealand and the New Zealand Geotechnical Society.

Earthworks & Construction Services Manager

Kent Dalziel Director

Kent is a Director of initia Ltd. He has 15 years Civil Materials Testing and Geotechnical Consulting experience. He’s worked across the board as a technician, Laboratory Manager Project Manager, IANZ Signatory and Project Director on both small and large infrastructure projects throughout New Zealand including the Cambride to Tamihere Bypass, Puhoi to Warkworth Motorway and Millwater Residential Development.
His technical specialties include civil materials testing, specifications, methodology suitability and troubleshooting. His previous experience provides a unique understanding of the Geotechnical Consultants design intent, civil materials suitability and contractors methodology.
Kent helps our projects move quickly with appropriate levels of quality assurance and advice.

Senior Geotechnical Engineer

Andy Wakelin Associate

Andy is a Senior Geotechnical Engineer with 8 years’ experience in the design and construction environment. Andy has worked extensively across a range of construction sectors with experience in commercial build and infrastructure projects within New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom. He brings with him a mixture of technical knowledge, practical problem solving and project management skills. Andy’s well defined and clear communication is key to ensuring the successful progression of projects on fast paced timelines.

Senior Geotechnical Engineer

Richard Zhang

Richard is a Senior Geotechnical Engineer with 10 years’ experience. He has worked on a wide range of building development, land subdivision, roading, wharves, airports and mine projects across New Zealand, South Pacific Region and China. Richard is experienced in managing geotechnical investigations, assessment of slope stability and site seismicity, design of retaining walls and building foundations. He is also competent and practical on providing geotechnical support during construction phase.

Senior Geotechnical Engineer

Rayandra Putoa

Rayandra is a Geotechnical Engineer with 7 years’ experience as a design consultant on a wide range of geotechnical projects around NZ. Rayandra has been involved in works varying in scale from major infrastructures to small residential developments, including the Northern Corridor Improvements project. Rayandra’s technical knowledge covers retaining wall and foundation design, slope stabilisation, and earthquake engineering. Rayandra understands each project is unique and will address project-specific challenges to provide the right geotechnical solution.

Senior Engineering Geologist

Andrew Klahn

Andrew is an Engineering Geologist with 8 years of experience. His early career saw him working in New Zealand, Australia, and Papua New Guinea. Here he gained experience on several slope stability monitoring and mitigation projects, as well as conducting geotechnical investigations for a range of infrastructure projects, such as hydroelectric dams, heavy haul rail corridors, light industrial, and residential developments.

Before joining Initia, Andrew had been working as a Project Engineer in the UK on some of London’s largest underground station upgrade projects, as well as marine piling for the London City Airport.

Having worked on a variety of projects in different stages of construction, from tendering and feasibility studies, right through to completion and closeout, Andrew brings a holistic understanding of the design and construction environment that can be utilised in all aspects of a project.

Geotechnical Engineer

Luke Williams

Luke is a Geotechnical Engineer with 6 years’ experience. Luke has had experience in residential land development projects, site seismicity including liquefaction and lateral spread assessments, residential foundation design and foundation repair for damaged foundation systems in the Canterbury Region.

Office Manager

Karen Read

Karen is an experienced Office Manager who has worked in a variety of industries including Financial Advisory and Civil Engineering.

Karen maintains the accounting, data and administrative management at Initia and constantly improves all company policies, practices and procedures.

Geotechnical Engineer

Matt Sullivan-Brown

Matt is a Geotechnical Engineer with 3 years’ experience in Geotechnical Engineering. Matt is experienced in conducting geotechnical investigations across New Zealand and Australia. He has worked in a wide variety of landscapes including remote locations with unique risks and challenges.  Matt has developed technical knowledge through geotechnical assessment and design across a broad range of projects from Major infrastructural developments, commercial developments and large-scale warehouses; to small scale residential developments. His technical knowledge covers deep excavations and retaining wall design, slope stability assessment, foundation settlement assessment and temporary works design. Matt adds value by providing clear communication practical project-specific solutions to clients and contractors.

Engineering Geologist

Mark Huntley

Mark is an Engineering Geologist with 8 years’ experience.  He has experience with corridor projects, coordinating ground investigations and undertaking geotechnical risk assessments and developing ground models. 

Mark has worked on wastewater upgrades and highway realignment projects in NZ, heavy haul rail and “green field” mine infrastructure projects in Australia and geotechnical studies for a number of HDD pipeline crossings, feasibility study for a 30km rail project, and geohazard investigation for a pipeline feasibility assessment in Canada.

Engineering Geologist

Bruno Souza

Bruno is an Engineering Geologist with 7 years’ experience and has been working in NZ since 2016.  He has worked extensively on pit open mine, land development, roading, airports and port projects in New Zealand and Brazil.

CAD Manager/ CAD Designer

Julieann Guimbarda Gabriel

Julie is a CAD Designer with 14 years’ experience as a design consultant specialising in 2D/3D modelling using Civil 3D and 12D. Julie has worked on a variety of engineering design projects which have involved land development, stormwater reticulation design, ponds, quarry earthworks, dam earthworks, road geometry, motorways and minor road rehabilitation, as well as most types of retaining walls. She is also well skilled in creating three-dimensional geological models and cutting detailed geological sections from these models.

Julie has both an excellent understanding of technology and CAD design, which combined with her engineering knowledge, help to create dynamic and integrated BIM (Building Information Management)
solutions.