Soltice Morrison appointed to Maori Advisory Group Taumata Arowai
Aurecon's Soltice Morrison joins Te Puna to advise The Water Services Authority – Taumata Arowai on Māori interests and knowledge in water services.
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Asia Pacific design, engineering and advisory company, Aurecon, has strengthened its Energy team in Aotearoa New Zealand, as the country moves quickly to respond to the energy transition.
Aurecon’s energy practice comprises experts across the full energy spectrum, from solar to wind, from transmission and distribution through to fuel supply storage and management. The changes to the leadership team reinforces the crucial role the energy sector plays in Aotearoa’s future.
Aurecon appointed Waning Chua and Vicky Webb to accelerate the energy transition in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Energy & Industrial Leader Rebecca Mehrtens said the changes demonstrated Aurecon’s focus on the New Zealand energy sector.
“We can provide whole life cycle services to our clients, from the initial funding and site scoping discussions, through to design and build, then maintenance. We know one of the biggest challenges for Aotearoa at the moment is guaranteed energy supply as demand grows and fluctuates due to both consumer needs and weather events. We’re responding to this challenge by upping our capacity and capability in the energy sector,” Mehrtens said.
Aurecon's new appointees include Waning Chua as Industry Leader, Energy and Vicky Webb as Industry Leader, Manufacturing. These supplement Aurecon's existing strong team including Blair Walter as Principal, Power Generation, Derrick Lauchlan as Power Generation Practice Leader, Matt Bell as Industrial Mechanical Practice Leader, and Chris Walters as Client Lead, Fonterra.
Waning Chua brings over 16 years experience to the energy market, including nearly three years leading strategy at the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) before joining Aurecon.
Most recently she led Aurecon’s Sustainability and Climate Change team within the Advisory business and was heavily involved with transition planning and decarbonisation, a key aspect of the energy transition challenge. She has worked closely with clients across the energy and industrial ecosystem to understand shared opportunities and challenges.
"New Zealand ranks no. 9 in the 2023 World Energy Trilemma Index, and we still have work to do to improve our energy security, sustainability and equity," Chua said.
"As we progress with the energy transition as a nation, we need to bring strong system thinking across energy generation, transmission, storage and distribution, and energy end use.
"In addition to local expertise, we have international learnings to draw on to face this future with confidence, particularly from our colleagues in Aurecon's Australian and Asian businesses where they lead in the energy space. I’m looking forward to leaning into this new challenge."
Vicky Webb is the industry leader for Aurecon’s Manufacturing expertise in New Zealand, with over 30 years experience leading multidisciplinary teams operating across all main manufacturing sectors. In particular, she has worked extensively on decarbonisation and asset renewal programs, extending the life and value of manufacturing assets and setting them up for the future.
Webb’s strengths include the ability to bring together diverse capabilities and viewpoints to achieve successful project outcomes. She is committed to creating a supportive and collaborative culture across teams that elevates opportunities and challenges, derisking projects and innovations for successful outcomes for clients, stakeholders and the community.
“We are focused on the future of the manufacturing industry in New Zealand,” Webb said.
“We need to look at how we can support our manufacturing and exporting sector to extend their asset value and thrive in a competitive international market for the good of all New Zealanders. To do this we need to support our clients with their sustainability challenges, help them pivot to changing consumer needs and overcome long-term energy and resource insecurity.”
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