OUR COMMITTEE
Joy Chen (Chair)
Joy immigrated to New Zealand in 2000 as a water engineer with a hydrology degree and got her master’s degree in geography information system (GIS) at University of Auckland 2004. Currently, Joy is a digital solution lead in a large international engineering consulting firm-GHD and leads a location intelligence team in NZ to deliver digital solutions on various engineering projects. Joy has been with SIGIE since 2015, she is also volunteering for New Zealand Asia Association and NZ Esri User Group currently. Joy is very passionate about helping immigrant engineers to settle in NZ through shared experiences on culture challenges with the SIGIE family together.
Remi Cruz (Treasurer)
Remi is a Technical Director with GHD where he leads the delivery of civil infrastructure projects while pursuing his passion for developing and mentoring young professionals in the transportation and water sectors.
A professional engineer with over 40 years’ experience gained while working in the Philippines, Brunei, New Zealand and Australia, Remi has multiple engineering degrees gained from universities in Manila and Auckland. He is registered as Chartered Member, Chartered Professional Engineer, International Professional Engineer and APEC Engineer with Engineering NZ, in addition to being a Practice Area Assessor. Since migrating to New Zealand in 2003, he has volunteered for Migrant Action Trust, Manukau Institute of Technology, and Engineering NZ.
A professional engineer with over 40 years’ experience gained while working in the Philippines, Brunei, New Zealand and Australia, Remi has multiple engineering degrees gained from universities in Manila and Auckland. He is registered as Chartered Member, Chartered Professional Engineer, International Professional Engineer and APEC Engineer with Engineering NZ, in addition to being a Practice Area Assessor. Since migrating to New Zealand in 2003, he has volunteered for Migrant Action Trust, Manukau Institute of Technology, and Engineering NZ.
Nitin Sahare (Secretary)
A professional engineer with more than 15 years of experience, including more than ten years in large and complex civil infrastructure projects in New Zealand and worked on some of the most significant and most complex projects in the country over the past ten years. After pursuing his master’s in construction management from AUT university in 2010, Nitin started working as a contract engineer for a roading project. He later continued working with the construction companies in New Zealand in various roles and is currently working as a senior project manager with Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency. He loves practising yoga and has been practising since 1994.
Vincent Selvakumar (Vice Chair)
Vincent is a Mechanical engineer with 8 years of overall experience in India And New Zealand. He is currently working as a Passive Fire Engineer in a Fire engineering consultancy based in Auckland. When not working, he is actively involved in sports & volunteering. He has been a part of the SIGIE committee since 2019, he is passionate about helping SIGIE members gain employment and widen their professional network.
Ellie Huang (Vice Treasurer)
Ellie is a water engineer and project manager with GHD, with 3 years working experience in both public and private sectors in New Zealand. Prior to work, she graduated from the University of Auckland with a degree in Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical and Electronics Engineering (First Class Honours). Ellie immigrated to New Zealand at a young age back in 2010 and joined SIGIE in 2021. By sharing her local knowledge and experience, she would love to pass on the support and kindness she received to other immigrant engineers and help them settle in New Zealand.
Mohamed Zeeshan (Vice Secretary)
Mohammed Zeeshan pursued his graduate degree in Architecture from Mumbai University in 2016 and worked as an Architect, Green building evaluator, and Assistant Lecturer for 3 years. Zeeshan believes that the built environment is an interdisciplinary and collective effort to respond to modern needs. This urges him to be a keen researcher, and draw delicate responsiveness within his practice and pedagogy. He subsequently completed a Master’s in the field of Construction Management from the University of Auckland with his research work focusing on IPD and Construction Contracts. He is presently working as a Regulatory support officer at Auckland Council.
Vinay Karanam (Events Coordinator)
Graduated in the year of 2008 in Mechanical Engineering as Major and Joined R&D centre in the area of Development and Growth in Projects of Renewable Energy Systems. He subsequently completed Masters and earned multiple doctoral degrees in the field of Mechanical Engineering. He was working on Renewable Energy systems like Solar and BioGas in Engineering Division in Mumbai when he resigned in Jan 2020. From Feb 2020, Vinay moved to NZ and worked as Project Manager for a Google Project. From Oct 2020, he has been working as Chief Technology Officer for Waka RideShare LLC and is a Director of Earth and Energy Innovations Ltd.
Steven Wang (Communications Coordinator)
Steven is a Engineering NZ chartered member in design, design management and construction monitoring of building services. He has a double degree in Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering (First Class Honours) and Bachelor of Business majoring in Marketing. Having immigrated to NZ at a young age, Steven would love to share his experience, insight and local knowledge to help new immigrant engineers gain employment. When not at work, Steven is a keen traveller having been to over 40 countries.
Hon Wei (Website)
Hon is a R&D scientist with a deep-tech manufacturing company. Prior to moving to New Zealand, he was trained as a chemical engineer and in research with a postgraduate degree in engineering science. He has since applied his skills in environmental consultancy in Malaysia and materials science research in NZ. His involvement in SIGIE started as a volunteer at an event in 2019 shortly after his arrival in NZ. Hon is passionate about his work with SIGIE .
Yana Averianova
Yana is a qualified mechanical and civil engineer with an overall working experience about 10 year in Russia and New Zealand. Yana immigrated to New Zealand in 2010 sand has been with SIGIE since 2017. She is very passionate about helping others to settle in NZ via sharing her experience.
Zaid Essa
Professional Project/Programme Manager and Engineer, with over 20 years of experience in investigation, designing, consenting, land acquisition and construction, and in working with various capital and infrastructure projects. I’ve been volunteering with SIGIE and supporting international Engineers in New Zealand since 2009. Currently I am the Team Leader for Auckland’s Project Delivery (Transportations) team for WSP.
Husain Gadia
Husain graduated as a civil engineer from Mumbai university in 2010. Throughout his career, he was involved in managing the construction of some of Mumbai’s tallest residential buildings. He believes that the intricate nature of construction projects necessitates implementing proper project management processes for project success. He obtained his PMP certification in 2015 and completed his master’s in engineering project management in 2020 from the University of Auckland. He is currently working with Napier City Council as an Associate Project Manager.
He aims to continue his research in developing a framework of critical success factors in property development projects to help developers complete their projects successfully along with his ambition of becoming a portfolio manager.
He aims to continue his research in developing a framework of critical success factors in property development projects to help developers complete their projects successfully along with his ambition of becoming a portfolio manager.
Roshni Menacheri
Graduated with Bachelor’s of Technology in Civil Engineering and Post Graduation in Quantity Surveying from India. Worked as an Estimator for 2 years in India. Came to New Zealand to pursue a Graduate Diploma in Engineering (Highways). Joined SIGIE to help the struggling Immigrant Engineers in New Zealand who are facing a similar situation as me. Believes in working together and supporting each other for better growth.
Benjamin Orpilla
Benjie works as a transport infrastructure Asset Manager in the Wellington Region. He works in the asset information management and tactical/operational asset management space specialising in maintenance programme development, data analytics and modelling. He has a background in roading engineering, surveying, GIS and remote sensing with over 10 years of experience in New Zealand.
Krish Shekaran
Krish Shekaran is a Director in the Structures Business and Global Workshare Delivery Manager in Beca. Originally from Bombay, India- he came to NZ in 1996 and since then has worked in Auckland, Hastings, Tauranga and Thailand. Krish fondly remembers the support provided by SIGIE in his early days and has joined the executive to give back to the growing group of immigrant talent in the New Zealand. Please feel free to connect with him on krish.shekaran@beca.com or on Linkedin.