Our Committee

Vincent began his career as a building services engineer, observing fire engineering from the periphery. His journey into fire engineering took a significant turn when he met Origin Fire Consultants at an industry event through SIGIE. Now, Vincent is an integral part of the Origin Fire team, providing Passive Fire design, remedial solutions, and construction monitoring services. He also supports litigation matters, ensures compliance with the Building Code, and oversees the financial aspects of the company. Additionally, as a Health & Safety manager, Vincent is committed to maintaining a safe workplace. Vincent has been with the SIGIE committee since 2019 and has served in various roles, such as Vice Chair,

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Ken Hu is an Associate Structural Director and Team Lead at Beca, with 19 years of experience in structural engineering, project management, research and development, and client relationship management. He has led iconic building projects across New Zealand and internationally, including seismic upgrades, heritage restorations, and innovative prefabricated constructions.

Ken's professional journey reflects a deep commitment to excellence and innovation. He holds multiple patents for engineering solutions and has authored over 30 academic papers, contributing to global knowledge in structural engineering. As a leader, Ken is known for fostering cohesive teams and maintaining high standards of technical delivery, earning consistent praise from clients and colleagues alike.

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Razel is a chartered professional engineer, project manager, and team leader at Tonkin & Taylor Limited with 20 years of experience in geotechnical and civil engineering. Hailing from the Philippines, Razel spent her formative years there before kickstarting her career in Singapore in 2004, and immigrated to New Zealand in 2012. Razel has wide experience in major projects and has been involved in major roads and highways, and land development projects in Singapore, Vietnam, New Zealand, and Australia. She is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in engineering and continuously works towards creating more opportunities for women and underrepresented minorities in these fields.

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Professional property manager and project manager in the commercial real estate sector with over 15 years of experience overseas and in New Zealand. Has experience in implementing projects for several logistics and industrial parks from the inception of the idea to ongoing operational activities. Managed the project for the operation of a business center, winner of the International Real Estate Competition Asia Pacific Property Awards 2019-2020 in the Best Office Development nomination. Participated in the implementation of the Symbol Residence project, which received the European Property Awards Winner 2020-2021. In his free time from projects, he enjoys adventure tourism, diving, and yachting.

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Yana is a qualified mechanical and civil engineer. Yana immigrated to New Zealand in 2010 and has been with SIGIE since 2017. She is very passionate about helping others to settle in NZ via sharing her experience and local knowledge.

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.

Cindy Xiao is a transport planner at WSP with a passion for facilitating the success of emerging immigrant professionals. In 2024, she serves as an event coordinator in SIGIE. Beyond her professional pursuits, Cindy finds joy in outdoor activities such as cycling, swimming, and kayaking.

Andrea is a professional in project management with an engineering background. She is currently working as a Commercial Manager for a large engineering consultancy company in New Zealand. Andrea has successfully delivered a few major and complex civil and transportation projects across New Zealand with her engineering background. Andrea immigrated to New Zealand in 2016 from the building sector back in China. With her experience in facing challenges and adapting to career path changes as an immigrant engineer, she is willing to support the new immigrants in finding their feet in the new environment via SIGIE.       

Priyanka is a dedicated professional with a background in Chemical Technology and Project Management, successfully transitioning into the residential construction sector in New Zealand. Since moving to New Zealand in 2013, she has actively pursued opportunities in engineering and construction, eventually founding her own company, which has been operating in the residential sector for the past three years.

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As the Webinar Coordinator for the Special Interest Group for Immigrant Engineers (SIGIE), Priyanka is passionate about creating platforms for immigrant engineers to connect, learn, and grow. She is committed to supporting others on their professional journeys and contributing to the success of immigrant engineers in New Zealand.

​Aiman grew up in Egypt and immigrated to NZ in 2006. He has BSc in architecture Engineering (Cairo University, 1985) and an MSc in Civil Engineering (Virginia Tech, USA, 1991). Aiman worked on the contractor, client and consultant sides.  Construction management is his career and passion. He worked on a wide spectrum of construction projects, such as infrastructure (water), high-rise, industrial (cement and petrochemicals), military, hydropower, and rail.  In New Zealand, Aiman had the privileged to work in the rail industry since 2007, exposed to a range of projects and supported the success of numerous rail and metro projects such as DART, AEP, Auckland Metro, RNIP, and iREX.  Aiman has three children (not children anymore) and a lovely dog (Bella). He is also a beekeeper. He loves travelling, taking walks in nature, and bogie boarding at West Auckland beaches during the summer. 

Shirley is a Geotechnical Engineer, Project Manager and Team Leader at Tonkin + Taylor Ltd, based in the Wellington office. Shirley is a driven and enthusiastic individual passionate about problem-solving and fostering collaborative success. She has 15 years of experience in geotechnical consulting, construction and project management. Born and raised in China, Shirley moved to New Zealand in 2003. Her journey of settling in New Zealand, embracing a new cultural identity, and building a career has been exciting and transformative, marked by thrilling wins and valuable lessons. Along the way, Shirley has had the privilege of connecting with diverse immigrant communities and forging meaningful friendships. Shirley joined SIGIE in 2024, looking forward to supporting immigrant engineers in their professional journey and integration into the New Zealand engineering community.

Kaiser is a dedicated structural engineer who moved to New Zealand in 2015. Holding both a bachelor's and a master's degree earned in New Zealand, he brings three years of valuable local professional experience to his role. He is currently a team member at Kirk Roberts Consulting, contributing his expertise to impactful engineering projects. In 2024, Kaiser joined the SIGIE (Special Interest Group for Immigrant Engineers) committee as the Communications Coordinator. He is passionate about supporting immigrant engineers in their journey to successfully settle and thrive in New Zealand's engineering landscape, fostering growth, inclusivity, and professional integration.

Professional Capital and Major infrastructure projects delivery and people leader, with more than 26 years of experience in investigation, designing, consenting, land acquisition and construction, Originally from Iraq - Baghdad, I migrated to New Zealand in 2008 and joined IPENZ (Currently Engineering NZ) and SIGIE as a member, then started my volunteering journey with SIGIE and supporting international Engineers in New Zealand a year after (from 2009) till now, for which I became one of the first two Lifetime members with the group. During my service with SIGIE committee, I was trusted with various roles; Chair (3.5 Terms), Vice Chair (1 Term), Secretary (2 Terms), Treasurer (1 Term) and committee member (7.5 Terms). I enjoyed, and still enjoying, every single moment of this experience, meeting fellow migrant engineers and seeing them growing and integrating with the Engineering industry in New Zealand.   Currently, I am the Senior Programme Manager - Transport (Large Scale Projects) in the Infrastructure and Civil Construction Team with Kāinga Ora - Homes and Communities.