Letter from the Chair

Kia Ora members,

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As we all wind down for the holidays, I’d like to share an update on our progress over the last year and our goals for the year ahead.

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We held our Annual General Meeting (AGM) in October, where we reflected on our achievements from the past term. The AGM was an invaluable opportunity for members to engage with the committee, share feedback, and help shape SIGIE’s priorities. We also held elections for the new committee, welcoming both returning and new members who bring diverse perspectives and experiences to our team.

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I am honoured to continue serving as the Chair of the SIGIE Committee for the 2025–2026 term. This year, I’m excited to be joined by a refreshed and dedicated committee representing a diverse range of engineering backgrounds and experiences. Together, our goal is to support, uplift, and empower immigrant engineers as they build rewarding careers here in New Zealand.

 

Introducing the 2025–2026 Committee

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This term, I am pleased to introduce our committee of passionate volunteers who bring insight, leadership, and a strong commitment to our members.

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• Vincent Selvakumar – Senior Passive Fire Engineer, Origin Fire Consultants (Auckland)

• Razel Ramilo – Technical Director, Tonkin & Taylor (Wellington)

• Andrea Mao – Senior Commercial Manager, WSP (Auckland)

• Alex Kushniruk – Facility Manager (Auckland)

• Shirley Wang – Senior Geotechnical Engineer, Tonkin & Taylor (Wellington)

• Cindy Xiao – Senior Traffic Engineer, Auckland Council (Auckland)

• Aiman Grace – Rail Lead, SMEC (Auckland)

• Kaiser Chen – Structural Engineer, Kirk Roberts Consulting (Hamilton)

• Zaid Essa – Associate Director – Transport, AECOM (Auckland)

• Priyanka Bhadke – Director, Home Renovation & Extension Company (Auckland)

• Ken Hu – Structural Engineering Director, Babbage Consultants Limited (Auckland)

• Yana O'Sullivan – Principal Project Manager, NZTA (Waikato)

• Mohamed Salaheldin – Principal Electrical Engineer, Mesh Consulting Building Services (Auckland)

• Sivakumar Kandasamy – Mechatronics Engineer, University of Auckland (Auckland)

• Maximilian Krumpa – Mechanical Engineer, Vickers Aircraft (Hamilton)

• Ritashna Maharaj-Chand – Project Lead, Tāmaki Regeneration Company (Auckland)

• Nitin Sahare – Senior Project Manager – Complex, NZTA (Auckland)

 

Focus areas for 2025–2026

In addition to continuing the work we delivered over the past year—including multiple webinars and three well-attended workshops—we aim to build on this momentum with a range of new initiatives. We also plan to host an in-person workshop in Christchurch to expand our regional engagement and provide more opportunities for members across the country.
 

Our key focus areas for the 2025–2026 term include:
 

• Continuation of website upgrade

Enhancing the SIGIE website to improve usability, access to resources, and the overall member experience.

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• Potential partnership with immigration advisors (via Engineering New Zealand)

Exploring opportunities to collaborate with Engineering New Zealand-approved immigration advisors to provide clearer pathways and improved support for internationally trained engineers.

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• Committee engagement matrix

Implementing a structured framework to ensure active participation, clarity of responsibilities, and effective delivery of initiatives across the committee.

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• Committee continuity plan

Developing a plan to support leadership succession, retain our learning and knowledge, and maintain

momentum across future terms.

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• Vision 2030

Defining SIGIE’s long-term aspirations, including how the group will evolve, support its members, and contribute to the wider engineering profession over the next five years.

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You can keep up to date via the Engineering New Zealand Learning & Events page and the SIGIE website, where you’ll also find recordings of previous sessions. If there are topics or initiatives, you feel would be valuable to our members—whether focused on settling into life in New Zealand or providing opportunities to give back to the community—please reach out to us at immigrant.engineers@engineeringnz.org. We welcome your ideas and input.

 

I look forward to connecting with you throughout the year. On behalf of the SIGIE Committee, I wish you all the very best and a safe and happy holiday season.

 

Regards,
Vincent Selvakumar
Chair – SIGIE