Welcome to Luke, who has joined Abago as an experienced capital projects leader with a proven track record of delivering complex, high-value infrastructure and manufacturing projects across New Zealand. With over a decade of experience, he excels in managing multi-million-dollar developments, enhancing project delivery, promoting team culture, and driving strategic growth. Luke says he is passionate about pushing boundaries in infrastructure and manufacturing and that he makes it happen on every project he leads with precision and efficiency.
His career spans diverse sectors, including government agencies, engineering consultancies, and the food manufacturing and process industries. Known for his strategic thinking, stakeholder engagement, and problem-solving skills, Luke has successfully led cross-functional teams, navigated regulatory landscapes, and managed key stakeholders. He thrives in fast-paced environments, streamlining processes, improving capital planning, and delivering projects that enhance business performance. His engineering background, combined with hands-on experience in both public and private sectors, enables him to handle complex projects and deliver measurable results.
Luke began his career in the public sector, gaining a strong foundation in transport infrastructure projects. He then transitioned to an engineering consultancy, where he led design and construction contracts, managed high-performing teams, and oversaw critical transport initiatives. His expertise covers the full project lifecycle, from feasibility studies and master planning to procurement, contract negotiation, execution, stakeholder management, and health and safety compliance.
Expanding into the dairy manufacturing industry, Luke established a Project Management Office and led a strategic manufacturing expansion at one of New Zealand’s most remote dairy sites. He later joined a dairy start-up, spearheading the development of a new complex greenfield site, successfully completing the earthworks and process design phases while managing stakeholder and regulatory negotiations.
He then ventured into controlled-environment agriculture, leading the multi-million-dollar Phase 2 expansion of New Zealand’s largest indoor vertical farming operation. Working with both local and international suppliers, he delivered innovative technology solutions.
Luke’s ability to drive efficiency, mitigate risks, and align projects with business goals ensures maximum return on investment and long-term operational success. His deep operational knowledge has enabled the successful delivery of projects on brownfield sites with minimal disruption, ensuring smooth commissioning and stakeholder satisfaction.
He holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Civil Engineeringfrom the University of Canterbury and is a Member of Engineering New Zealand (MEngNZ).