James is the founding Director of Kwanto. He has extensive quantity surveying experience and has worked on a variety of projects in New Zealand and overseas. He specialises in negotiation, contract administration and providing quantum evidence for construction disputes.

James would like more people to know what a QS can bring to the table. He believes that having the ‘how-much expert’ on the construction team leads to better outcomes for the client. James takes every opportunity to promote quantity surveying in his everyday work and in the media.

Maria is involved in the strategic direction and development of Kwanto.  She is focussed on integrating the key parts of the business so that clients consistently receive high quality services that reflect our values.

Maria nurtures the team culture creating a fun place where people want to work and learn. She believes professional development is a continuous process and expertise is ever-changing. She is also our inhouse eco-warrior with a social conscience!

Caroline initially joined Kwanto in 2011 as a quantity surveyor. She built a solid foundation in professional quantity surveying before heading overseas. While living in Britain she gained valuable contractor-side experience and travelled far and wide.

On her return to New Zealand Caroline re-joined the team and is now part of the fabric of the company, as a company shareholder and Associate. In her role, Caroline has expertise in dispute resolution, preparing quantum evidence for various legal hearings. She is our Excel whiz and always has time to help others out of a spreadsheet pickle.

To read Caroline's article published in Build magazine click here.

Sean is a talented QS who has tackled many complex projects during his time at Kwanto, including one of the tallest apartment buildings in New Zealand. He stays cool, calm and collected under pressure and goes the extra mile.

Sean’s superpower is scheduling quantities. When comparing tender prices to his estimated cost, he has proven time and time again to be spot on.

Angela keeps the office running smoothly and is our ‘go to’ person when things don’t work right. She has a strong background in administration and telecommunications and has the patience of a saint when it comes to figuring out IT issues.

Angela is interested in people in the workplace. She helps gel the team together and makes sure there is always something to look forward to on the social calendar.

Mark provides Independent Certifier and Contract Administrator (previously Engineer to the Contract) services to our clients. He is an active member of the Society of Construction Contract Practitioners, and was on the advisory panel to Engineering New Zealand, one of the organisations involved in the 2023 updates to NZS3910. So, he’s right up to speed with changes to the industry’s leading construction contract.  

Mark has experience as a quantity surveyor and project manager in both New Zealand and the United Kingdom. He can draw on knowledge and skills from both disciplines and different environments to assist the project team throughout the pre-construction, construction, and post-construction journey. He is also PRINCE2 certified and applies the principles of effective project management on the daily.

To read Mark's article highlighting a unique project click here.

Kurt is our project manager extraordinaire – he provides project leadership and engineer to the contract services at Kwanto. He has a broad understanding of a wide range of building types given his background as a registered building surveyor, in particular complex weathertightness remediation projects.

Kurt combines expert knowledge and practical guidance to advise clients with property interests. He is solution-focussed and collaborates to effect the most appropriate action to any given situation. He’s also a dab hand at using technology to create project efficiencies.

To read Kurt's article published in NZ Construction News about the challenges of remediating New Zealand's historic buildings click here.

Elijah joined Kwanto in 2021 and completed his quantity surveying diploma at Unitec soon after. Don’t be fooled by his fresh-faced look though – Elijah’s construction career began in 2012 when he became a qualified builder. Before joining the team, Elijah also had project manager and estimator roles, working on high-end residential new-builds and renovations. He brings a wealth of practical experience and knowledge from his time in the industry and is passionate about construction in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Aakash is a quantity surveyor with great customer focus, and a welcoming smile. His friendly approach has been developed during careers in hospitality, public service and now construction. He completed his quantity surveying diploma at Unitec in 2020 and streaked through the ranks at a specialist door supplier before joining the Kwanto team in 2022.

Udit is a project manager with an eye for design detail. Before completing his Graduate Diploma in Construction Project Management at Unitec, he was awarded a bachelor degree in architecture in his homeland of India. His practical site management experience coupled with design knowledge are a unique blend of skills that can benefit any stage of a building project.

Udit also has a passion for integrating the principles of sustainable design into construction projects. He has recently completed the New Zealand Green Building Council's Green Star Practitioner certification and is always keen to talk about green ideas.

Ana hails from Portugal and brings some European flair to our quantity surveying team. She has a solid academic background in civil engineering, as well as international experience as a quantity surveyor. Her career has taken her around the world, from researching materials in Lisbon, to estimating multi-tower residential and commercial projects in Rio de Janeiro, to financially managing heritage projects in Auckland.  

Ana has a passion for sustainability in construction and leads the carbon costing and green rates initiatives at Kwanto.

Camille is a strong addition to the quantity surveying team – just try planking longer than she can!

Camille’s construction career began in the Philippines where she had roles in quantity surveying and construction management for a variety of commercial building projects. She is a positive force who values collaboration to find solutions that assist the building process.

Jun joined the Kwanto team in 2023 and provides a range of quantity surveying services to our clients including cost estimation, tender cost analysis and financial management. He began his quantity surveying career in roles for sub-trade companies and a reputable interiors construction company - experiences that add to his consulting QS toolbox.

Jun’s ambition comes from developing his learnings while working across different construction projects, and utilizing this knowledge to help others understand the joining processes between different fields.