People

Scott joined Silvester Clark in 2003 and is currently the Managing Director and a Principal of the firm.

Scott relates well to clients and their needs but also believes that you must get on with all team members to have a successful project. His desire to exceed client expectations and meeting deadlines while providing the most economical solution for each project, is reflected in the culture within the firm.

Scott specialises in multi-storey seismic building design and strengthening and has been the principal in charge of several significant buildings in Wellington and around New Zealand including many multimillion dollar buildings for Summerset Group, the Countdown Newtown store, Vero Tower Auckland assessment, Trinity Apartments, The Hutt Indoor Sports facility, Ohakea Helicopter Hangar, Il Casino Apartments, the national prisons upgrade and extension, the Porsche and Audi buildings, and the Maidstone Community Centre, as well as many more.

Scott has had roles on the executive committee for the Earthquake and Natural Hazards New Zealand and the Steel Construction New Zealand (SCNZ) executive, where he was on the executive for over 10 years. He is a trained Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Engineer, and was involved in the Christchurch earthquake deployments and was the engineering team leader for the USAR assistance in Japan following the devastating earthquake and tsunami. He has worked with the United Nations on behalf of NZAid, advising the local government in Padang, Indonesia following the large earthquake there in September 2009. More recently Scott represented the New Zealand Government in Nepal following the major earthquake there in 2015.

Scott brings to the firm both innovation and extensive experience gained from working on high-profile international projects involving diverse building systems and methodologies. His international exposure and years of experience in NZ enriches the firm’s capabilities and plays a key role in its ongoing success.

Ignatius is the Wellington Regional Manager and is also a Principal. Ignatius has over 28 years’ structural design and engineering experience working in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Tonga.

Recently Ignatius has been focusing on Seismic Restraint, Aged Care and Seismic Strengthening projects. A significant seismic restraint project Ignatius has recently been involved in was Acute Services Building at Christchurch Hospital. This project has occurred over four years and has involved over 21,000 seismic restraints for suspended services, as well as restraints for all items of plant and equipment.

Ignatius enjoys the challenge of designing structures that are seismically resilient to achieve the highest possible safety for building occupants while also providing a building that is economical to repair, with the minimal downtime, after a major earthquake.

Ignatius enjoys working as part of a wider team with a common goal of achieving the most suitable and economical design solution.

Cameron is the Manawatū Regional Manager and is also a Principal at Silvester Clark. Cameron joined the Silvester Clark team in 1995 as a Draftsperson and became a Principal in 2014. He has been involved in the drafting of a wide range of different types of structures and has extensive experience in the dairy and meat processing sectors.

With an engineering background, he initiated his career with Stevenson’s Structural Engineering Ltd in 1991, initially engaging in hands-on engineering before transitioning to contract management and administration. One of his noteworthy projects during this tenure was Te Papa, the Museum of New Zealand, where he oversaw quality control and served as the main liaison with on-site erection teams. Additionally, Cameron was entrusted with the responsibility of developing and implementing health and safety systems for Stevenson’s.

Over the past 30 years at Silvester Clark, Cameron has contributed to a diverse array of projects, ranging from domestic structures to the construction of one of the world’s largest dairy powder-producing plants at Fonterra Darfield D1 & D2. Notable projects in his portfolio include the Massey University Māori Studies Department building, Ranchers lamb processing facility (San Angelo, Texas), Superior Farms’ new veal plant (Dixon, California), Superior Farms’ new stockyard (Dixon, California), Miraka Dairy Dryer & UHT, Yashili Dryer, Mataura Valley Dairy, Fonterra Lichfield, Open Country Dairy Drier plants throughout New Zealand, and ANZCO Rangitikei.

Cameron approaches building and construction with a collaborative team mindset, emphasizing close collaboration with clients and contractors to ensure a successful end result.

Rick is the Auckland Regional Manager and Principal at Silvester Clark. He is a Chartered Engineer and has over twenty years’ experience in the structural engineering industry – as an engineer and a draftsman.

Rick has successfully delivered a range of projects in the commercial, aged care, education, government and health sectors. One of the cornerstones of Rick’s approach to these successes is communication – and a ‘no surprises’ ethos.

Rick has wide ranging analysis and design experience – having worked on projects which consist of small timber framed structures to the analysis and design of large multi-storey developments which use state of the art seismic resisting systems. The use of these low damage elements is an interest area for Rick, having successfully implemented Buckling Restrained Braces, and Fluid Viscous Dampers on recent projects.

Through efficient and direct organisation of design resource, and experience in many types of structures, Rick provides cost-effective solutions for developers, project managers, architects and contractors.

At Silvester Clark, Rick oversees the resourcing for the Auckland office and has a strong interest in using technology to assist workflow, communication and efficiency.

Waqas is a Principal at Silvester Clark. He is a Chartered Professional Engineer who has over 14 years of comprehensive international structural design and project management experience on high end construction projects.

His experience ranges from domestic house structures to complex high rise buildings and dairy towers. Waqas has a good practical knowledge of finite element analysis, rocking structures, time history and displacement based design.

In his role as lead designer on several recent complex dairy projects and seismic assessments/retrofits, Waqas has been responsible for liaising with clients and other consultants, managing design engineers, draughting staff and technicians within Silvester Clark.

Through efficient structural design using innovative approach, Waqas aims to deliver projects which are cost-effective and achieve optimum constructability.

Rachael joined Silvester Clark in 2003 as a receptionist in Palmerston North. After embarking on her overseas experience, she returned to New Zealand in 2008 and re-joined Silvester Clark to manage the administration across the Palmerston North and Wellington offices.

Today, as the Finance Manager and company Principal, Rachael plays a pivotal role in overseeing the day-to-day administration and financial requirements across our four offices.

Her dedication to collaborating with our staff and clients ensures Silvester Clark consistently delivers exceptional projects. With 20 years of invaluable experience, Rachael continues to contribute significantly to our company’s success.

Bruce joined the Silvester Clark board as an Independent Director in 2024. With more than 40 years of experience providing corporate finance advice across the public and private sectors, he brings an independent commercial perspective to the board’s decision-making and the long-term direction of the company.

Before moving into governance roles, Bruce was a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) for 25 years. His work has covered large-scale infrastructure procurement and financing, financial analysis, capital structuring, business case development, economic regulation, valuations and cost of capital. He has also advised boards, governing bodies and management teams on a broad range of commercial and financial matters.

Bruce is currently a director of New Zealand Post and Chair of the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER). He is also a member of the New Zealand Defence Force Risk and Audit Committee. He previously served on the KiwiRail board, where he chaired the Risk, Audit and Assurance Committee. These roles reflect his experience working with nationally significant organisations operating in complex commercial, infrastructure and regulatory environments.

Bruce holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration in Economics and Accounting from Victoria University of Wellington and has completed the International Business Programme at Harvard Business School. He is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.

Based in Hawke’s Bay, Bruce brings both a regional perspective and experience gained through his work with organisations operating across New Zealand. His considered and independent advice supports Silvester Clark’s leadership team as we continue to strengthen the company across our five offices.

In the past 10 years, Adane extensively used his research experience to undertake seismic assessments and retrofit designs using complex techniques and to develop efficient and cost-effective retrofit solutions. He has been responsible for analysis and design of a number of buildings, ranging from simple single-storey to complex high-rise and base-isolated buildings.

Adane was a member and section group leader of a technical group that produced the 2017 MBIE/NZSEE seismic assessment guidelines ‘The Seismic Assessment of Existing Buildings – Technical Guidelines for Engineering Assessments’.

Adane is passionate about providing simple solutions to complex structural engineering problems and delivering results that are best value for clients.

Nitin is a Technical Lead at Silvester Clark with over ten years’ structural design experience working in New Zealand.

Nitin has successfully delivered a range of projects in the commercial, education and residential sectors. He believes in efficient and cost-effective design that meets client expectations. Nitin has a proven ability to listen to clients and see different perspectives to find optimum solutions.  He constantly develops trust with the clients based on transparent and proactive communication, and by consistently delivering on what our clients require.

Nitin specialises in retail seismic design and has effectively led the design team from the start to the finish of design and construction of numerous commercial projects. Nitin has a passion for exploring and implementing new and innovative solutions while seeking improvement and efficiency.

Nitin prides himself in providing expert technical and advisory support; ensuring the end-users’ needs are met.

Peter started with Silvester Clark around 10 years ago and after a 3-year stint overseas in Germany and the UK, came back and joined our Wellington team.

Peter is a chartered engineer who is technically strong while having an appreciation for practical design where he strives for simple solutions to complex problems. He has always had a strong focus towards architecture and understanding how buildings are constructed and function. This results in design solutions that are coordinated across disciplines.

There aren’t many weekends when Peter is “off the tools” on his own personal projects such as furniture making and DIY. Aside from this Peter likes all types of bike riding and cooking lots of food.

Since joining Silvester Clark in 2014, Jay has been instrumental in the analysis, design, assessment, and retrofit of a wide array of structures across commercial, residential, industrial, and government sectors. With a sharp focus on understanding the unique requirements and constraints of each project, Jay is committed to delivering tailored solutions that yield best-for-project outcomes. He believes that effective structural solutions are born from transparent communication and collaborative partnerships with clients and stakeholders.

Jay’s recent projects reflect his keen interest in accurately capturing the behaviour of buildings through advanced analytical modelling techniques and maximizing the potential of structural systems. His work exemplifies a commitment to innovation and efficiency, with recent examples including apartment buildings primarily constructed with cross-laminated timber and medium-rise plywood shear wall towers with tie-down rods in high seismic zones.

Outside of the office, Jay spends his time in the company of his family and dog, exploring the outdoors or getting immersed in a good book or movie.

Andrew began his career in 1985 as a draughter in Wellington. He spent three years there working on commercial and high rise structures. In 1988 he spent six months working for a small consultancy in London working on residential apartment buildings and the strengthening of Victorian & Edwardian buildings.

Following his return to New Zealand he worked as a contract basis for many consultancies and building-related companies, in the Wellington area, developing CAD skills on everything from oil and chemical tank farms to precast shop detailing to large printing press buildings. Whilst doing this he also attended Victoria University and completed a bachelors degree in Commerce.

After a 14 month stint in Hawkes Bay with a medium-sized consultancy he joined, what was then, Ormond Stock Associates at the start of 2000 in the fledgling Wellington office.

Since then he has been involved in most large projects undertaken in the office. Notable projects include: The Grove Mill Winery Extension, Aitken Street Apartments, Latitude 41 Apartments, AB Equipment, Spicers Paper Warehouse, Porsche & Audi showrooms, Countdown Newtown store, The Hutt Indoor Sports facility, Ohakea Helicopter Hangar, The Backbencher Hotel, Patent Apartments.

Recently he has been mostly busy with aged care facilities.

Andrew is driven by a desire to find practical, cost effective solutions to construction detailing and doing so as quickly as possible for clients and builders.

Rohit is a Senior Structural Engineer at Silvester Clark and was appointed Associate in 2025. He is involved in the design of new residential and industrial buildings and works on the seismic assessment and strengthening of existing structures to improve resilience and meet compliance requirements.

With over seven years of experience in the structural engineering field, Rohit has developed strong technical skills in the analysis and design of steel and reinforced concrete structures. He has been closely involved in the delivery of large-scale projects across New Zealand, particularly in the dairy and meat processing sectors. His work includes the design of new processing facilities and the construction monitoring and quality assurance that supports successful project outcomes.

Rohit is client-focused and works closely with project teams to ensure project goals are achieved efficiently. He is skilled at managing the challenges that come with complex sites and tight timeframes.

He has a keen interest in earthquake engineering and has published research in respected international journals and conferences. Rohit brings a practical, research-informed mindset to his work and is committed to delivering structural solutions that are both effective and efficient.

Jacob joined Silvester Clark in 2014 as a draftsperson and was appointed Associate in 2024. Over the years, he has worked in the Palmerston North and Auckland offices and is now based in Christchurch. This has given him a broad understanding of regional project requirements and the ability to work effectively with teams across the country.

He plays a key role in delivering structural documentation and coordination on a wide range of projects, including meat and dairy processing plants, large warehouses, freezer/chiller facilities, and new commercial buildings. Jacob is known for his attention to detail and ability to manage complex documentation requirements across large-scale industrial sites.

He brings a practical mindset to every project, understanding that no two buildings are the same. He is experienced in resolving challenges such as material availability, installation sequencing, and staged construction, often working within live sites where continuity of operations is critical.

Jacob is committed to producing clear, accurate documentation and supporting strong working relationships between engineers, contractors, and clients.

Matt is a Senior Draftsperson at Silvester Clark with over 20 years’ experience in structural and architectural drafting. He plays an essential role in preparing accurate, clear working drawings that guide projects from early design stages through to construction.

Matt balances managing multiple projects with hands-on support, working closely alongside clients, contractors, and engineers to keep projects running smoothly. He’s known for his practical approach, strong attention to detail, and ability to adapt documentation to meet each project’s unique challenges, whether coordinating staged construction or working within live site conditions.

His deep understanding of both client needs and construction processes makes Matt a trusted point of contact, delivering solutions that help keep projects on track and aligned with expectations.

About