Tim Farrant is the Building Engineering Manager at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), where he leads a team to strengthen New Zealand’s building system through sound engineering practice and effective regulation. He is a Chartered Professional Engineer and active member of the New Zealand Geotechnical Society. He has contributed to national guidance and supported responses to major seismic and flooding events. At the CETANZ Conference he will share insights from MBIE’s current work programme and contribute to data stewardship.

Tony is a Geotechnical Engineer with over 10 years of experience spanning both the private and public sectors. Currently, he works in the Building Performance and Engineering team within the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) as a Geotechnical Engineer focused on providing sound geotechnical engineering advice to support work across MBIE in relation to the building regulatory system and its performance. Prior to joining MBIE, he worked in a consultancy environment to assist with Canterbury post-earthquake remediation. His work included both carrying out geotechnical investigations and design for both residential and commercial developments. He holds an Engineering Degree from the University of Auckland and is based in Christchurch.

Natasha de Andrade is new to the civil engineering and asphalt industry. As an analytical chemist she has participated in various areas of testing but focused on the physical testing field of batteries and material testing. Her expertise and focus lie with quality management systems and has achieved and maintained accreditation for various laboratories.

Rob Damhuis is a passionate and dedicated professional with extensive experience in materials, pavement, and geotechnical engineering. Over his career, Rob has worked in various roles as a client, contractor, and consultant in geotechnical laboratories, pavement design, asset management, and road construction and maintenance management. Rob's notable achievements include being a member of the South African COLTO Road Materials Testing Committee from 1996 to 2008, where they researched and developed materials test methods. He championed the uptake of ISO 17025 in civil engineering laboratories, and served on SANAS Specialist Technical Committee between 2005 and 2008. In 2006 co-opted as and Director of National Laboratory Association. In Western Australia, he was a member of several n pavement materials committees from 2012 to 2015. In the geotech space, he rewrote the RSA national sub-surface drilling specifications in 2005, and championed and co-developed the South African National Roads Agency Slope Management System from 2017 to 2019. Rob loves his role at Waka Kotahi NZTA , making a positive difference in people's lives through his work, and since joining NZTA, has managed the update of the NZ Pavement Design Guidelines to a Design Standard and several other pavement specifications.

Marko is a dedicated and results-driven professional with a passion for civil engineering material testing, with many years of experience in supporting the industry in New Zealand through a blend of technical product understanding and sales management. He is committed to staying ahead of industry trends and collaborating with others to develop further knowledge on test methods, specifications and cutting-edge test systems. Marko believes in fostering a positive and collaborative environment and thrives on establishing mutually beneficial arrangements.