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Senior Leadership

Our Senior Leadership consists of National and Regional managers, alongside key operational roles. Together they deliver the strategy and vision of the organisation.

Senior Leadership

Rebecca Mitchell

Group Chief Finance Officer (Acting)

Rebecca Mitchell

Rebecca Mitchell

Rebecca is a Chartered Management Accountant with a wide range of industry experience in manufacturing and export, heavy equipment machinery, and finance. As Group Finance Manager, Rebecca is passionate about business improvement and is always looking for opportunities to help get things moving. She is currently working on the company-wide systems transformation project and is excited about the future of Leighs Construction.

Paul Dennis

National Health & Safety Manager

Paul Dennis

Paul Dennis

Paul has extensive experience of over 10 years in Health & Safety, completing and overseeing high-risk tasks in equally high-risk environments. Beginning in the electrical industry, his formative years provided a strong foundation for an appreciation – and now advocacy – of Health & Safety in a commercial environment. Paul is now a credible and trusted leader, mentor, and influencer of positive and sustainable change within Leighs and the wider Health & Safety discipline in New Zealand.

Jeff Macdonald

South Island Operations Manager

Jeff Macdonald

Jeff Macdonald

With more than thirty years experience in the construction industry, Jeff is a highly capable Operations Manager and Project Director.

Tony Emery

North Island Operations Manager

Tony Emery

Tony Emery

Tony arrived in NZ in 2000 after spending 13 years in Tier 1 commercial construction site-based roles in London. In NZ Tony has spent the last 23 years in a mix of Interiors Management and Commercial Construction Management / General Management roles in different sized businesses.
During that time Tony has built and extensive network of industry contacts and is known for building collaborative teams to deliver high quality project for a wide range of clients.

Lee Peto

Commercial Manager South Island

Lee Peto

Lee Peto

Lee is a senior construction executive with nearly 35 years of experience, including over 20 years in leadership roles.
Before moving to New Zealand in 2008, he was a regional commercial leader in London, helping to establish and grow multiple business units. In New Zealand, Lee was part of an executive team that led a business through significant growth, expanding from $80M to over $200M.
Lee brings extensive expertise in commercial strategy, business growth, and operational leadership to Leighs Construction

Matt Russell

Estimating Manager

Matt Russell

Matt Russell

Matt heads up our tendering function. He is a highly skilled estimator who delivers successful outcomes for both Leighs and our clients and partners we work with. His experience includes numerous technical builds throughout the country over 10 years at Leighs and over 20 years in the industry.

Mark Pearson

Head of Design

Mark Pearson

Mark Pearson

Mark is an experienced Design Manager with a background in delivering large, complex public and institutional projects across New Zealand and the UK. With expertise in design and build environments, he has a strong track record of leading coordinated, high-performing teams through early engagement, detailed planning, and rigorous stakeholder management.

Known for his clear communication style and practical approach, Mark works closely with clients, consultants, and contractors to manage risk, protect programme outcomes, and support smooth project delivery. He is passionate about good design, early collaboration, and ensuring the built environment meets the needs of those who use it.

Jess Massey

Human Resources Manager

Jess Massey

Jess Massey

Jess is a seasoned Senior Human Resources leader with a blend of HR and ER experience within both corporate and government sectors. She has a track record of coaching leaders to effectively support their people, helping them to manage change, performance, and conduct, as well as proven success in local and international recruitment. Passionate about building leadership capability across the business, and growing and developing people to their full potential, Jess believes that successful businesses are those that put people firmly at the heart of everything they do.

Simon Chambers

Construction Manager South Island

Simon Chambers

Simon Chambers

Simon is an experienced construction professional with a strong background in delivering complex commercial and institutional projects across the South Island. Over his time at Leighs, he has led multi-year builds with a focus on quality, collaboration, and developing the people around him.

As Construction Manager, Simon provides day-to-day support and mentoring for Project Managers and brings practical construction leadership to Leighs’ project teams. Known for his approachable style and hands-on experience, he is passionate about building capability, strengthening project delivery, and supporting teams to achieve great results.

Neil Hamilton

National Technology Manager

Neil Hamilton

Neil Hamilton

Neil has over 20 years of IT construction experience managing large digital transformation projects in New Zealand and the UK. His experience in project delivery, change management, process improvement, and technology, enables him to provide the best outcomes in planning and executing change and optimisation at Leighs. He is responsible for ensuring the company's network infrastructure and associated systems are running smoothly, performing within agreed specifications, and providing a secure platform for the company's business operations.

Leighs Executive

EXECUTIVE

Leighs Board

THE BOARD

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