WSP’s New Zealand strategic advisory practice encompasses a multi-disciplinary team of 70+ people encompassing strategic consulting; strategic infrastructure planning; infrastructure funding and investment advisory; strategic asset management; climate change adaptation and sustainability; socio-economic-environmental research; and risk management.

Clients include: Auckland Council; Auckland Transport; Department of Corrections; KiwiRail; Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment; New Zealand Defence Force; and Watercare.

The following are examples of our strategic consulting and advisory work in New Zealand:

• Engaged by a major New Zealand based technology company lacking capital to fund a transformational data centre. WSP facilitated access to funding through large investment houses, design of data centre and partners who could provide ongoing facilities maintenance.
• Following a shift in public policy and the long-term funding challenges this presented, WSP took the concept to specific offshore and onshore funders and facilitated the submission of a proposal to the NZ Government on a transformational infrastructure solution could be funded through the private sector.
• Engaged to carry out a strategic review of the Auckland Metro Rail network which has seen a +250% increase in passengers between 2010 and 2019. Ongoing population growth and major improvements such as City Rail Link are expected to lead to continuing rapid growth in passenger and freight numbers. WSP have developed a significant long term investment and change programme for KiwiRail to help address legacy issues and prepare the Auckland rail network for a sustainable future.

Globally, WSP has a strategic advisory network of over 2000 people operating in North America, UK, Europe, Middle East, Australian and NZ. This work is underpinned by WSP’s Future Ready® global research and development programme. The following are relevant examples of client projects commissioned by Executive teams and requiring the production of future positioning and implications reports.

• Engaged by a city and regional council to support the development of a future ready vision for 2050. This involved undertaking primary and secondary research, workshops with Executive teams and key stakeholders to determine key problems, opportunities and priorities as an input into both Councils’ Vision 2050.
• Engaged by a global property construction and investment company to identify the causes and practical solutions to social isolation. WSP undertook primary and secondary research took into loneliness, population growth, demographic changes, the impact of technology advancements and built infrastructure design. The findings along with key insights and recommendations were provided as a report which the Company used to inform its strategy development and execution.
• Engaged by the Executive and Board of a major multinational company to help them understand the potential future implications of climate change, society, technology and resource impacts on its business model in 2040.
• Engaged by a major train operator to support its Executive team by providing an evidence, research based understanding of the company’s likely business environment in 2030 based on primary and secondary research across climate, socio-economic, technology and resources. The report which included an assessment of future passengers, new mobility, digital rail, future workplace, future climate & energy and future political-social landscape was used by the Company to inform its short and medium term strategy development and planning.

Note: client names have been withheld where engagements are covered by a non-disclosure agreement.