Brian Hayes wins top Building People award in Auckland

Building Institute Aotearoa has named Brian Hayes of BESIX Watpac the Supreme Building People Awards winner. The award was presented at the 2026 Building People Awards in Auckland.

Hayes was recognised for his leadership on One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch, which organisers described as one of the most complex and significant construction projects undertaken in the city. He also led BESIX Watpac's first project in New Zealand and built the delivery team.

More than 600 guests attended the awards, which drew a record number of entries from across Aotearoa New Zealand's building and construction sector. Collaboration and project categories attracted particularly strong interest.

Hayes' citation highlighted both project delivery and workforce development. Organisers said he united more than 110 subcontractors on the stadium project and helped establish partnerships with local universities, cadet programmes and apprenticeships.

Those initiatives gave more than 90 trainees the opportunity to develop skills through the project, creating pathways into the industry and adding to local capability. The stadium was also delivered on time and below budget.

Range of winners

The awards covered students, apprentices, emerging leaders and construction teams, alongside specialists in health and safety, digital technology, innovation and site management.

The Next Gen Award had three joint winners: Ivy Peng, a Doctor of Philosophy in Architecture student at Victoria University of Wellington; Tyron Oldroyd, a Bachelor of Architectural Studies student at the same university; and Gerasimos Christoforatos, a PhD in Engineering candidate at the University of Waikato. Christoforatos also received the Supreme Next Gen Award.

Will Mattison of Southbase Construction won the Emerging Leader Award for the Airport Check-In Integration Project in Auckland. Nicholas Rowe of BPM was highly commended for the Heriot Drive Limited Project in Porirua. Michael Worsfold of Hawkins received a Special Mention for Site 6 in Auckland.

Greg Bailey, Health and Safety Manager at Kalmar Construction, won the Health, Safety & Wellbeing Award. Rebecca Hunter, HSSQ Coordinator at Cook Brothers Construction, was highly commended.

Project categories

In the Collaboration Award for projects under NZD $20 million, Bruce Tizard of Scope Projects, Damian Thompson of NPM Construction, Louise Jelicich of the Ministry of Education and Simon Mandeno of Mandeno Design won for the Tauraroa Area School New Classroom Block and Whare project in Whangārei.

Josh Gibbons of Cook Brothers Construction, Ian Adamson of Warren and Mahoney, Tony Galavaz of Holmes Group and Ed McDonald of Powell Fenwick were highly commended for The Mill Queenstown.

For Collaboration projects over NZD $20 million, Jeff Robertson of Aspec, Margaret Waller of the University of Auckland, Jared Williams of Architectus, Andy O'Neill of Archiface, Jack Southee of Beca and Christine Wang of RCP won for the University of Auckland B104 Old Choral Hall seismic upgrade and refurbishment.

Brendan Raj of Argon Construction, Robbie Richmond of AECOM, Riaan Van der Merwe of Health NZ, Sandee Stanley of Jasmax, Dylan Karamaena of Rider Levett Bucknall and Jeremy Evans of Health NZ Consultants were highly commended for the Whangārei Radiation Oncology Project, Te Hihiri Whakahauora.

Dan Bradley of BPM won the Consultants Award for the Heriot Commercial Seismic Strengthening project in Porirua. John McDowell of TSA Riley was highly commended for Hangar 4 at Auckland Airport.

In the projects under NZD $7.5 million category, Peter Lalin, Zach Duncan-Shepherd and Reynold Cai of Cook Brothers Construction won for Target Road School in Auckland.

Richard Wheeler and Robert Davis of Aspec Construction were highly commended for the Chapel of Our Glorified Lord & St Barnabas seismic upgrade at Diocesan School for Girls in Auckland.

The category covering projects from NZD $7.5 million to NZD $50 million was won by Steve Lindley of LT McGuinness for the Shrewsbury Building at Diocesan School for Girls in Auckland.

Kurt Sickler of LT McGuinness was highly commended for 68 Jervois Quay in Wellington. Cade Scott of Southbase was also highly commended for the Koawa Post Production Building in Christchurch.

In the NZD $50 million to NZD $100 million category, Jeff Robertson, Lucian Lacob and Evan Forde of Aspec Construction won for the University of Auckland B104 Old Choral Hall seismic upgrade and refurbishment.

Guillem Ferrer of Hawkins was highly commended for Manaaki Hōhonu in Auckland. Darren Mead of Summerset was highly commended for the Summerset Waikanae Village Centre in Kāpiti.

Brian Hayes of BESIX Watpac won the category for projects over NZD $100 million for One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha in Christchurch. Dylan Kane and Jimmy Corric of NZ Strong Group were highly commended for Air New Zealand Hangar 4 in Auckland.

Specialist awards

Kristy Jones of Cook Brothers Construction won the Innovation Award for a waste case study. Atie Ahmadi of Victoria University of Wellington was highly commended.

Hanna Hawke of LT McGuinness won the Digital Technology Award for work on Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Archives New Zealand. Michael De Fazio of Naylor Love Wellington was highly commended for Hnry Stadium.

Nick Watson of Kalmar Construction won the Site Manager Award for Foundation Building 2 in Auckland. Daniel Browan of Hawkins was highly commended for HIWA. Adam Baxter of Fletcher Living was also highly commended for Superlot 2, Building 10, in Christchurch.

Kirsten Magnusson, Chief Executive, Building Institute Aotearoa, said: "Reading through the nominations, what stood out to me was the range of contributions being recognised. The finalists come from different disciplines, career stages and backgrounds, but all have made a positive contribution to their organisations, their colleagues and the wider industry. There is no single path to making a difference, and that is one of the strengths of our profession."