Two Colliers team members received Supreme Excellence awards at the Property Council New Zealand’s Property People Awards recently.
National Director of Occupier Services Gerard Earl won the Outstanding Leadership Award as well as the major gong at the Wellington edition of the event on 7 November.
His achievement was preceded by Christchurch-based Commercial Property Consultant Michael Connolly who received the Property Professional of the Year Award alongside the Supreme Excellence Award at the South Island Property People Awards on 1 November.
This individual recognition followed the outstanding work of Colliers Project Leaders who were part of The Pā Project Team that received the Best Team Award at the Central Property People Awards on 24 October.
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Earl is based in Wellington and has over 15 years’ experience in the New Zealand property sector after arriving from England in 2009.
He has firmly established himself as someone with a high level of industry knowledge and leadership ability and served for a decade on the Property Council New Zealand’s Wellington Regional Committee, including three years as Regional Chair. He previously sat on the National Board but retired this year.
“I’d like to thank those who have worked closely with me in the Real Estate Management Services and Occupier Services teams at Colliers over the years as ultimately it’s them being great at what they do that makes work enjoyable, as well as the wider Colliers whānau,” he says.
“I feel fortunate to live and work in such an awesome region and have loved being able to give back to the industry through the Property Council.”
Connolly has accumulated nearly 40 years of experience in the property industry and has been a key figure in driving the success of the Colliers Real Estate Management Services team’s success in Christchurch.
His experience as a trusted advisor following the earthquakes that impacted the city and wider Canterbury region was hugely valuable for his clients and he still works with some of Christchurch’s most well-known landlords.
“I am immensely grateful to our team at Colliers. Your dedication, hard work, and unwavering support have been instrumental in achieving this milestone. This award is as much yours as it is mine,” Connolly said in his acceptance speech.
Meanwhile, The Pā is an impressive mass timber building created to serve as a whare, student hub, and home of the Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies and the Office of the Vice-Chancellor at the University of Waikato.
The building can accommodate conferences and graduation ceremonies with up to 800 seated guests and host performances, cultural events, and corporate functions.
Jonathan Albery, Project Director at Colliers, says the delivery of The Pā was a major achievement given the issues posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“All the dials were set to challenge, including the size of the project, its complexity, its importance, and the unprecedented industry conditions in effect at the time,” he says.
“The only way through was by team excellence and leadership. The results speak for themselves and we are all immensely proud of the outcome.”
Colliers New Zealand CEO Gareth Fraser says it is pleasing to see the organisation’s market leaders recognised for their contributions to the industry.
“Congratulations to our award winners who have proven themselves as standard bearers for Colliers and thank you to the Property Council New Zealand for putting a spotlight on those who continue to go above and beyond.”
- Supplied by Colliers
