Our People

Adam Cato has been involved in large-scale construction project management from the very outset of his career, which began more than 40 years ago and is a talented and innovative Chartered Civil Engineer. Even then, his natural talent for analytical thinking and leadership set him apart. From those earliest days he has displayed a strong aptitude for managing particularly complex and challenging projects that demand the full range of his capabilities, combining his expertise as an effective, motivational and innovative manager with his outstanding range of technical and logistical knowledge and skill.

Adam has a particularly strong knowledge and experience of technically challenging tunnelling, directional drilling, pipe laying, and drainage. Adam combines his strong leadership and management skills with his extensive knowledge of all aspects of civil engineering, contract management and administration to provide valuable project management. As a chartered professional engineer, Adam has a ‘hands-on’ expertise that gives him the confidence and knowledge to think independently on behalf of our clients, and provide the innovative solutions that are characteristic of his involvement. This approach, along with his unique levels of personal skills and expertise, have been instrumental in March Cato acquiring an outstanding reputation for excellence throughout New Zealand.

Crucial to Adam’s management success is his ability to communicate. He is well practised in facilitating harmonious communication between all stakeholders, which helps ensure easy resolution of issues before they escalate into disputes. He shares a management style with co-owner Richard March that promotes staff empowerment by encouraging staff to take ownership and pride in company contracts, and to provide a level of service beyond client expectations.

Qualifications and Training:

• Chartered Professional Engineer
• ME
• BE (Civil)
• Member of the Institute of Professional Engineers New Zealand
• International Professional Engineer, New Zealand
• APEC Engineer
• Member of the Australasian Society for the Trenchless Technology

Richard March is a highly respected Project Manager with over 40 years’ civil engineering experience in the construction industry. He has a wealth of experience which enables him to bring outstanding expertise to a management role with responsibility for finance, environmental, quality and human resources. His management skills are supported by extraordinary levels of ‘hands-on’ technical expertise which give him an acute understanding of client requirements and the needs of the on-site team.

He has outstanding knowledge and experience of all aspects of civil engineering contracting, and exceptional expertise in contracts involving trenchless construction methods and sheet piling. His reputation in these key areas is renowned in the region, and he is called on regularly by consulting engineers and councils for advice on complex projects that involve difficult pipelines and outfall structures. He provides back-up project management when required, and has the ‘hands-on’ skills (including operating excavators, installing pipes, laying asphalt, and operating piling rigs) to work in site if necessary.

Over decades he has played a crucial role in the management of numerous large-scale construction projects in the Auckland region with responsibilities that have included managing communication between large numbers of different crews, minimising the environmental effects of potentially damaging projects, managing health and safety plans, and overall site safety, and co-ordinating staff training. With co-owner Adam Cato, he has a management style that promotes staff empowerment, encouraging personal ownership of company contracts and providing exceptional levels of client service.

Qualifications and Training:

• Member, Australian Society for Trenchless Technology
• B Grade Tunnel Manager

Tony is March Cato’s General Manager and brings over 20 years of international Tier 1 construction experience to the business, with the majority of his experience within the 3 Waters sector. 

In the UK Tony was an integral part of Severn Trent’s Asset Maintenance Programme (AMP4), delivering upgrades and improvements to major Water and Wastewater treatment plants and pump stations. After moving to Australia in 2009, Tony helped deliver a number of key packages of works on the Murrumba Downs Waste Water Treatment Plant, before moving to Geelong to deliver numerous pipeline, pump stations and treatment plants as part of the Barwon Water Alliance programme of works. In 2012, Tony move to New Zealand where he Project Managed the delivery of the Multi-Award Winning, Hunua 4 Watermain project for Watercare. It was on this project that Tony first met Adam Cato and Nicholas Gulley and started working closely with March Cato, forging a hugely successful team, delivering over 1.5 Million Manhours LTI free and driving an exceptional H&S culture across the project. 

Following the completion of the Hunua 4 Project, Tony spent 2 years as John Holland New Zealand Manager and General Manager for their Rail Joint Venture with Fulton Hogan, where he was able to develop his leadership and business management skills.

Whilst Tony is a very capable engineer and problem solver, he is also undoubtably a people person first and foremost, a person who genuinely cares for his colleagues. It is this passion for people that gives him a relentless drive for innovation and improvement around Health, Safety and Wellbeing. Tony knows that March Cato’s greatest asset is our fantastic people and works hard to ensure that the team feel safe, valued and respected when they come to work each day     

Qualifications and Training:

• BEng (Hons)
• Confined Space
• Working at Heights
• Permit issuer/receiver
• Construct Safe
• First Aid

Nicholas Gulley is March Cato’s Operations Manager with a record of achievement in engineering that spans 15 years. To his credit, Nicholas was intricately involved in both the country’s longest network arch bridge (100m) and widest over-rail bridge (over 80m). His early work as a Site Engineer saw him working on major projects including; State Highway 20 motorway extension, the Dominion Road Bridge, Quarry Operations and Mechanical Stabilised Earth Walls.

As a Project Manager, Nicholas’ work has included the Dart2 Project overseeing temporary works to replace rail overbridges which are key transport links between Central Auckland and Newmarket. From there he worked on Taupo’s East Arterial Project, which is one of the country’s longest single state highway projects completed in recent years. His work included project management of stone columns, earthworks and the longest network arch bridge. His next significant project was in installing 19 marine piles, all below low tide at Silo Parks in Auckland’s Wynyard Quarter which was time critical; to be completed before the Rugby World Cup. In addition, Nicholas has worked on the Tauranga Interlink Project where he designed the country’s widest over-rail bridge span, and he was involved in the initial setup and planning for Kaituna River Bridge.

Nicholas’ applied these skills on the Hunua 4 Project, where his experience was invaluable in setting up and running four main line crews March Cato. In Nicholas’ current role, he is utilising his technical and organisational skills to ensure successful delivery of all March Cato’s projects. Nicholas readily builds trust and strong relationships, to ensure project success.

Qualifications and Training:

• BE (Hons)
• MIPENZ, CPEng
• Level 1 STMS
• Confined Space
• Working at Heights
• Permit issuer/receiver
• Site Safe
• First Aid
• A Grade Tunnel Manager
• B Grade Tunnel Manager
• Senior Site Executive

Mike is a professionally qualified Engineer with 24 years’ experience in the civil construction industry; specialising in water, stormwater and wastewater engineering for local and regional authorities, and the private sector throughout New Zealand. Other areas of expertise include the remediation of contaminated sites and dewatering techniques.

His knowledge, skills and experience extend across all aspects of a project from design input, pre-construction advice, pricing, development of construction methodologies, engagement of specialist trades, installation, testing and commissioning through to handover. 

Mike’s project experience in the three waters commenced from a ‘hands on’ site role, working his way up to project management and contract management. He is knowledgeable in open cut, pipe jacking, micro tunnelling and directional drilling techniques and the construction of storage and pumping infrastructure. He has managed the installation of more than 20km of large diameter pipes in the Auckland area within all types of green and brownfield environments.

He understands the challenges and risks of construction and has proven his ability to deal with these issues in an effective and decisive manner. Through his extensive drainage experience Mike has acquired the knowledge and skills in delivering deep excavations in variable ground conditions and in close proximity to existing structures, and managing groundwater using the most appropriate dewatering method.

At a management level, Mike has undertaken the role of Contract Manager and Contractor’s Representative for a wide range of three waters infrastructure projects. 

Qualifications and Training:

• Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical & Materials)
• Safety Supervisor
• Confined Spaces
• Site Safe
• Concrete Pipe Laying Training Programme NZWETA
• Level 1 STMS
• ARC Sediment & Erosion Control Plan Implementers Course
• Environmental Management (in-house)
• ALC for Manukau City Council / Manukau Water – Water Supply Categories 1-3
• First Aid

David Hunniford has been the Contracts Manager for March Cato since its inception in 1997. His mature outlook and his passion to complete a project to beyond the client’s expectations is underpinned by more than 30 years’ experience in plumbing and drainlaying, including more than 20 years’ in the civil construction industry.

He is responsible for managing the on-site activities and safety of personnel including tunnelling, drilling, open-cut, maintenance, benching and plastering, manhole and restoration crews. He manages the day to day commitment of resources to achieve each contract’s key performance targets. His management duties relate to site induction, hazard identification, on-site health and safety, plant and equipment maintenance, on-site crew liaison and technical assistance to project management and on-site crews.

David provides back up project management (programming and scheduling) when required and has the ‘hands on’ skills and qualifications to work on site if necessary. As a Registered Drainlayer, he is able to uplift consents for drainage work with territorial authorities and supervise limited certificate drainlayers. David is a knowledgeable, innovative team leader who puts safety first; an asset on any contract. Astute, a good communicator and a skilful manager, David encourages his crews to develop more cost-effective work methods for clients.

Qualifications and Training:

• B Grade Tunnel Manager
• Registered Drainlayer (New Zealand Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers’ Board)
• Certified PE Welder
• Wheels, Tracks and Rollers Driver’s Licence Endorsements
• First Aid
• Site Safe
• Confined Space
• Shoring

Matt heads up the Health, Safety, Environment, Quality & Wellbeing functions of March Cato and brings a wealth of experience in these fields from across Australia and New Zealand over the last 20 years. Matt has worked with some major players in the construction sector and has a proud track record of success on award-winning Alliances, Joint Ventures and programmes of work predominantly related to 3 Waters infrastructure. 

In Australia, Matt started out his career in the Environmental Engineering field and quickly took to project delivery and development of HSQE management systems that supported successful outcomes. He was instrumental in the Sunset Coast Water Alliance in Perth which saw the delivery of four major wastewater treatment plant upgrades and a string of awards and accolades along the way setting a new benchmark for safe delivery of infrastructure. 

Matt then transferred those learnings onto the Barwon Water Alliance in Victoria which delivered over 140 projects across a region of 8000km2. Matt was part of this Alliance for nearly 4 years and led a team that left a strong HSQE legacy for the client and numerous subcontractors and supply chain partners. Matt then worked on a variety of water and wastewater projects as part of the Melbourne Water Capital Works Delivery Program before moving across to New Zealand to drive further HSQE improvements as part of the extremely successful Hunua 4 watermain project alongside Tony Mills and subcontract partners March Cato. Matt then spent a couple of years with AECOM helping to establish a Construction Services division across ANZ with his pinnacle achievement being the attainment of Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner accreditation which is the highest standard of safety management in the Australian building and construction sector. 

Matt longed to be permanently based in NZ so then took up the role of National HSE Manager for John Holland NZ and was involved in a number of water and rail projects before making the move to the LEAD Alliance (formerly Piritahi) where he transformed that programme of infrastructure works to set new standards and drive industry leading safety and environmental results. During his time on LEAD Alliance, Matt was instrumental as part of the pandemic response team and helped lift not only the internal capability of the alliance partners but the wider industry with contributions to initiatives led by NULCA NZ, CHASNZ, and WorkSafe.  

Matt is a trusted and well respected industry professional who has a unique skill set. Very driven and passionate in delivering outstanding results, not afraid to try new ways of doing things and always focused on keeping things real and pragmatic. Matt brings his experience and dedication into March Cato in a perfectly complementary way where he can influence a culture from the executive to the workforce level with tremendous scope to not only enhance the business to be best in class but set standards for the rest of the industry to follow. His leadership skills, care and respect for people, ability to understand and solve problems and challenges, collaborative nature and strong desire to meet customer needs ensures Matt consistently delivers above and beyond and is rewarded in seeing each and every worker going home safe and well everyday. 

BEng (Env)

Cert IV (OHS)

Cert IV (Training & Assessment)

CEnvP Confined Space Working at Heights

Permit Issuer / Receiver Construct Safe First Aid

ICAM

HAZWOPER

ASIST

Certified LifeKeeper

Certified Environmental Practitioner (No.1350)

Erosion and Sediment Control Trained

Morag is a dedicated, diligent and highly driven member of the March Cato Management Team. She has worked for March Cato Ltd as an Administration Manager since early 2000 and has been instrumental in supporting the business through its period of growth. Her role is highly diverse, encompassing Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Payroll and Office Administration. 

Morag is ultimately responsible for the overall financial management and professional administration of the March Cato business, including each and every project delivered by both March Cato Civil and our sister company March Cato Developments. Morag and her team provide invaluable support to our site based crews to ensure consistent project delivery. In addition to these duties, Morag is also responsible for all our office administration, as well as playing a key role in the management of our employees wellbeing. With support from our office assistants, the team work together to ensure that all aspects of our office and business run smoothly.

Morag makes a huge effort to develop and maintain genuine and trusted relationships with our clients, subcontractors, suppliers as well as our employees and contractors.