Habilis New Zealand is the leading wellbeing and social investment consultancy in Aotearoa New Zealand.

And we have the team to back it. Check us out below.

  • Principal Consultant

    Kent is Pākehā with heritage from Scotland, Ireland and Uruguay via Melbourne. He grew up in Christchurch, and has lived in Sydney, Wellington and the Wairarapa. These days he is based in Tāmaki Makaurau with his partner and stepdaughter.

    Kent has decades of experience in consultancy, investment analysis and business management, for central and local government, iwi and NGOs, and the private sector. He has held senior positions in major corporates in New Zealand and overseas, has led private sector startups and community Trusts, and contributed on myriad Boards and governance groups.

    Kent was a significant contributor to the adoption of the Better Business Case methodology in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2014, and he co-wrote the original training material. His effective use of the methodology has resulted in billions of dollars of investment allocation across the country.

    He has an extensive track record in facilitation and consensus-building, honed in hui and workshops and meetings across Aotearoa, spanning a wide range of organisations and stakeholders. As a result, he’s a strong believer in the importance of curiosity, tolerance and the ability to listen well.

  • Senior Consultant

    Sargam Shah is a skilled economist with a Masters in Professional Economics from Victoria University, and extensive experience in analysis, evaluation and research. She brings her infectious enthusiasm and curiosity to every project, and loves deep-diving into projects to find the hidden stories.

    Her Master’s paper looked at the efficacy of New Zealand’s fees-free policy, and since then she’s worked on a wide range of initiatives across Aotearoa. These have included a cost-benefit analysis for regulatory reform of ADHD medications, a gaps analysis for the socio-economic assessment for New Zealand’s fisheries industry, and building financial modelling scenarios for a charitable organisation to provide solutions to some of their organisational challenges.

    Her key interest areas include economic development and education, which most times means getting out into regional Aotearoa and talking to the people whose lives can be made better with some clever economic analysis and a compelling business case. She lives in Tamaki Mākaurau with her partner, and is fluent in four languages – English, Hindi, Gujarati, and Marathi.

  • Senior Consultant

    Jammayca's background in Anthropology and Physiology aligns with her passion – at the intersection of medical science, public health, and social science. She is an experienced consultant with expertise in research and evaluation, with a recent focus on the health sector. She brings a wealth of knowledge about the design and evaluation of services across primary health, and has been involved in the assessment of programmes and impacts across national and regional health organisations, including those with kaupapa Māori at their core.

    Jammayca's work in evaluation and research includes the planning, design, and conducting mixed-methods research studies. She has overseen the development of data collection and analysis processes, integrating diverse data sources to gain insights into human and system performance, ultimately driving strategic outcomes.

    She has also been involved in hands-on healthcare workforce activity, and was seconded to the Tū Whakaruruhau / Auckland Wellbeing Collaborative, where she coordinated the training and centralised recruitment of a new primary care workforce, Health Improvement Practitioners and Health Coaches, for the Integrated Primary Mental Health and Addiction programme.

    Jammayca has a Bachelor of Science in Physiology and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Anthropology from Auckland University, and has well-developed technical skills in SQL, R and Figma.

  • Business Manager

    Zara is the company’s business manager, and brings to Habilis a strong background in accounting and commercial management.

    Prior to joining Habilis, Zara spent a decade in the high-volume textiles sector, and nearly five years at the Porirua City Council - including as a key member of its Emergency Management team.

    Outside of keeping Habilis running, Zara is a skilled tailor and patternmaker. She has contributed her fashion and garment construction skills to the recent production of King Lear at the Auckland Theatre Company, and to a number of films and television productions.

    Zara lives in Tāmaki Makaurau with her partner and their cats.