Auckland, 23 June 2023: Property Council New Zealand has awarded its 2023 Member Laureate to industry stalwart Evan Harris at the annual Property Council New Zealand Rider Levett Bucknall Property Industry Awards, held tonight at Spark Arena.
The Property Council New Zealand Members’ Laureate programme honours those who have made outstanding contributions to the organisation and the wider industry – criteria that Harris more than fits.
Harris has been a fixture of the New Zealand property industry for more than 40 years.
His influence is especially apparent across the South Island, where he has worked in some capacity on nearly all the major retail centres on the mainland.
Having begun his career in the late 1970s, Harris is still influencing Aotearoa New Zealand’s shopping centres today. His confident leadership has been especially useful through challenging times for the industry, ensuring several projects have continued to push ahead during the Covid-19 years.
Leonie Freeman, chief executive of Property Council New Zealand, says Harris continues to raise the bar within the industry.
“There are few people within the industry who have achieved as much as Evan, which is why we’re honouring him with the 2023 Member Laureate,” she says.
“Evan has shown incredible leadership over the past 40 years, and his dedication and professionalism in a sector that’s experienced significant challenges in recent times continues to draw much respect from his peers.
“Evan adds incredible value to every project he’s a part of, and we want to thank him for this remarkable contribution to our industry.”
A valuer by trade, Harris began his career at H G Livingstone Ltd in 1979, eventually going on to buy the business with three others in 1987. The firm grew to become the largest retail property management company in New Zealand.
H G Livingstone Ltd merged with Colliers in 2007, with Harris taking on a director role. He then became National Retail Property Consultant in 2020.
Over the course of his career, Harris has been president of the Shopping Centre Council of New Zealand, as well as a Life Member and former president of the Property Institute of New Zealand. He is also a previous board member of Property Council New Zealand.
The Property Industry Awards are Aotearoa’s most prestigious property awards programme. Now in their 24th year, they celebrate and showcase the best of New Zealand’s largest industry – property.
This year’s award winners and finalists represent some of the most exceptional buildings and developments in the country. Their work also showcases how these purpose-driven spaces are all about the people and communities who live, work, play and shop within them.
ENDS