A green building pioneer, the team that brought Wellington’s Central Library back to life, and leaders who have shaped the capital for decades were among the winners at the 2026 Wellington Property People Awards on 13 November.
Congratulations to every winner and thank you to our record-breaking crowd of 465 guests!
Greenwood Roche Supreme Excellence Award and TSA Riley Sustainability Champion Award
Patrick Arnold
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Patrick Arnold has set the benchmark for sustainable building in New Zealand for 20 years. In 2005 he helped adapt the Green Star rating tool for New Zealand, and he has since led 30 rated projects, 23 of them certified on the finished building. He was central to the case for keeping 8 Willis Street rather than demolishing it. The judges called his record “the standard the rest of the industry should aspire to” and praised his quiet commitment to mentoring the next generation.
BBD Best Team Award
Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui Wellington Central Library Project Team
Aurecon, Wellington City Council, Athfield Architects, Tihei, LT McGuinness and RCP worked as one team to strengthen and reimagine Wellington’s Central Library, which reopened in March after seven years closed. The team rebuilt the foundations below the water table, placed the building on base isolators and embedded mana whenua leadership from the start. The judges said the calibre of collaboration made this category genuinely difficult to judge.
Envelope Judges’ Choice Award
Mike Patching
Precinct Properties
Over more than 40 years, Mike Patching has had a hand in many of Wellington’s landmark buildings, from No. 1 The Terrace to the transformation of Bowen House, strengthened to 100 per cent of the new building standard with a 5 Green Star rating. Though Mike is Auckland-based, the judges said, “it’s the contribution to the city that counts”, and highlighted his role as a mentor and ambassador for the profession.
Rolle Property Outstanding Leadership Award
Alistair Cattanach
Dunning Thornton
A director of Dunning Thornton since 2004, Alistair Cattanach has led the shift towards low-damage seismic design, which helps buildings stay usable after major earthquakes. His work spans heritage strengthening and mass timber, including Te Whare Nui o Tuteata (Scion Innovation Hub) and Kai Tahi. The judges noted his influence on seismic strengthening reaches across Wellington and the Pacific.
Catalyst Property Professional of the Year Award
Rachael Wise
Navigation Financial Partners
Rachael Wise has spent 25 years in property finance, on both sides of the lending table. Since founding Navigation Financial Partners in 2019, she has advised on or arranged more than $2 billion of finance. The judges highlighted her generosity with her time and her pro bono work, including helping Mary Potter Hospice secure funding for a 42-apartment development on Mein Street.
Beca Young Achiever of the Year
Steph Watts-Pointer
New Zealand School Property Agency
Steph Watts-Pointer leads Ngā Iti Kahurangi, a programme upgrading learning environments at small and remote schools across New Zealand. As one of the Ministry of Education’s youngest programme managers, she helped secure an extra $175 million in government funding to expand it. The judges praised her steady, people-first leadership through the sudden loss of the programme’s founder in 2025.
Ortus International Long Service Award
Eyal Aharoni
Primeproperty Group
Eyal Aharoni came to Wellington in 1988 to study geophysics at Victoria University and moved into property during the downturn of the early 1990s. Today Primeproperty Group spans commercial property, hotels, parking and residential accommodation, and employs 350 people. Since the Kaikōura earthquake, Eyal and his team have strengthened more than 23 commercial buildings, 20 of them in Wellington, from the James Smith carpark to the former Telecom building on Manners Street. Eyal’s steadfast contribution to the industry makes him a worthy recipient of the Long Service Award.
“I cannot think of a more worthy recipient than my good friend Eyal Aharoni,” says Sir Mark Dunajtschik.