Mike Adye Biography

Mike Adye - NAMS Board Member

After graduating from Canterbury University in 1971, Mike commenced his engineering career with the Ministry of Works (MOW) on West Coast in Grey Mouth and Haast before moving to the Christchurch design office. After three years with MOW Mike then left for his big OE. Mike spent two years in London working as a design engineer on oil/gas related projects; including LPG projects in UAE and Qatar, as well as Scotland and in the North Sea. Then to East Africa (Tanzania) where he worked for a Dutch consulting engineering firm on buildings, wharfs and bridges.

Funding for these projects was from a variety of aid donors. Mike spent 9 years in Tanzania; 8 years consulting engineering in two stints with a 1 year gap in the middle running a Tourist Safari camp in Selous Game reserve (about 1/3 the size of NZ). Back in NZ since 1987 Mike’s first job was site manager for rebuilding the Bay Milk Products Plant following the Edgecombe earthquake. He has been in his current role as Group Manager Asset Management for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council since 1993. Responsibilities include all flood protection and drainage assets, natural hazards and civil defence, biosecurity, and as of 1 July 2009, land management functions of Council.

Mike believes the key issues for asset management in NZ are:
• Effective management of infrastructure assets in an environment of increasing public expectation for high quality low risk level of service, increased funding pressure, and increased emphasis on long term sustainability; meaning the industry needs to continue to improve and find smarter ways of delivering the service.
• Poor general understanding of the key role local government plays in the provision of cost effective services essential to community wellbeing.

And for NAMS the key issues are:
• To lead and recognise innovation in asset management practice for the benefit of the whole industry.
 

Mike Adye
NAMS Board Director
P.+64 6 835 9203