Gareth heads up the forecasting team at Infometrics, managing the preparation of the company’s regular forecast publications. Within the forecast process, he is responsible for the macroeconomic overview and building and property forecasts. Gareth has completed a range of consulting projects, many focused on the housing market and construction industry, and he regularly provides presentations that provide relevant economic information in an accessible, clear, and entertaining manner. He is also frequently sought out by the media for comment on topical economic issues.
Gareth’s management experience at Infometrics has given him a good understanding of how economic issues affect business decision making and development. Gareth joined Infometrics in early 1999, having graduated from the University of Canterbury the previous year with a MCom (Hons) in economics and a BSc in economics and statistics. He became managing director of Infometrics in 2006, and he moved into the operations director role in 2014.
Significant consulting reports prepared by Gareth in recent years include: analysing demand conditions for a residential development looking to be progressed in the upper North Island; a report on the provision of affordable housing in Queenstown; forecasting construction labour requirements in Otago given the rebuild of Dunedin Hospital; and several pieces of expert witness evidence for construction cost escalation relating to remedial building work. He prepared Infometrics’ publicly available Regional Hotspots 2016 report, which highlighted some of the key growth regions for New Zealand over the next decade, discussing the opportunities arising in these growth areas as well as potential challenges posed by growth. He is also the author of Infometrics’ Megatrends Report (2018), as well as Food for Thought, which examines potential demand for exports from regions at the top of the South Island (available for download on our Reports page).
Gareth is a born-and-bred Wellingtonian and has four children. Gareth is a long-suffering supporter of the New Zealand cricket team, and he enjoys going tramping and getting off the beaten track every now and then.