Greg Carlyon  |  MANAGING DIRECTOR | PRINCIPAL PLANNER

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Greg is a planner by training and a master tactician in practice. Greg founded The Catalyst Group in 2011, building the company on his deep understanding that clients need expertise and support in many different ways, and that it takes amazing teams to deliver that. Greg remains the driving force behind the company ambition to provide bespoke, tailored solutions to wicked issues.

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As a great negotiator for his clients’ needs, a resource management specialist, facilitator, and qualified independent commissioner/chair, Greg ensures your project will get the best chance of success based on his multi-decade experience gained across central and local government, with a good dash of experience working with the private sector and NGOs. Operating across the board, Greg typically provides support to clients from the most senior levels within organisations to on-the-ground decision-makers.

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Greg has been the originator and drive behind many big, bold, and innovative projects and programmes, including the Land and Water Aotearoa website (LAWA), the country’s first combined regional policy statement and regionally plan document (the One Plan), and the Sustainable Land Use Initiative (SULI). Alongside delivery of nationally significant projects, Greg has a flair for work at the gritty end of business, providing support to large-scale infrastructure projects, identifying and delivering strategic planning needs, or supporting highly motivated community groups, iwi and hapu to have their values and outcomes recognised in decisions.

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Outside of the office Greg has a long history in the outdoors.  He has been an author of adventure books, race director for national multisport races, and is a frequent visitor to New Zealand’s wild places.

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greg’s areas of expertise include:

• Expert planning support to local authorities for infrastructure projects, and plan change/review processes

• Expert planning support to consent and concession applicants

• Negotiating outcomes for clients in the resource management space

• Presenting to hearing committees, the Environment Court, and the Waitangi Tribunal

• Translating ideas into action