“Leadership is about staying ahead of the curve, anticipating challenges, empowering people to make decisions, and building a culture of collaboration and accountability.” That's the philosophy that guides Anton Benadie, Senior Project Manager at Higgins Auckland.

Since moving to New Zealand, Anton has built a reputation for delivering complex infrastructure projects while mentoring others and developing high-performing teams. Starting as a Senior Project Manager, he played a key role in securing and delivering major projects, including upgrades at Auckland Airport, before taking on a leadership role on the Eastern Busway project.

Today, Anton leads pavement delivery across one of Auckland's most significant transport programmes, combining strategic thinking with technical expertise to drive innovation and project success.

One standout achievement has been the redesign of the Rā Hihi / Pakuranga Drive intersection.

“We delivered a major redesign that reduced costs, shortened the construction programme, lowered carbon emissions and minimised disruption for road users, all through strong teamwork and clear communication.”

For Anton, infrastructure is ultimately about people.

“I'm proud not only of the projects we're delivering, but also of how we're developing people, strengthening collaboration and building high-performing teams.”