Our long-standing commitment to excellence 

A trusted developer for over 70 years 

With more than seven decades of experience across land acquisition, subdivision and development, we've built a solid reputation for delivering high-quality, on-time, on-budget projects that meet the highest construction standards. Our long-standing commitment to excellence has earned the trust of clients and stakeholders, with many of these partners choosing to work with us time and time again.

Built from the ground up by West Auckland residential builder Ron Neil in the early 1950s, The Neil Group quickly expanded from residential construction roots into a full-scale land and property developer. Today, we're proudly one of New Zealand's leading developers, having built over 15,000 homes, developed many more sections and completed a large number of industrial and commercial builds.

MEET OUR DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Phil Ainsworth Portrait
PHIL AINSWORTH
Chief Executive Officer

With a background in accounting, finance, marketing and property development, Phil joined the company in 1982 and has held various roles throughout his career. Notably, Phil was responsible for the acquisition, development and eventual sale of the balance of the Albany Centre site. In January 2015, Phil stepped into the CEO role, leading overall operations for The Neil Group.

Trevor Canty Portrait
Trevor Canty
Senior Development Manager

Trevor joined The Neil Group in 2006 to manage the development of a retirement village in Cambridge and oversee industrial land subdivisions. Now a senior development manager with the company, his background in valuation and real estate has proven indispensable in managing and sourcing property development opportunities.

James Rigg Portrait
James Rigg
Commercial Manager / Development Manager

James joined The Neil Group as a quantity surveyor in 1995 and has since moved into the dual role of commercial manager and development manager. He's responsible for various business functions, including the acquisition and management of land development projects, overseeing IT, and health and safety. With a background in QS, construction, and project management, James is also a member of the NZ Institute of Quantity Surveyors.

David Page Portrait
David Page
Senior Development Manager

With his prior experience in multi-disciplinary consultancy firms specialising in residential and industrial land development, David brings extensive knowledge to The Neil Group as a senior development manager. Since joining the company in 2003, he has overseen multiple development projects from acquisition to completion, leveraging his background and knowledge to create quality developments.

Matt Ashworth Portrait
Matt Ashworth
Development Manager

Matt joined The Neil Group in 2019 as a development assistant before advancing to his current role as a development manager in 2021. In this role, he is responsible for identifying land purchase opportunities and managing project design, consenting and delivery. With a background in architecture and project management, Matt brings valuable expertise to The Neil Group.

Graeme Sun Portrait
Graeme Sun
Sales Consultant

Graeme joined The Neil Group in 2020 as a sales consultant after establishing a long-term business relationship, sourcing land for subdivision development for the company. He holds a Bachelor of Economics, is fluent in Mandarin, and has over 20 years of experience as a foreign exchange dealer and in real estate, where he spent over 10 years working with one of Auckland's major agencies.

Chris Kennedy Portrait
Chris Kennedy
Engineering Design Manager

Since joining The Neil Group in 2015 as a senior engineer, Chris progressed to engineering design manager in 2020, leading our civil engineering design function. He manages both in-house engineering design staff and external consultants, delivering cost-effective design solutions for our projects that meet territorial authority standards and work well on the ground.

Community Initiatives The Neil Group proudly supports