Consultants

Our people are creative, autonomous and thinking. They are professionals in their field, backed by robust processes and procedures. Their aim is to partner you in your business or in your search for new employment.

9am People's blue chip client base, its quality practices and sound business approach has been largely due to leadership by consulting director Jane Lewis. Jane originally established 9am under the name Lewis & Associates. She is well known for her work in human resources, as a member of senior management for a multinational. She spent years as managing director of a human resources consultancy.

Jane Lewis (view photo)
Consulting Director
“I’ve been in the recruitment and HR industry for many years. I gained a unique blend of senior level recruitment, consulting and leadership skills, and set up 9am People recognising an opportunity to add value to standard recruiting processes. So 9am People also provides learning and development workshops on recruitment and selection.
Our team is passionate about doing things well. From feedback (clients and job seekers) we believe we are succeeding! If a fresh approach and creative thinking appeals to you – let’s talk!”

David Smith (view photo)
Director
“I have spent many years in NZ and overseas creating and developing business ventures. My objectivity, energy and sound business acumen have seen me strongly contribute as a director of 9am People to IT and business solutions.
My industry background sits outside of recruitment. This allows Jane Lewis and I to approach the vision of 9am with balance and fresh thinking.”

Susan De La Vega (view photo)
Consulting Manager, Business Support
Susan been in the recruitment industry for a few years now, with over half her time spent with 9am People. She was amongst the first people hired by Jane Lewis as her business began to expand, and is now a vital member of the team and an inspirational manager. After returning to New Zealand from time spent working in Australia, she was unaware of what was going on in the local market, but keen to break into the industry. After several experiences with large firms that left her feeling dissatisfied, she began to look farther afield and came across 9am People, then known briefly as Lewis & Associates. “I met Jane and she was just so inspirational and had such a different methodology to what I was used to in Australia,” says Susan, “which was really exciting.” She accepted Jane's job offer immediately, and has never looked back. The mum of new baby, 9am People have allowed her to adjust to being a mum whilst working part time hours, and she aims to be back in the company full time as soon as possible. “They are just the most supportive company and that creates such a sense of loyalty amongst staff that extends to their clients and candidates,” she says, “and at the end of the day, it's more than just putting another fee through.”

Antony Harvey (view photo)
Consulting Manager
Coming from a background as a self confessed failed accounting Antony moved into recruitment for the variety and change. Originally specialising in the accounting and finance space, he has now grown that to become a true senior level generalist recruiter. Having experience working in both his native UK markets and now since early 2005 in the NZ markets, Antony has been recruiting in the mid to senior space for nearing 10 years as a whole working with some of New Zealand’s leading companies and people. Now as Consulting Manager for 9am, he heads up the Executive arm of the business as well as the temporary and Contract team, but keeps his hand in by still recruiting a wide variety of roles.

Diane Fuiava (view photo)
Senior Consultant, Business Support
A Senior Consultant at 9am People, Diane is proud of the fact that “I really like people!” This lead her to seek out a job in the recruitment industry, after many years spent working in the finance and banking sector in a variety of roles that ranged from teller to Assistant Manager. “The thing I really enjoyed about my previous job was recruiting people and seeing the smile on someone's face when I told them they got the job,” she explains, “and I get that feeling almost everyday here!” She says that she loves to watch people progress throughout their careers, and that element of sustained employment is one of the core philosophies at 9am People, alongside maintaining a healthy work/life balance, another element Diane is passionate about. She believes that one of the keys to being a good recruiter is really wanting to make a difference in someone's life, discovering their strengths and talents and helping them get to a point in their career where their potential is being fully realised. “I love to watch people flourish, and that is what we achieve here".

Angela Cathcart (view photo)
Senior Consultant
Angela’s career has been dominated by roles within the Contact Centre industry, successfully leading teams and having a great time doing it!  Her passion for people has naturally led her into recruitment. "I enjoy understanding businesses and being the catalyst for change, influencing a great career move or introducing a business to a great candidate is extremely rewarding!".
She says her key strengths would be her strong understanding and affiliation with the Contact Centre industry, her adaptability, and her dedication. 
"Joining 9am People has been one of my best career moves thus far.  I work alongside an inspirational team; they are spirited, genuine and knowledgeable, and they get results!".

Emma Smidt (view photo)
Consultant
For the ten years prior to her starting work at 9am People, Emma has experienced enough varied roles in her professional life to make her really understand the needs of clients and candidates in the field of recruitment. Originally from Napier, she worked in the retail sector throughout her studies - she has a Bachelor of Commerce & Administration majoring in Management and Management science- and eventually took on a management role not long after her graduation. After years of store management she realised that the recruiting side of the job was the part she liked best, and chose 9am People to be the place where she put her passion into place full time. She says that “finding the right job for the right person and finding the right person for the job” is what she does best, and believes that therein lies the key to effective recruitment at its most basic. She says that there is so much more to recruiting than she ever thought, and that 9am People is the perfect environment for learning how to become a great recruiter. “Every day I come to work I know that I'm with the best company,” she says, “I feel like I've finally found the place where I'm meant to be".

Thomas Wara (view photo)
Consultant
As a man who works every day placing largely call centre-based roles, Thomas Wara finds himself interacting with people from all backgrounds and ethnicities and says that his main strength is being a real “people person” who his candidates can relate to and trust. He has worked in recruitment for a number of years now, in sectors as varied as IT executive recruitment and as a recruiter for WINZ placing beneficiaries back into the workforce. A native of Pukekohe, he says that the recruitment industry was something he fell into after witnessing the excitement of the job after being placed into a role by a particularly inspiring consultant when he was living and working in Australia. “After I moved back to New Zealand I decided it was definitely an area I wanted to move into,” he says, and he thinks he's definitely found his niche at 9 am People. “I definitely think I can help bring a talent for dealing with diversity into the role due to my professional background, and I'm also passionate about fostering client relationships,” he says, “so I'm really excited about being able to do both in my role at 9am”.

Kristina Vergis (view photo)
Associate Consultant
Kristina started at 9am people in 2007; originally joining the team in reception and accounts where she excelled.  In 2008 Kristina was promoted to Associate Consultant where she has applied her strong organisational skills, dynamic personality and determined attitude. Kristina has planned and worked in numerous assessment centres with clients from assorted industries and has placed candidates in incredible roles. Kristina thrives on the challenging and rewarding environment that both recruitment and 9am People offer and enjoys being able to build relationships with clients and candidates while growing her career. “I knew that I'd love working at 9am People from the minute I walked in the door,” she explains, “It’s such a vibrant atmosphere”.