Ken Gimblett celebrates 25 years

Ken's leadership during the Christchurch earthquakes and their aftermath was instrumental in the recovery of the Christchurch office, and of the city itself.

Working with and alongside the “Blueprint 100” consortia, Ken was engaged by the Christchurch Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) to assist in preparing the directions of the Minister of Earthquake Recovery to amend the Christchurch District Plan to implement the Christchurch Central and Land Use Recovery Plans. 

Additionally, as part of the Christchurch Central Development Unit (CCDU) he contributed planning advice and expertise into development of the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan for the Minister for Earthquake Recovery in respect of Central City residential, business and mixed-use environments. In that role, he was focused on how to set a regulatory framework to deliver the Blueprint and wider recovery outcomes.

At the same time, the Boffa Miskell office — then located on Gloucester Street — had been devastated.

"Ken was a great source of support during the Earthquake ‘adventure’, including smashing down a door to get me out of the office and making sure we all stayed safe in the aftermath and beyond," recalls planner Stephanie Styles. 

"Having worked with him at Boffa Miskell and prior to that at Christchurch City Council, I have had the pleasure of being mentored by Ken for a very long time," she continues. "I have moved from assisting him on large scale projects to working alongside him as a colleague and have always appreciated his support and advice."

A partner and board member, Ken currently provides planning advisory services to a range of organisations including various government Ministries, Christchurch City Council, and LINZ Biosecurity Management Services. He has also had significant involvement in preparing numerous resource consent and plan change applications and their associated assessments of environmental effects in relation to a wide range of planning and resource management projects, including large scale and complex energy and utility proposals.

Boffa Miskell's clients benefit from Ken's extensive experience in statutory and environmental planning, effects assessment, policy analysis, plan preparation and administration, and public consultation. He is held in high regard by colleagues, clients and the Environment Court for his depth of understanding of New Zealand's planning system.

Ken has been a South Island presenter of the Resource Management Making Good Decisions Accreditation Course administered by the Ministry for the Environment since its inception in 2005.

"As a planner, his work is always considered; and Ken works extremely hard to ensure the right results for clients and the environment," says Stephanie. "He sets an example by his work ethic and dedication to accuracy... and his extremely long sentences! 

"Within the office, and the wider planning discipline, Ken is a role model for the younger consultants and spends plenty of time helping them to understand what it means to be a consultant," she continues.

Biosecurity consultant Beth Williamson says, "The time that Ken dedicates to mentoring the Christchurch Office Young Professionals group speaks volumes about his genuine interest in our personal and professional wellbeing.

"Ken is always willing to address any questions we have; he fosters open and honest conversations, while creating a sense of camaraderie among the group. His mentorship and on-going support and guidance is invaluable and creates meaningful opportunities for us to connect."

As a member of the New Zealand Planning Institute, the Resource Management Law Association and the Institute of Directors, Ken is often called upon to provide planning advice and evidence to Councils and the Environment Court in their processing of resource consent applications, private and public plan changes and plan variations.

Ken’s leadership skills again came to the fore when he became the only partner in the Christchurch office after Allan Rackham, Don Miskell, Nicola Rykers and Sarah Dawson finished up in relatively close succession in 2014. Ken took on the Managing Partner role and shouldered much of the responsibility for leading the office through the rebuilding period that followed.

"Although he is the first to acknowledge he didn’t do it alone, he provided the reassurance and encouragement for others to see that time as an opportunity to step up," says company COO Blair Walker. "Under Ken's leadership over the past ten years, we grew from one partner and one office to nine partners across three offices in the Southern region."  

Stacey Day is the business service manager for those offices. "I hugely enjoy collaborating with Ken in managing the Southern Region. He has been happy to let me do as much as I want and am able, which is appreciated, and has kept me challenged. He is approachable and is extremely generous with his time for anyone at any level within Boffa Miskell.

"He is well respected, and as well as being passionate about the high-level work he attracts, Ken makes the office a fun place to be," she says. "He thrives on challenges and deadlines, and when he's not busy he can be found helping our office culture."

Most days, Ken's distinctive two-fingered typing echoes throughout the open-plan office and has been described as 'assaulting the keyboard' and 'equipment abuse'. On rare occasions, it goes silent.

"One of his favourite catch-phrases is 'I’m going to be annoying today,'” says Stephanie. "This translates to 'I’ve got a bit of spare time so I'm going wander around the office and see what other people are doing'.

"Another motto is 'Don’t worry, it will be alright, it always is', and that's usually used in relation to the planners when we are panicking about meeting an unreasonable deadline to top-quality standard," she continues.

"Ken's humour is self-deprecating, so even though he says he isn’t really sure how to ‘be sympathetic’, we appreciate that Ken always tries to put the good of the staff alongside the good of the company, and to keep people’s well-being in mind."