Managing Director and CEO Regan Higgins founded Franklin Smith to provide bespoke recruitment and employment solutions to both employers and candidates, and to bring great companies together with great people.
With offices in Auckland, Christchurch, Nelson, and Brisbane our growing team of recruitment consultants are at the forefront of their specialist fields. Transparency, accountability, and reliability are at the core of all we do.
Our people
My recruitment career commenced when I began working for a large multinational in Auckland in 2006. After a few years I took the plunge and tackled the challenge of establishing my own recruitment consultancy from the ground up.
I founded Franklin Smith in 2014 with the aim of becoming the benchmark of the recruitment industry – providing practical, solutions-based outcomes for both candidates and employers.
This business is committed to fashioning a truly global model sustainable through diversification and investment in key concepts and personnel. My desire to create a legacy and a truly global corporate footprint is a constantly evolving objective, and one that means no two days at work are ever really the same!
The cornerstone of my corporate ethos is that any organisation is nothing without successful interpersonal relationships, both internal and external. Whether you are client, candidate or supplier, I truly believe it’s all about the people.
Fundamentally, the recruitment industry is very simple – it’s about getting like-minded, high-calibre people together to produce great things.
I originally arrived in New Zealand from the UK back in 2010 and made the leap into recruitment in 2015 before joining Franklin Smith in 2016. My spare time is largely occupied by my beautiful daughter Charlee whilst still trying to find time to travel, with a bit of fishing, football, and snooker thrown in for good measure. There’s nothing more rewarding than leading a high-performing team of recruiters and seeing the positive impact working for Franklin Smith has on their lives and, of course, celebrating our success.
I serve as the Finance Director at Franklin Smith, where I am entrusted with the strategic financial management of our dynamic enterprise. With a background deeply rooted in finance, I take pride in upholding the fiscal integrity that underpins our operations.
Being a chartered accountant (CPA – Aus and CASL) and a chartered management accountant (CIMA-UK), my journey in finance has been diverse. Collaborating closely with our leadership team, I provide insights and strategic financial guidance to empower our mission of uniting talent with opportunities. I am dedicated to preserving Franklin Smith’s financial health, safeguarding its future, and supporting its growth.
I began my HR career in 2014 and during this time have had the privilege of working across Australia, England, Canada, and New Zealand in a variety of industries, including mining, healthcare, finance, and HVAC. These diverse experiences, combined with my academic background in Psychology and Business, have strengthened my passion for leading initiatives that drive employee engagement and build high-performing workplace cultures.
When I’m not working, I love being outdoors—whether hiking, camping, or relaxing by the beach. I’m also an avid foodie, always on the hunt for new cuisines and hidden culinary gems.
Originally from the North of England, I am a qualified Plumbing and Heating Engineer with over 16 years’ experience in the Plumbing and HVAC industry. Having stepped away from the tools around four years ago, I’ve embraced new challenges that push me beyond my comfort zone and allow me to continue developing both personally and professionally.
Outside of work, I’m a proud father to my beautiful little daughter Georgia, and I enjoy spending my spare time fishing, golfing, or heading to the pub for a couple of beers.
With a passion for connecting people with their ideal careers, I have been a dedicated recruitment professional since 2018. Born and raised in Nelson, where I continue to recruit, I bring deep local knowledge and a genuine love for helping individuals find fulfilling job opportunities. As a family-oriented woman, I value building strong, supportive relationships with both clients and candidates, ensuring a personalized and effective recruitment process.
Originally from Canada, my journey took me to London for several years before Whistler, BC, where I spent multiple seasons snowboarding. In late 2018, I relocated to New Zealand and have never looked back.
Over the past seven years, I have had the privilege of developing my career in operations. I take pride in ensuring that everything behind the scenes runs seamlessly, enabling the business to operate efficiently and effectively.
Outside of work, you’ll find me at the beach, curled up with a good book, or planning my next travel adventure.
Having personally experienced the migration journey, I understand both the opportunities and challenges that come with building a new life in another country. Born in Saudi Arabia and holding a Philippines passport, I spent the first 15 years of my life in the Middle East before returning to the Philippines to complete my bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship. In 2017, I migrated to New Zealand and later completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Business.
My career in immigration began in 2019 as an Immigration Assistant, and through dedication and a genuine passion for helping others, I became a Licensed Immigration Adviser for New Zealand in 2020. In 2024, I also became a Registered Migration Agent for Australia, enabling me to assist clients across both countries. My passion for this profession came from a deep desire to support fellow Filipinos and other migrants in navigating complex immigration systems with confidence and clarity. I am committed to providing practical, honest, and personalised guidance to help individuals and families achieve their migration goals and create a better future for themselves.
I’ve been in recruitment for nearly two years now, starting in Technology, then moving into Civil, and now working in Subtrades – all of which have been really rewarding in their own way. Before that, I was a territory sales rep, selling footwear to retailers across the country.
A bit about me – I’m a massive basketball and MMA fan, and I’ve been playing basketball for 15+ years. I was also a NZ rep swimmer back in the day. I live with my partner and our cat, and outside of work I enjoy watching sport, playing golf after hours or on the weekends, catching up with mates, and travelling. One of my favourite experiences was living in the US for six months in 2017, working on Lake Tahoe at a boat and jet ski rental and travelling around rural America.
Born and raised in South Africa and recently relocated to New Zealand. Excited to start anew!
I am a Dedicated Payroll Specialist driven by precision, passion, and a commitment to excellence. I have joined the Franklin Smith family as a detail-oriented Payroll Officer with 9 years of experience in payroll operations to contribute to a dynamic team and add value to the organization.
I am excited for the future, embracing growth, and learning. I trust in my abilities and am ready to thrive.
With a diverse background spanning logistics, construction, and hospitality, I bring a unique perspective to recruitment. After managing Aikmans bar in Merivale, where I led a team of 35 and honed my skills in HR and operations, I transitioned into recruitment in June 2023. Specializing in the commercial and residential construction sectors, I leverage my industry insights to identify and place exceptional management candidates. My journey reflects a commitment to fostering strong teams and driving business success.
Growing up in Wellington, I have been immersed in multi-cultural discipline and diverse people. Leading up to making the shift to Auckland, I graduated from the University of Otago where I studied environmental management, politics, and economics. I have lived in Auckland for the past few years now where I have worked in a variety of industries with recruitment ultimately being my favourite thus far. All have enhanced not only my skills but added to my experience and opened my eyes to the endless opportunities on offer. I am a yes-woman which essentially leads to having a very busy schedule outside of work. You’ll find me either in the pilates studio, running, or cooking in my kitchen in the company of my partner, friends or family over food and a vino.
I am a Filipino who migrated to New Zealand pre-2011. I began my career here as a Carpenter following the 2011 Christchurch Earthquake and was given the opportunity to contribute to various construction projects across Canterbury. I worked on major sites under both Higgs Construction and Naylor Love which gave me an understanding of how these companies operate and what people onsite, like myself at the time, required. This experience has helped me with my role today.
In October 2022, I joined Franklin Smith while working with Naylor Love. Due to a work-related injury while working on the Christchurch Hospital project, being ‘on-the-tools’ came to an end. While I miss working with a toolbelt, Franklin Smith Group gave me a chance to work as a Candidate Logistics and Health & Safety Coordinator.
In my current role, I support workers with their needs and concerns. I take pride in ensuring our people feel valued, safe, and supported on-site like I once required on-site.
Outside of work, I am a nature enthusiast and have an interest in fishing, hiking, and trekking.
Ever since I can remember I’ve been building something, from looking very serious as a 3-year-old handing my dad tools to working on site as a hammer hand in my 20s during Uni – I’ve had a passion for construction.
After finishing my studies in Psychology and Marketing, I went into the corporate sales world for a few years before finding my way to a life in recruitment back in 2021 and have never looked back.
I genuinely love guiding design professionals in the next step of their career and take pride in helping businesses find the right person for their team.
Personally, I am a big basketball fan, movie buff and book worm… and depending on how the week is going; partial to a vigorous gym session or cheeky pint.
Christchurch born-and-bred recruiter with 15 years of experience in the trades industry. While I’ve joined the Warehousing and Logistics sector with the team at Franklin Smith, I continue to work across Civil Construction recruitment as well – bringing a well-rounded, hands-on understanding of both fast-paced environments. I thrive on the recruitment rollercoaster, no two days are the same, and that’s exactly why I love it. For me, it’s all about the people, building strong, lasting relationships with clients, candidates, and colleagues is what drives me.
Outside of work, I’m kept on my toes by my husband and our two kids, balancing sports, family life, and all the chaos in between. I’ve also been running Texas Hold’em poker events for over 20 years – an old-school passion that keeps things competitive and fun!
Born and raised in Auckland, I come from a long line of Tradies, so after leaving school at 15 to start my apprenticeship, I became the youngest qualified builder in New Zealand. I then moved into the high-end residential market, where I gained my LBP and learnt how to provide a quality product to clients. I joined Franklin Smith to continue my love for the industry, learn new skills, and work within an amazing team.
At Franklin Smith, I use my on-site experience to provide our clients with the right candidates who can excel and grow within their specialised field. The most rewarding part of the job is seeing a happy candidate contribute to the success of their client’s project.
I grew up in Reefton on the West Coast in a coal mining family before leaving as a teenager to chase a rugby dream. This took me to Russia, Japan, Italy, and New Zealand across more than a decade of professional play. After retiring from the game, I moved into sales in Dunedin, where I project-managed aluminum joinery contracts across the Otago region. This gave me a real appreciation for the trades and what it takes to get a job done right.
Now based in the North Island, I specialise in roles across carpentry and associated sub-trades. Living overseas for so many years taught me that every interaction is better when there’s genuine care behind it and that’s exactly what I bring to recruitment. Outside of work you’ll find me on the golf course, assistant coaching at Takapuna Rugby Club, or out walking our dog, Benji, with my wife Michelle.
I’m a locally born and bred Cantabrian with a love for all sports with an oval ball – Rugby League, Union, Touch and NFL.
I started my professional working career as a Physical Education teacher in the UK before returning to Christchurch after the earthquakes. The earthquake rebuild created many opportunities in the construction industry and I saw recruitment as a chance to help out with the rebuild and contribute to my home town.
I started in 2013 in recruitment in the Carpentry trades as Temp and Perm consultant. Over the years I worked my way up from a Consultant to Business Manager with a primary focus on the Migrants trade model. At Franklin Smith my focus is on recruiting and delivering migrant Filipino tradesman across the South Island, as well as overseeing the recruitment, candidate management and client delivery for the Christchurch branch. With over 10 years’ experience in the recruitment industry, I have a very good understanding on how to deliver desirable results to both the candidates and clients. My passion is finding good people good jobs within a good company.
Newly appointed Accommodation Manager at Franklin Smith, I offer over 25 years of experience in hospitality and property management. My tenure has cultivated a thorough understanding of accommodation services, budgetary oversight, and regulatory adherence. I am dedicated to maximizing tenant satisfaction and upholding operational efficiency within our facilities, confident that my expertise will ensure well-managed accommodation services throughout the Franklin Smith Dunedin region.
Previously having worked for the NZ Police for seven years and looking for that something different, I sure found that here at Franklin Smith. With little to no idea what recruitment entailed I am grateful that the company took a chance on me to be their guy, looking after the Pastoral Care of our migrant workers from the Philippines and handling some of the Health & Safety for the company.
Like many superheroes I too lead a double life when I am not at work. I love spending quality time with family and friends having plenty of laughs and good times, enjoying all kinds of yummy food (I mean, look at me!), and watching various sports but passionate about the oval ball kind. Depending on who you ask, rumour has it I may have a rubber arm.
I am a finance professional with over 20 years of experience in accounting and financial management. As a Financial Accountant at Franklin Smith, I am responsible for ensuring financial accuracy, maintaining compliance, and supporting strategic planning.
I am a Chartered Accountant in Sri Lanka and hold a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy, as well as an MBA in Finance from the Auckland Institute of Studies. My areas of expertise include financial reporting, budgeting, risk management, and corporate finance.
With a strong analytical mindset and a commitment to excellence, I am dedicated to enhancing financial efficiency and driving business growth.
I migrated to New Zealand in 2001, so with personal experience of the immigration process I believe this helps me understand how challenging and frustrating it can be. I have been in the immigration industry for 15 years, which has helped me develop a profound understanding of immigration laws and policies in New Zealand. I have learnt the intricacies, challenges, and rewards associated with immigration, ensuring that you receive accurate advice tailored to you and your family. In my spare time, I enjoy recharging myself by visiting beaches, playing PC/video games, having backyard BBQs and drinks with family and friends, or enjoying a movie night.
Originally from Edinburgh, I came to New Zealand for a six-month trip… nearly seven years later, I’m still here! Golf, football, and kickboxing are my go-to passions, but when I’m not on the move, you’ll probably find me indulging in Asian fusion or spending an entire weekend staring into my BBQ.
With a background in sales within Auckland’s construction sub-trades, stepping into recruitment felt like the right move at the right time. I’m all about building strong relationships and connecting great people with the right opportunities.
