Warren and Mahoney grows Auckland leadership team with two Principal appointments

Ilona Haghshenas and Mat Brown have been promoted from senior roles within the practice, as it continues to expand and deepen both its team and expertise in Auckland.

A registered architect, Ilona grew up in Iran and has worked internationally in Ireland and London. With more than eighteen years’ experience, she has contributed to a diverse range of projects across the commercial, residential, education and aviation sectors.

Since joining the Warren and Mahoney team in 2016, Ilona has worked primarily on the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC), New Zealand’s largest and most versatile conference, exhibition and entertainment precinct. Previously, Ilona worked on the expansion of operations and retail at Auckland International Airport.

“I feel proud to work alongside the exceptionally talented team at Warren and Mahoney every day,” says Ilona. “I believe the deep awareness of cultural and community context that we bring to our design, including diversity and environmental considerations, sets our work apart.”

Mat, who has been a senior architect with Warren and Mahoney since 2014, has 20 years’ experience working across a range of projects in Auckland and London.

Mat’s architectural design work spans a range of sectors, including multi-residential housing, commercial and medical facilities.

With a strong design focus and technical understanding, his most recent work includes the award-winning Quad 7 project at Auckland Airport, and the 786-bed student accommodation campus currently underway for the University of Auckland.

“Recognising and nurturing the talent within our team is key to supporting both our culture and strategy, so we’re delighted to be promoting Ilona and Mat from within the Warren and Mahoney team,” says Managing Director, John Coop.

“Both Ilona and Mat exemplify the teamwork, skill and professional judgment required to succeed in the dynamic and fast-moving environment we operate in.”