James Reilly

At the age of 17 when I first joined the Hyundai Pinnacle Programme, it quickly became apparent to me how influential it would be in shaping my future. I joined as an aspiring runner and football player, but the programme opened up so many more doors for me.

Now, I work in Wellington as a Water Engineer with WSP New Zealand, designing water infrastructure. As you can imagine with the state of our pipes, it's a busy job! I also lead our efforts in decarbonisation, focusing on low-carbon engineering design to make our projects more sustainable.

The Pinnacle Programme truly changed my life, and I want to help the next generation of students and future leaders have the same positive experience I did. If I can give them even half of what I gained, I know New Zealand will be in great hands.