Joe Edwards

Joe joined the board in 2023 after a long career in civil engineering, with a particular focus on the underground and tunnelling sector. Joe was Operations Manager for McConnell Dowell Constructors, Ross Reid Contractors, and Downer Construction before starting his own consultancy in 2018. Joe and his wife also own a commercial orchard in Auckland.

Joe has a particular passion for workplace health and safety and says that one of the aspects of Taylors Contracting that he has long admired has been the way that the company cares for its staff.

“A lot of my background has been in underground operations so I’ve seen the worst of workplace poor conditions and subsequent fatalities,” says Joe.

Joe has served with Taylors Contracting CEO Charlie Taylor on several boards and is currently on the Contrafed Publishing board with him. Joe is also current chairperson of MinEx – the extractives industry safety council – and chairperson of the New Zealand Mines Rescue Trust.

“Charlie and I have both served on the New Zealand Contractors Federation executive and both of us have been President. I’ve always admired the way that Charlie and Taylors have focused on innovative and new ideas.” 

Joe says that the industry’s statistics for workplace fatalities are not good and there is so much more to do to ensure that procedures and risk assessments are in place and followed.

“We can’t be complacent,” he says.