CBRE adds two negotiators to Christchurch industrial team

CBRE has welcomed Paul Lawrence and Max Wolvekamp to its Christchurch industrial and logistics team, as the company continues to build depth in response to ongoing investor and tenant demand for industrial property. 

The new recruits add further resource to a strong team focused on owners, occupiers and developers across Christchurch’s key industrial precincts as development and transactional activity remains healthy. 

Tim Rookes, Managing Director of CBRE Christchurch, said the appointments reflect both the resilience of the local industrial market and CBRE’s commitment to expanding its capability in the sector.

“We are continuing to add more dynamic people to the team in response to the growth and depth of liquidity in the local industrial property market. Investors frequently zero in on the relative resilience of prime assets in the industrial sector through market cycles, which is driving ongoing demand from our clients for advisory and transactional support.”

Paul Lawrence joins CBRE with broad business and property experience. He founded and built boutique agency Lawrences Real Estate in Christchurch in 2021 and previously established nationwide business Senior Move Managers, working with listed retirement village groups and assisting residents to move into retirement communities. This has equipped him with longstanding connections in the market. 

He is a pragmatic operator who is adept at generating business, building networks, advising clients and negotiating partnerships, said Rookes.

“Paul brings significant life and business experience to our team. He is a seasoned transactor who understands the importance of client relationships and the commercial drivers behind property and business decisions.”

Max Wolvekamp brings real estate sales experience and strong prospecting skills to his role with CBRE. He is a licensed real estate salesperson and has worked for Harcourts Grenadier, where he ran marketing campaigns, and guided clients through the sale processes.

His background also includes property acquisition work at AsIsWhereIs.co.nz. He holds a National Certificate in Real Estate and a Bachelor of Arts degree.

“Max brings the sort of energy and discipline that is ideally suited to a brokerage role. He has already done the hard yards in prospecting and client-facing real estate roles, and we look forward to seeing him build his commercial real estate career alongside the many experienced operators in our Christchurch team,” Rookes said.

CBRE Research’s latest Christchurch Figures report shows industrial vacancy eased slightly in the second half of 2025, but is still very low at 2.1 percent. Rents have held steady over the past 18 months. While positive net absorption of industrial space returned in the second half of the year, rental growth has plateaued after the strong conditions seen earlier in the cycle.  

However, industrial remains a comparatively resilient sector and investors are still actively looking to add industrial property to their portfolios, the research shows.