ABOUT CRESSIDA CAPITAL
We’re not a bank.
That’s good news.
Established in 2003, Cressida Capital is a privately owned property finance business represented by a team of property professionals dedicated to meeting your specialist funding requirements.
Our goal is to assist property developers and investors to realise their visions in ways that mainstream banks are unable to consider. We do this by delivering flexible funding solutions at market leading rates to meet your timeframes.
You can trust us to be there when the bank says “no” and help unlock the opportunity in your property assets.
Lending Managers
Warren Law
Senior Lending ManagerWarren Law
Senior Lending Manager
+64 21 483 666 | Email | LinkedIn
Warren has considerable experience in the New Zealand property finance market. Prior to joining Cressida, Warren worked at ANZ in various Relationship Management roles including Property Construction Finance.
Warren holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration from Victoria University and is proficient in mandarin (his second language).
Outside of work, Warren is a competitive tennis player, enjoys biking and spending weekends with his young family.
Naomi Yueh
Senior Lending ManagerNaomi Yueh
Senior Lending Manager
+64 21 912 006 | Email | LinkedIn
Naomi was born in Taiwan and first came to New Zealand in 1999. A graduate of University of Auckland with a B.Com majoring in Accounting & Finance, Naomi is fluent in both Chinese and English.
Prior to joining Cressida, Naomi was the Director of Property Finance & Commercial Banking at China Construction Bank. Naomi’s background and language skills enable her to assist a wide range of clients, understanding their needs and how they do business.
In her spare time, Naomi loves art, reading, food, travel, and doing these together with her husband and two young children.
Andrew Stevenson
Lending ManagerAndrew Stevenson
Lending Manager
+64 27 700 2708 | Email | LinkedIn
Andrew holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Auckland and has over 20 years of experience in property, wholesale, construction, development, and retail finance. He has worked with various companies, building deep industry expertise.
Having spent his formative years across the UK, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Sri Lanka, Andrew has a global perspective that informs his approach to business. He even had a stint working at Disney World in Florida.
Outside of work, he enjoys running, football, DIY projects, live music, cooking, and spending time with his two young children.
Meet the team
Nigel Staples
DirectorNigel Staples
Director
+64 21 687 848 | Email | LinkedIn
Nigel was instrumental in establishing Cressida in early 2003 as a non-bank property financier. Prior to this Nigel worked at Ernst Young based in both Auckland and London.
Cressida was one of the few New Zealand non-bank lenders to successfully navigate the GFC. With a relationship driven approach and focus on successful client outcomes, Cressida has a strong and growing footprint in the non-bank lending sector.
Nigel holds Bachelor of Arts majoring in Psychology and Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Accounting from Auckland University and qualified as a Chartered Accountant.
Tony Carter
Board AdvisorTony Carter
Board Advisor
Tony graduated from the University of Canterbury with a Bachelor of Engineering with honours and completed a Master of Philosophy degree at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom.
Tony led Foodstuffs as Chief Executive and Managing Director for 10 years before embarking on his governance career. A recipient of the 2014 Chairperson of the Year Award and awarded the NZ Shareholders Association Beacon Award in 2015, Tony was appointed Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) for his services to business governance in 2020.
Tony also sits on a variety of other boards, including the Warehouse, Fisher and Paykel Healthcare, Fletcher Building, and Datacom.
Andy Kilgallon
Financial ControllerAndy Kilgallon
Financial Controller
Email | LinkedIn
Andy is a Chartered Accountant and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales since 2000. He began his career as an auditor with KPMG followed by 6 years at a FTSE 50 property group in London.
Since his arrival in New Zealand in 2010 Andy has worked for a global property consultancy firm prior to joining Cressida in 2012.
Graeme Clark
SolicitorGraeme Clark
Solicitor
+64 21 530 029 | Email | LinkedIn
A graduate of Otago University, Graeme has practised as a solicitor in both NZ and England.
Graeme has been with Cressida as in-house counsel since 2005. He has had almost 40 years’ experience as a solicitor with his main focus being on property, finance and commercial law.
Prior to joining Cressida Graeme was a partner based in the London office of a multi-national law firm.
Lesley Cork
Legal ExecutiveLesley Cork
Legal Executive
+64 9 623 6845 | Email
Lesley joined Cressida Capital in 2010 after a number of years working for various well regarded Auckland law firms.
Lesley is a qualified legal executive having completed the New Zealand Diploma in Legal Executive Studies in 2010.
Lorna Wilkins-Grant
Property Finance ManagerLorna Wilkins-Grant
Property Finance Manager
+64 274 916 380 | Email
Lorna has an extensive banking background and is well versed in the property finance sector. She has spent more than two decades working for banks in specialist Property Finance Units with an emphasis on construction and development funding.
Previously, Lorna worked as a Senior Relationship and Policy Manager for Westpac NZ Limited.
Lorna has many interests outside of work, including architecture, travel, sewing, food and wine, and road running.
Matt Bishop
Property Finance AnalystMatt Bishop
Property Finance Analyst
Email | LinkedIn
Matt joined Cressida Capital in 2025 and has progressively stepped into the Property Finance Analyst role after gaining hands-on experience across lending and portfolio management. With a Bachelor of Commerce specialising in Finance from the University of Canterbury and currently pursuing his Master of Property at the University of Auckland, he supports loan origination, construction drawdowns, and credit assessment.
Jessica Sharma
Assistant AccountantJessica Sharma
Assistant Accountant
Email
Jessica joined the Cressida team as an Assistant Accountant in 2010, having honed her skills at several other well-known NZ companies in similar roles.
Jessica is a key member of the Cressida team, and she is a valued partner to the wider business. Jessica holds a Business Degree in Accounting and Management and is currently a provisional member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ).
Jessica enjoys cooking, travelling and spending time with her family outside of work.
Megan Burgess
Marketing DirectorMegan Burgess
Marketing Director
+64 9 623 6854 | Email | LinkedIn
Megan has worked with the wider Urban Partners group since 2006 and began shaping the Cressida Capital brand in 2021.
With a background in property and destination marketing and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Auckland, she now leads all Cressida marketing activity, driving brand growth and engagement across property and finance.
Luna Zhou
Marketing ExecutiveLuna Zhou
Marketing Executive
Email | LinkedIn
Luna has several years of marketing experience across China and New Zealand, with a background in branding and marketing strategy and four years of hands-on experience in Auckland’s property industry.
Her experience covers branding, digital marketing, content creation, website management, and campaign coordination. She combines strategic thinking with practical execution and enjoys creating thoughtful, effective marketing.
Community
Our Commitment: The Staples Education Foundation
At Cressida Capital, supporting the next generation is an important part of our responsibility to the community. That’s why we are proud to back the Staples Education Foundation (SEF), a tertiary scholarship programme established in 2015 by Haydn Staples, and based in our Newmarket offices.
Over the past decade, SEF has provided scholarships to over 100 academically talented students from Dilworth School and, since 2024, McAuley High School. The programme goes beyond financial assistance, offering each student a Mentor and Buddy, ongoing training through the Support and Development Programme, and annual work experience in their chosen industry.
Cressida contributes financial support, provides work experience opportunities in property and finance, and has team members, including Nigel Staples, Warren Law, and Graeme Clark actively involved as mentors.
The Foundation has three core objectives
- Achieve a tertiary degree qualification.
- Secure full-time employment in a chosen career
- Give back to their school and wider community
By investing in SEF, Cressida is helping to open doors for young New Zealanders while strengthening the future of the property and development sector we serve today.
Special Children’s Christmas Party 2026
Cressida Capital is proud to once again support the Special Children’s Christmas Party in 2026, an event that brings joy and unforgettable memories to thousands of deserving Kiwi kids every year.
Our team will be attending this event again on 12 December and celebrating alongside the children and their families.
This event relies on the generosity of sponsors and supporters. If your organisation would like to be involved, we encourage you to connect with Darren at SC Events to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.
Why Partner with Cressida?
When it comes to property, experience counts. We’ve been in business for over 20 years, providing tailored finance solutions when the banks won’t.
With thousands of transactions and billions of dollars advanced, our reputation has been built on understanding our customers’ circumstances, projects, and unique
needs.
Cressida can support your success with fast, flexible finance at market leading rates. All our loan offers are credit approved and funding is pre-allocated, so if you need to settle quickly we can too.
