Investment Committee
The Fund’s Investment Committee is appointed by the Board and Investment Manager
Montie Baskett
Montie is an experienced commercial lawyer with a strong focus on construction, real estate, and infrastructure projects. He has advised on a wide range of complex transactions across both the private and public sectors, bringing a pragmatic, solutions-oriented approach to high-value developments.
Montie began his legal career in Auckland, holding roles at leading firms Russell McVeagh and Buddle Findlay. He later moved in-house with The Russell Group, a specialist property and construction firm, where he gained hands-on experience in the commercial delivery of large-scale projects.
In 2021, Montie returned to the Bay of Plenty with his partner and two sons. He initially joined Horizon Energy Group in a senior legal role and now works as a legal consultant with regional law firm Holland Beckett, where he continues to support clients on infrastructure and development matters across the region.
Jonathan Holden
After nearly 20 years’ experience in banking and investment management, Jonathan co-founded New Ground after realising the potential to attract capital into areas of the economy which are both capital constrained and offer attractive long term investment returns.
Before joining New Ground, he was Global Head of Liquidity Risk Management for Westpac Banking Corporation and Head of NZ Trading Risk Management, a role in which he oversaw the Treasury and Financial Markets activities through a period of unprecedented turbulence and regulatory change.
Jonathan’s experience spans funds administration, wealth management, credit risk, balance sheet management and project management for organisations including Credit Suisse, Vontobel, Bank of New York, Henderson Investors, Bank of New Zealand and Westpac.
A father of two, Jonathan takes primary responsibility as COO for ensuring the smooth running of all operational and regulatory compliance aspects of the business. The breadth of Jonathan’s experience, from his well travelled and diverse career, makes him uniquely suited to this key role within NGC, and he looks forward to New Ground evolving into the country’s pre-eminent alternative asset manager.
Wayne Knox
Wayne has over a decade of experience in Māori housing, including serving as General Manager of Te Matapihi – He Tirohanga mō te Iwi Māori, the national peak body for Māori housing. His work spans policy, advocacy, and kaupapa Māori approaches to community development.
Wayne is currently pursuing a PhD in Architecture, where his research focuses on showcasing tangata whenua-led solutions to Aotearoa’s housing crisis. Of Waikato-Tainui descent through his mother and a third-generation Katikati local on his father’s side, Wayne brings a deep understanding of both iwi and place-based perspectives to his work.
In 2024, he founded his own consultancy, Pūnga Āio (www.pungaaio.co.nz), which supports iwi, hapū, and community organisations to develop housing solutions grounded in mātauranga Māori and self-determination. He is also an experienced facilitator and governance advisor, committed to advancing equity and tino rangatiratanga in Aotearoa’s housing system.