Darren Soo
General Manager, Land Development
Darren is a property development and construction professional with over 25 years of experience delivering large-scale residential and urban regeneration projects in New Zealand and internationally. He is currently leading land development initiatives at Templeton Group, driving sustainable and community-focused housing solutions
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Surveying, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Registered Surveyor
- Licensed Cadastral Surveyor
- Registered Professional Surveyor
- New Zealand Institute of Management
- Managing Non-performance
- Business Coaching Skills
- Presentation and Communication Skills
- Fundamentals of Project Management
- Auckland Chamber of Commerce – The Art of Influence and Assertion
- Columbia Business School – Building and Leading Effective Teams
Expertise
Land Development Leadership: managing large-scale residential and urban regeneration projects in New Zealand and internationally.
Strategic Project Delivery: Skilled in land acquisition, feasibility analysis, due diligence, and securing project funding.
Design & Construction Management: Extensive experience overseeing civil design, operational requirements, and contract administration for complex developments.
Stakeholder Engagement: Proven ability to manage relationships with councils, government agencies, and community stakeholders to achieve project approvals and infrastructure agreements.
Financial & Risk Management: Expertise in budgeting, cost control, and risk mitigation for multi-million-dollar projects.
Urban Planning & Master planning: Delivered high-yield residential subdivisions and mixed-use developments, including plan changes and rezoning processes.
Leadership & Team Development: Trained in business coaching, project management, and team leadership through NZIM and Columbia Business School programs.