Northland born and raised, Gary Leslie grew up in the Far North on his family farm in Oruaiti Valley, Doubtless Bay. After studying forestry and accounting at Canterbury University, Gary and his wife, Allison, later returned north and established Northern Forest Products to manage the harvesting and marketing of plantation forests throughout Aotearoa. Looking for a different way to use the land, he created Regeneration, land conservationists committed to developing sustainable lifestyle properties. Part way through the Regeneration project, Gary and his family lived in Europe for a couple of years where he completed a double MBA program through the London Business School and Columbia University. Currently, he and his dedicated team are conscientiously working on a number of developments, focused on indigenous reversion, carbon planting and regenerative coastal lifestyle properties.
Gary enjoys spending time with his family and in the great outdoors, including fishing, diving and running.
Having worked with Gary since 2012, Debbie has been an integral part of the team from the beginning. With her attention to detail, and comprehensive background in administration and accounting, Debbie keeps the wheels turning smoothly across the companies and various projects.
Outside of work Debbie can be found spending time with her family including three grandkids, in her extensive garden, or enjoying some of the native bush walks across Northland.
Matt Barr has worked alongside Gary for over 10 years and has become a key member of the Regeneration team. As Operations Manager, Matt leads from the front, inspiring and motivating those around him with energy and a work ethic that’s hard to rival.
Usually found with his Labrador, Mack, close by, Matt’s can-do attitude, depth of knowledge, forward planning and clear communication have proven invaluable across the business.
Outside of work, Matt enjoys challenging himself through distance running and is now into the world of ultra-marathons.
