Cathy Thomas is a highly regarded Chartered Structural Engineer with over 40 years’ experience in structural engineering, building investigation and remediation. Her combination of technical expertise, practical construction knowledge and sound professional judgement has earned her a reputation as one of New Zealand’s leading authorities on complex engineering matters.

Cathy began her career as a structural draughtsperson before progressing through design, project engineering and leadership roles. This has given her a deep understanding of how buildings are designed, constructed and perform over time. Her experience spans commercial, residential, government and infrastructure projects, including landmark developments like Macau Tower, and significant heritage buildings such as Takapuna Grammar School, the Whitcoulls building in Auckland’s CBD, and Dunedin’s Arthur Barnett building.

She has particular expertise in seismic assessment and strengthening, weathertightness remediation, and the development of practical, cost-effective repair and upgrade solutions. Cathy is regularly engaged for forensic engineering, peer review and expert witness work, including the investigation of building defects, structural failures and earthquake damage, the review of structural designs, and the provision of independent expert evidence in dispute resolution.

As a Director of Prendos, Cathy provides technical leadership across the business, sharing her extensive knowledge through mentoring and helping clients make informed decisions with confidence and clarity.