Debbie’s passion for seniors drove her to seek a career change, and in 2023 she came on board as Sales Manager at The Helier.

Prior to moving into the retirement living and aged care sector, Debbie enjoyed a
range of roles across hospitality and tourism. From an early stint with P&O Catering, to tourism roles in our adventure capital Queenstown, Debbie gained valuable insight into all things business and people focused, while growing her skillset in service.

Debbie then spent 20 years in the music industry, finishing up as General Manager for Play It Strange, a trust for young NZ songwriters looking to break into the industry. Working with young people helped to grow Debbie’s understanding of inclusivity and diversity, which was also reflected in her homelife raising her son with Autism. 

A St Heliers local, Debbie has enjoyed seeing The Helier take shape from her home. She loves the area and takes pride in helping residents on their journey to make the decision to move into The Helier. 

As Debbie continues to grow The Helier community, she engages the simple mantra of importance; he tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata; it is people, it is people, it is people.

Antonie (Tony) Els is originally from South Africa and has spent more than 20 years working across hospitality, luxury resorts, golf, lifestyle and service-based businesses in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. He and his wife, Liesl, made New Zealand home several years ago and have enjoyed building their life and career in the country.

With a career that has taken him from some of the world’s leading golf and resort destinations to executive leadership roles across hospitality and business, Tony has always been passionate about people, service and creating experiences that make a difference. His career has included senior roles with Sun International at Sun City, General Manager positions at Windross Farm Golf Course and The Victoria Golf Club, CEO of Rhima Group across Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, and most recently leadership of the Kinloch and Treetops properties in Taupō/Rotorua.

Throughout his career he has led diverse teams, managed complex operations and significant budgets, worked closely with Boards and owners, overseen property and facilities, delivered major events and driven improvements in financial performance and service standards. He has a particular passion for developing people and creating cultures where teams feel supported, empowered and accountable for delivering exceptional service.

Outside of work, Tony has a lifelong passion for golf, having spent much of his career around the game, from course management and agronomy to club and resort leadership. He also enjoys travel, good food and wine, and spending time with family and friends.

Tony describes his leadership philosophy simply: culture first, then vision, strategy and operating procedures. He believes that when people feel respected, supported and connected, they are better equipped to create exceptional experiences for others. 

Tanya grew up in St Heliers and Glendowie, and with family still living in the area, she now lives nearby in Stonefields.

Trained as a Beauty Therapist, studied Interior Design, she is creative specialising in colour and design, she also has a hidden talent as a singer.

In the 1980s, Tanya completed her OE while nannying for a wonderful family in Fulham, London, which became her home base and second family for more than three years. During that time, she was fortunate to travel extensively throughout England and Europe, as well as experience a life-changing overland trip through Africa.

Most recently, Tanya worked for Oceania at the Support Office as an Aged Care Advisor for two years, helping families navigate care options and supporting potential residents to find the best independent living choice for their individual needs.

Before joining Oceania, Tanya spent five years in media sales with NZME, working across OneRoof and previously realestate.co.nz.

Across her career, Tanya has enjoyed a variety of roles, and one of her proudest achievements was co-founding Switchit, a business offering partial home staging and decluttering services to help clients prepare their homes for sale. It was through this work that she first supported clients as they moved into retirement living. Tanya found it a real privilege to be invited into people’s homes and to help during what can be a significant and sometimes stressful life transition.

As Tanya begins this new chapter, with her older children now leaving home to follow their dreams, she is excited to be joining The Helier as Resident Concierge. Her goal is to help ensure residents feel supported, valued, and able to enjoy living their very best lives at The Helier.

Tanya has been described as a “unicorn,” which she takes as a compliment. To her, it means she easily adapts in any situation, always happy to help, makes people feel heard and special.