Andreas Heuser
Andreas Heuser is a senior economic and infrastructure advisor with over twenty years’ experience advising governments, regulators, and investors on complex policy, regulatory, and investment decisions. Andreas has advised Ministers, multilateral development institutions, and utility CEOs on reforms that improve performance and unlock investment. His recent projects include guiding water sector reforms in New Zealand as Chair of the Government’s Technical Advisory Group, developing a new regulatory framework for the Fiji Water Authority, advising New Zealand and Pacific governments on fuel and energy security, and supporting major infrastructure investors on due diligence and market entry in Australia and New Zealand.
He is recognised for his deep understanding of utility economics, regulatory design, and public–private governance, and for his ability to communicate complex issues clearly to decision-makers. He has led teams delivering flagship projects for clients such as the New Zealand Ministry for the Environment, MBIE, the Asian Development Bank, and the World Bank, working in partnership with leading engineering and legal firms. Based in Wellington, New Zealand, Andreas recently led the Asia–Pacific practice of Castalia, a global economic and financial consultancy. Prior to this, Andreas worked in economic policy roles at the New Zealand Treasury and in legal practice for leading firms in Europe. Andreas now advises clients through Heuser | Whittington.
Phil Whittington
Phil Whittington combines a deep interest in policy and economics with a focus on how real decisions get made in practice. He cares about structuring problems so the assumptions and judgment that matter most are visible and manageable.
Phil has spent over a decade in senior roles at the New Zealand Treasury and Inland Revenue, most recently as Chief Economist and Policy Director at IRD, where he led economics, forecasting, and evaluation functions. He has worked closely with several Ministers of Finance and Revenue on major policy decisions.
Phil led the analytical work on the 2023 wealth tax proposal, leading the design work and assessing fiscal and economic impacts. He also advised the Tax Working Group on the design and economic effects of the 2020 capital gains tax proposal. He also led the Policy unit’s generative AI pilot, which built the evidence base for organisation-wide adoption.
Phil holds degrees in economics and law from Victoria University of Wellington and successfully completed the three CFA exams. He is known for his ability to cut through complications to identify key levers, and for translating analytical depth into advice that leaders can use: clear about trade-offs, honest about limits, and focused on the decision at the centre.
Hemant Passi
Principal Advisor (Data Science and Modelling)
Hemant Passi is a senior economist and data scientist with deep experience in public sector economic modelling and analytics.
He is a recognised expert in data science and analytics, economic modelling and fiscal policy advice, developed over almost two decades at Ofcom (UK telecommunications regulator), New Zealand Treasury and New Zealand Infrastructure Commission (Te Waihanga) and in consulting roles.
Hemant has led major data science and analytics work streams, developed influential frameworks for public sector discount rates, and led important economic and regulatory modelling projects.
His current interests lie in machine learning and data science and deploying new technologies to improve analytical outputs.
Hemant holds an MPhil from the University of Cambridge and an MSc from the University of Warwick.
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