NICK ROBERTS

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER & DIRECTOR
Executive Team
Nick Roberts – CEO, Momentum Consulting

Leadership in Recruitment & Talent Solutions
Nick Roberts is CEO of Momentum Consulting, a leading New Zealand recruitment and workforce solutions firm with offices in Wellington and Auckland. With two decades of leadership experience, Nick has driven innovation in many sectors. Momentum excels at executive search, permanent recruitment, and contingent workforce solutions, helping both government (AoG supplier) and private sector clients secure exceptional talent.

Driving Innovation with Technology & AI
Throughout his career, Nick has spearheaded the roll-out of new recruitment technologies, digital transformation initiatives, and strategic rebrands that supported market-leading growth. He is passionate about innovation in recruitment, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced analytics to enhance candidate matching, streamline hiring processes, and create a future-ready workforce model.
International Experience & Financial Expertise

A CA-qualified accountant, Nick brings over a decade of international experience spanning banking, electronics, and investment funds. Before joining Momentum, he was part of the global team at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), where he rolled out SAP enterprise systems and developed business intelligence reporting tools. NYSE later retained him from New Zealand as a consultant to oversee the project’s completion, recognising his critical contribution.

Momentum Leadership Journey
Nick joined Momentum as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in 2012, before stepping into the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in 2015. His leadership style is people-focused and forward-thinking, with a strong emphasis on building a positive, supportive work culture. Under his guidance, Momentum continues to grow as a trusted partner in specialist recruitment across Business Transformation, Finance, Technology, HR, Procurement, Property, and Marketing & Communications.

Board, Start-Up & Community Contributions
Beyond Momentum, Nick has served on the Board of Fertility New Zealand and actively invests in and mentors a range of New Zealand start-ups, providing strategic advice and support. He is inspired by leaders who encourage ambition, take calculated risks, and prioritise people in achieving long-term success.

Vision for the Future of Recruitment
Nick believes the future of recruitment lies in blending human insight with advanced technology. While AI and automation will transform hiring, he champions the role of consultants who advocate for candidates, ensuring that skills, values, and potential are fully recognised beyond what appears on paper.
 
FAQs
What advice would you give to aspiring CEOs or entrepreneurs?
If I were giving advice to aspiring CEOs or entrepreneurs, I’d say I’m known for leaning on a sporting reference, a film quote, or even an obscure analogy. One that always comes to mind is from Any Given Sunday:
“You find out life’s this game of inches. So is football. Because in either game, life or football, the margin for error is so small. One half step too late or too early and you don’t quite make it. One half second too slow or too fast and you don’t quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. On this team, we fight for that inch. On this team, we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. Because we know when we add up all those inches, that’s gonna make the difference between winning and losing, between living and dying.”
For me, that captures business and leadership perfectly. Success is built through resilience, constant learning, and the small daily gains that add up over time. It’s true that you learn more from failure, but if you dwell on setbacks you take your eyes off the prize. The best advice I ever received from a manager I admired was simple: surround yourself with people you trust who are smarter and more capable than you, and then give them the space to thrive.
 
What trends do you see shaping your industry?
AI is rapidly reshaping recruitment. The first wave of advantage went to organisations using algorithms to match candidates, soon followed by language models rewriting job ads and CVs to demonstrate fit. While this has created efficiencies, it has also led to an unintended consequence, such as embellished skills and experiences, which could ultimately reduce the value of the traditional CV.
That’s why I believe the role of the consultant is more important than ever. Technology can process data, but it can’t replicate the sector knowledge, discipline expertise, and human intuition that experienced consultants bring. Our consultants who are deeply connected to their markets, who understand culture, leadership dynamics, and long-term fit, will increasingly influence the hiring decisions that matter most.
For leaders, the lesson is clear. AI will keep evolving, but trust, relationships, and human expertise remain irreplaceable. The future belongs to those who blend the best of technology with the insight and judgment only a trusted advisor can deliver.