About Us
Melanie (Mel) is a business owner, operational leader, and certified Leadership and Organisational Coach. She has extensive experience leading large operational teams, driving strategy in corporate settings, and running her own business. What makes her perspective unique is her journey from Executive Assistant to business owner to senior corporate leader, giving her a deep understanding of the challenges of entrepreneurship, leadership, and playing a support role.
Having experienced the strain of leader–assistant relationships and faced the challenge of developing herself, Mel founded Exec-Assist to alleviate these challenges for others, helping leaders and assistants work together more effectively and thrive.
Grounded in Mel’s core values of integrity, honesty, and collaboration, Exec-Assist has grown into a diverse team dedicated to supporting our clients.
Mel’s personal mission is clear: to create lasting change, one relationship at a time. Exec-Assist is more than a business entity; we’re a movement. Our approach embraces all administrative professionals and senior leaders, regardless of title. Together, we’re shaping a brighter, more collaborative future for Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Founder & Leadership Coach
Leah is a Recruitment and Talent Acquisition Specialist with a global perspective and a strong commitment to people‑centred practice. With experience recruiting across Canada, the United States, and Aotearoa New Zealand, she brings deep capability in full‑cycle recruitment, proactive sourcing, talent strategy, and trusted partnering with leaders and organisations.
Her approach reflects the values at the heart of Exec Assist: empathy, clarity, and genuine connection, underpinned by commercial awareness and delivery discipline. Leah looks beyond simply filling roles. She focuses on building trust, strengthening recruitment processes, and creating hiring experiences that feel thoughtful, inclusive, and well paced.
Leah is known for forming warm, authentic relationships with candidates and hiring managers alike, while confidently managing high‑volume and skills‑short environments with accuracy, professionalism, and care. She understands that recruitment is not just a transaction, but a critical moment in shaping long‑term working relationships and organisational success.
Leah looks forward to partnering with both candidates and clients to navigate recruitment together, bringing clarity, confidence, and a human touch to every stage of the process.
Recruitment & Talent Acquisition Specialist
We transform how Leaders and Assistants work
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