Kitchener Group boss decides it's time to go

Chris Aiken

Kitchener Group chief executive Chris Aiken is leaving the Auckland company at the end of this month to work on other business interests in technology and real estate.

Aiken, formerly of IT services business Appserv, joined Kitchener in January 2003 and has been involved in a number of large deals.

They include the $14.1 million purchase of the historic Victoria Park Markets early last year, the sale of $150 million of the Hilton Hotel, carparks, offices and shops on Princes Wharf this year, and planning for the Albert/Swanson apartment tower which has been scaled back from a 38-level tower to 25 levels.

He was also involved in the large apartment project at 490 Queen St which was finished in March, and in planning for the 186-unit Precinct apartment block, now rising on Lorne St.

In August, Aiken gave evidence when Kitchener's founder and wealthy property developer David Henderson was labelled a cocaine user by a judge who convicted him for attempting to buy the Class A drug.