Brook Carrington

Brook Carrington (Te Aitanga a Mahaki, Ngati Tara Tokanui) began his career at just 15 as an apprentice builder at Livingstone Building, and since then has worked his way through the business into a leadership role.

Now holding a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Waikato in Tauranga, he says his qualification has been transformational both professionally and personally. 
 
“I went from looking at how to build a building to looking at how to help build a business,” says Brook , who stepped into senior management in 2021.

“The Waikato MBA has unlocked a hunger for learning and alignment with myself. It’s not an end point – it’s the beginning of a new chapter.” 

Balancing two years of part-time study alongside full-time work and family life, Brook says the experience required sacrifice and focus - but the rewards far outweighed the challenges. “The sacrifice feels small in the context of your whole career. Two years goes by so fast.”

Brook particularly valued the leadership papers, which he describes as “transformational,” and the finance and economics courses that allowed him to understand and contribute to wider business conversations.

He credits Livingstone for supporting his studies and says the Waikato MBA programme offered not only academic rigour, but also a powerful network of peers.

“The quality of the teaching, the exposure to industry leaders, and the friendships you make are incredible. You come out of it with skills, confidence, and connections that last well beyond the classroom.”

A member of the Tauranga Business Chamber board, Brook is committed to giving back to both his company and his community.