HARNESS FINANCIAL ®

Retirement, Investment and Insurance Advice for New Zealanders

HARNESS INVEST
HARNESS INSURE

Harness Financial Planning

Clarity of Goals  |  Protecting Families   |  Prudent Investing

HARNESS FINANCIAL NEW ZEALAND

About Us

Spend With Freedom | Invest Wisely | Retire Well

We are experts in helping people plan for and live in life after work. Our Wealth planning service is specifically designed to deal with the emotional, behavioural and financial challenges that this presents now and in the future.

The technology and planning software we use is specifically set up to give you the confidence, comfort and peace of mind to spend your money and time on what's most important.

Our learning and reading is centered around the psychological and financial challenges you face

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Our Values

Our human-focused approach provides you and your family with the following

Community Focused

None of us are isolated. We are part of a family and a community. It is therefore important to us to have a positive impact

To Love Life

With clarity of goals and a clear plan our clients can focus on living life to their full potential

Openness

We see our clients' success as a key foundation to the success of our business. This requires trust which only comes from being transparent in how we operate

World Class Excellence

We strive each day to ensure we provide world class advice and service to our clients

Personal Support

When working with our clients we get to know them and their families and what is most important. Whether it's going well or when there is tragedy or illness we are there with them to provide support and navigate the claims or financial impacts

We Challenge The Norm

We do not believe in doing things just for the sake of it. Or because it's always been that way. We constantly look for the latest information, improvements and new technology to add value to our clients

Meet Your Team

Our human-focused approach provides you and your family with the following

Advisers

Sam Rees Thomas 4.2

Samuel Rees-Thomas

CEO | Director | Financial Adviser
Insurance

Samuel Rees-Thomas - Founder | Director

My mission is to see every New Zealander reach their financial potential. With thoughtful, expert and human-centric advice, and with us helping draw out what’s already there, anything’s possible. As Managing Director and CEO, I lead our insurance advice licence while helping shape the direction of the business. 

In 2012, after several years with Westpac & KiwiBank, I launched my career as an Independent Financial Adviser. This was driven by a passion to provide exceptional financial advice and help people realise their own hopes and dreams… with a plan.

In 2020, I met Wealth Planner Dieter Timmerman, which unlocked a more holistic way of looking after our clients, and hence Harness Financial was born.

The vision is to harness two paths into a single, clear direction:

  1. Protecting your future
  2. Growing your future

This fusion of insurance, investment and retirement planning meant these conversations can now happen side-by-side.

As we’ve grown, Dieter and I have fought hard to maintain the culture and ethos that made our offerings extraordinary to begin with – our team is world class, our clients are phenomenal, and our passion to see them succeed remains unparalleled. 

Away from the office, you'll usually find me in a cafe, or somewhere making music. There’s even a ukulele in my office, occasionally used to serenade unsuspecting clients (did you know Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door works well as a life insurance parody song?).

I live in Wellington with my wonderful wife, Julianne, and our gorgeous daughters, Mariah, Lily and Genevieve.

Ready to make some moves on Harnessing your financial potential? Let’s start with a 10 min chat, then we’ll have that coffee.

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Harness

Dieter Timmerman

CFO | Director | Financial Adviser
Investments

Dieter Timmerman - Founder | Director

I want every New Zealander to benefit from holistic, retirement-focused planning, because a good retirement isn’t something that happens to you by accident.

I've always been fascinated by how money shapes people's lives. I started my career as an accountant and financial manager, where I learnt plenty about balance sheets and financial statements, but I quickly realised I was far more interested in helping people plan their future than reconciling their past.

So in 2012, back in Cape Town, I became a Financial Adviser specialising in investment advice. In 2018, I made the move to New Zealand, where I spent several years with an established advice firm before founding Savvy Wealth in 2021. In 2023, Savvy Wealth merged with Rees-Thomas Financial to become Harness Financial, where I now direct our Investment Advice Licence.

My passion for retirement planning is personal. I've watched people close to me reach the years meant to be their most secure without a plan in place, and live with the consequences. 

Done well, a solid plan protects people's security and peace of mind. It can be life-changing, easing the relationship strain that financial stress so often causes. I love helping people make decisions today that give them more choices tomorrow. A good retirement comes from good habits and having someone in your corner who's prepared to think long-term.

Outside of work, I enjoy reading across all sorts of subjects, especially theology and philosophy. I also remain a loyal Springbok supporter, despite living in New Zealand, which occasionally tests both my convictions and my friendships. I share my home in Tawa with Coco, my wonderfully grumpy dachshund, who remains stubbornly unimpressed by compound interest.

Connect with me

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Jonathon Gilling 3

Jonathon Gilling

General Manager - Insurance Advice
Insurance

Jonathon Gilling

After a stint in banking with ASB, starting in the early 2000’s I spent four years with AMI Insurance holding Customer Service, Customer Services Manager and Branch Manager roles. It was a really comprehensive introduction to insurance as back then branches did it all - enquiries, underwriting, claims and assessing. 

I then diverted to five years of pastoral care and in 2011 with my wife, left NZ for South Africa to be the Directors of an organisation that operated in the townships of South Africa caring for orphaned and vulnerable children. What a season that was, we laughed every day and most commonly cried every day too. As our family grew I returned to the financial services industry with Harness Financial and in 2025, we opened Harness’ Cape Town office.

Music is a retreat place and I’ve been known to pick up an instrument on occasion. One day, I’m going to quit (or reduce my hours) and give myself to a season of jazz on the keys - it’s a “must.”

I really care about people. My life has always in some way, shape or form; been about making room for people. If I had received financial advice as a young person I would be in a far more admirable financial position - giving others that opportunity is what drives me in my role. It’s a pleasure and privilege to direct Harness Financial’s Insurance Advice License alongside Samuel - our staff are some of the very best.

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Luke Hodgson 3

Luke Hodgson

Director | Financial Adviser,
Investment & Insurance

Luke Hodgson

I don't think financial advice should be complicated. Life is complicated enough.

In 2019, on the eve of becoming a father, I started my career in financial services to help people build and protect what matters most. Becoming a parent has a way of changing how you think about the future, and that perspective continues to shape the advice I give today.

Since then, I've worked across investment advice, mortgages, insurance, investment distribution and industry engagement before coming full circle back into advice at Harness Financial. That broad experience means I can see the bigger picture and help clients connect the dots between the different parts of their financial life.

If I’m honest, despite my love of helping people build and create wealth, when I started, I couldn't think of anything worse than going into insurance advice. But then my first claim came through… from my very first client… 3 hours before we submitted the application.

This was someone very close to me, a young fit father with a family depending on him. It hit like a tonne of bricks what the insurance would have done if it was there. From this experience, I was forced to acknowledge the fragility of life and realised the critical role insurance plays. The Wealth Plan is always Plan A, and insurance is the support structure to hold it up.

Whether we're talking about KiwiSaver, medical insurance, retirement planning or building a long-term investment strategy, my goal is to make complex decisions feel purposeful and aligned with what success looks like for you. As Co-Director of Harness Invest alongside Dieter, I'm passionate about helping people build confidence in their financial future, one good decision at a time.

Outside of work, you'll usually find me exploring Wellington's trail network on a mountain bike or gravel bike, or spending time with my wife, Danielle, and our daughters, Willa and Zoey. The ideal weekend finishes with good friends, good conversation and something that's spent far too long in the barbecue smoker.

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Joshua Logan 3

Joshua Logan

Senior Partner & Adviser
Insurance

Joshua Logan

I've always believed good insurance advice starts with one question: What's actually best for the client?

For more than a decade, I've helped individuals and families navigate their insurance decisions with confidence, making sure they understand not only what they're covered for but why it matters. Insurance can feel complicated… but my job is to make it practical and tailored to the person sitting across the table.

Alongside working with my own clients, I'm passionate about helping improve the wider industry. I serve on the Research Advisory Board for Quality Product Research and regularly work alongside insurers to advocate for product improvements that genuinely benefit New Zealanders. I believe the industry should keep evolving, and I'm proud to play a small part in helping make that happen.

Providing financial advice is truly a privilege. My focus is helping people protect what matters most through honest conversations and solutions that fit their lives, not just their policy schedule. The goal is knowing you've got the right protection in place when life doesn't go to plan.

Outside of work, I enjoy making music, feeding my competitive streak through indoor cricket and outdoor go-karting, and following just about any sport I can. Home is wherever my wife and our three children are, and they're a constant reminder of why protecting people's futures is such meaningful work.

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Melinda Kassim 3

Melinda Kassim

Senior Financial Adviser
Insurance

Melinda Kassim

I've always believed insurance is having someone in your corner when life doesn't go to plan.

Over the past 15 years, I've worked across banking, reinsurance, group insurance and personalised risk advice, giving me a broad perspective on how insurance works from every angle. But the part of my career that's shaped me most has been helping people through claims. That's when good advice really proves its value, and it's where I've seen firsthand the difference the right cover can make during some of life's most challenging moments.

At Harness Financial, my goal is to help people feel prepared, supported and confident long before they ever need to make a claim. Insurance shouldn't feel confusing or overwhelming. It should give you the confidence to get on with living your life, knowing you have a plan if the unexpected happens.

When I'm not working with clients, you'll usually find me happiest by the water, whether that's fishing with my partner, Dave, from our boat or simply enjoying a day at the beach.

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Joseph Stewart

Joseph Stewart

Financial Adviser
Personal Insurance

Joseph Stewart

I know that for a lot of people, insurance feels like something they'll "sort out later." My goal is to make it approachable and worth having the conversation today.

After graduating from university in Fairfield, Connecticut, I returned home to New Zealand without a clear picture of what came next. Joining Harness Financial in 2025 was a pivotal moment. It gave me the opportunity to work across group insurance, claims support and new business before becoming a fully qualified Financial Adviser in 2026.

I'm especially passionate about helping young individuals and families understand their options and protect what matters most. Whether you're new or seasoned to financial discussions, I want you to feel comfortable asking questions and understanding your choices. 

I will always be there to pick up the phone. If I can make insurance feel a little less intimidating, I've done my job.

Outside of work, I don't sit still for long. I come from a semi-professional swimming background, and I still love keeping active, trying new things and spending time with friends and family. More than anything, I enjoy meeting people and hearing their stories. It's one of the reasons I love what I do.

And if you'd rather talk over a coffee... or a cheese scone... that's on me.

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Support Staff

Julianne Ress Thomas

Julianne Rees-Thomas

Administrator &
Claims Adviser

Julianne Rees-Thomas

Julianne is the administrator and claims adviser at Harness Financial. Drawing upon her 7 years experience as a Registered Nurse in Oncology and Hematology, Julianne’s medical expertise provides the team with a unique perspective on Life, Health, Trauma, Income Protection and Permanent Disability Insurance claims.

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Hannah Logan

Key Account
Ambassador

Hannah Logan

Claims Wiz & Phone Extraordinaire

If you've ever called Harness Financial, there's a good chance we've already chatted.

I'm usually one of the first voices you'll hear and one of the people working behind the scenes to make sure everything keeps moving. Whether you're making a claim, updating your cover, or simply wondering what happens next, my job is to make the process feel as straightforward and stress-free as possible.

My career has taken me through law, insurance and client support, giving me experience across everything from administration to claims management. Along the way, I've discovered that what I enjoy most is helping people. Sometimes that's answering a quick question. Sometimes it's helping someone through a difficult claim. Either way, I want every client to know they've got someone in their corner.

When I'm not at work, life is wonderfully busy. My husband, Joshua, and I have three daughters, two dogs, a cat and a household that's rarely quiet. When I do manage to steal a little time for myself, you'll probably find me hiding away with a good chick flick.

Need a hand?

  • Give me a call or send me an email, and I'll help point you in the right direction.
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Katie Rikihana

Claims & Finance
Officer

Katie Rikihana

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Alana Pohlmann

Client Support
Officer

Alana Phlmann

I enjoy demystifying busy, complicated things, and helping people feel looked after along the way.

My career hasn't followed a traditional path into financial services. After studying Architecture, I was drawn to community development, where I discovered how rewarding it is to help people and contribute to something bigger than myself. Since then, I've worked across the construction, education and arts sectors, experiences that have shaped the thoughtful, people-first approach I bring to my work today.

In 2026, I joined Harness Financial as part of the client support team, where I help keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes. Whether it's supporting our advisers or assisting clients throughout the process, I enjoy making sure people feel informed, supported and confident about what comes next.

Outside of work, I'm happiest when there's fresh air, a mountain trail and the ocean nearby. I also love exploring art galleries, admiring great architecture and finding inspiration in design and art history. And like many good ideas, most of mine seem to begin with a really good coffee.

Need a hand?

  • I'm always happy to help point you in the right direction.
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Gareth de Kock

Assistant to
Advisers

Gareth de Kock

I've discovered that whether you're teaching a classroom full of teenagers or supporting a team of financial advisers, the secret is surprisingly similar: stay organised and keep everyone moving in the right direction.

Before joining Harness Financial in 2026, I spent 13 years in education. While the setting has changed, many of the skills haven't. My role now is to keep workflows moving, inboxes under control and our advisers focused on what they do best, helping clients.

Behind every great client experience is a lot of teamwork, communication and organisation. I enjoy being part of that process, making sure both our team and our clients stay informed, supported and on track every step of the way.

Outside of work, you'll usually find me around a board game table, catching up on Marvel (yes, I've watched far too much), or debating Survivor strategy with anyone willing to listen. I'm also endlessly fascinated by the Enneagram, so if you ask me about personality types... just know you've opened the door. I live in Cape Town with my wife, Tenille.

Need a hand?

  • If you've emailed the team, there's a good chance I've already helped keep things moving behind the scenes.
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10

Jeremy Henderson

Customer Relationship Manager

Jeremy Henderson

I've spent my career helping people navigate financial change, and some of the biggest changes happen when life takes you across borders.

Originally from Loughton, Essex, my career has taken me from the UK to New Zealand, with international secondments in Seattle, Tokyo and Brussels along the way. I've worked across a range of financial institutions, including Microsoft in Redmond, Legal & General, Barclays and GE Capital, specialising in UK pensions, executive schemes and retirement planning.

Since moving to New Zealand in 2002, I've focused on helping people transfer their UK pensions to New Zealand. It's a process that can feel complicated and unfamiliar, but with experience on both sides of the world, I enjoy making it simpler and giving clients confidence that they're making informed decisions.

At Harness Financial, I work closely with clients navigating cross-border retirement planning, helping ensure the transition is as smooth and stress-free as possible. Every situation is different, and I believe good advice starts with understanding the person before the paperwork.

Outside of work, I'm a passionate rugby supporter. I'll happily cheer on the Crusaders, the All Blacks and of course England. I also love cooking, entertaining and making the most of time with my three adult children whenever they're in town. And I earned my gliding licence at 17, which probably explains why I've always enjoyed a good adventure.

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Rebecca "Bex" Gilling

Group Coordinator
Specialist Client Care

Rebecca "Bex" Gilling

I've always believed that people deserve to feel genuinely cared for, especially when life feels uncertain.

My career began in the non-profit sector after studying Social Policy and Māori Studies, where I spent many years working alongside children, young people and their families. Those experiences shaped how I see the world and reinforced something I still believe today: the systems designed to help people should actually feel helpful.

Joining Harness Financial in 2025 might seem like an unexpected career move, but to me it feels like a natural extension of the work I've always loved. Whether someone is navigating a claim, making an important financial decision or simply needs someone to explain what happens next, I want them to feel seen and genuinely supported. 

When I'm not working, you'll probably find me covered in paint. Art is how I recharge, and I have an unfortunate habit of turning large sections of the house, the garden and any available canvas into my latest project. I'm also fiercely protective of my ever-growing collection of plants, firmly convinced I'm solar-powered and happiest somewhere near the ocean with the people I love.

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Harness Your Financial Future

Is Your Financial House In Order?

We are experts in helping people plan for and live in life after work.

We will help you align your values with your investments and insurance to protect you and those close to you and harness your financial potential

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Do you want the freedom to spend, give and live in retirement?

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