Lauren Christie

Lauren Christie builds things that last. Not simply structures or brands, but the kind of places that hold meaning.

As General Manager of Winton's Queenstown office, Lauren operates at the intersection of vision and delivery, translating ambitious development briefs into living, breathing environments.

At Ayrburn, Lauren was present from the very beginning - shepherding the project through its earliest consenting stages, overseeing the construction of roads, infrastructure and design, and building the team that would carry the vision forward. As the site's ambition grew, so did her remit. She led not only the physical development but helped define what Ayrburn would mean - shaping its identity, its offerings including Ayrburn Wine, and ensuring that the place spoke with one coherent, compelling voice.

That work now extends to the Ayrburn Screen Hub - a film studio and hotel that Lauren and Winton see not simply as a development project, but as critical creative and cultural infrastructure for the district.  Integral to the thinking has been what the Screen Hub enables beyond its walls, for example meaningful local employment, a year-round economy, and the conditions for productions and talent to base themselves in Queenstown long term. It is this shift - from a passing visitor destination to a place where people can genuinely live, work, create and enjoy - that sits at the heart of Winton and Lauren's work, and the conversation she looks forward to bringing to the Forum.