100 People Behind Bay Business - 2023

PROPERTY – RESIDENTIAL | PEOPLE
JASON EVES
sales director, oliver road | luxury real estate
A lifetime of adventure and careers abroad has seen this Tauranga local return to a
family-focused Bay of Plenty lifestyle and a professional role that offers challenge,
reward, and an outlet for excellence.
Jason’s father Max Eves started Eves Real
Estate in Tauranga back in the late 1960s,
however Jason’s path to a career in local real
estate was not exactly straightforward.
In earlier adult life, Jason qualified and
practiced as a veterinary surgeon in NZ, Australia,
UK and abroad, including for the Wildlife Rescue
Rehabilitation and Sanctuary Division of the IFAW
(International Fund for Animal Welfare).
A highlight of this time was him leading IFAW’s
response team on the ground during the rescue
of more than 50 big cats and other endangered
animals from the Baghdad Zoo during the 2003
American invasion. This emotionally challenging,
highly impactful rescue operation is the subject
of the 2007 book Babylon’s Ark, written by South
African conservationist Lawrence
Anthony.
Following his years
practising in the veterinary
field, Jason moved into
the highly competitive
pharma sales arena. As
national sales manager
for multi-national
pharmaceutical company
Pfizer, he reported directly
to the CEO of Animal
Health and ran
seven territory
managers and
key accounts
throughout the
country.
More
recently, after
what was
intended only
to be a gap year
working on
super yachts
with his nowwife,
Abigail,
Jason spent 10
years working
as operations manager for an ultra-high net worth
individual in North America. This diverse role saw
him advising on, negotiating and managing the
acquisition and disposal of countless aircraft,
yachts, vehicles and other luxury goods.
Among other projects in the early years of this
period, Jason managed the redevelopment of his
employer’s 770-acre island in British Columbia
(including establishing an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus
golf course). Later, he converted the stable block
of what was previously John Cleese’s ranch in
Southern California into a two hundred-milliondollar
private car garage.
Following their time in North America, a
decision to return to New Zealand was largely
centred around Jason and Abigail’s daughter
Harper who was born in California. She is now seven
years old and enjoying the same school playground
that Jason did back in the 70’s. They also wanted
the lifestyle that New Zealand, more specifically
“JASON HAS DEVELOPED A PHENOMENAL
WORK ETHIC, OPERATES WITH ABSOLUTE
INTEGRITY, AND DELIVERS NOTHING SHORT OF
EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE AND OUTCOMES TO THE
CLIENTS OF OLIVER ROAD.
Tauranga, could provide for their family, and were
excited by the opportunity to properly reconnect
with family and friends who had remained in, or had
also returned to, the Bay of Plenty.
Jason’s depth and breadth of experience in
negotiating luxury property and other high-value
goods is unlikely to be matched by another agent in
New Zealand.
Throughout his distinct international careers
and the experiences each have afforded him, he
has developed a phenomenal work ethic, operates
with absolute integrity, and delivers nothing short
of exceptional service and outcomes to the clients
of Oliver Road.
40 | 100 – PEOPLE BEHIND BAY BUSINESS | 2023