Our Team

Ron served a total of 17 years as Chairman of the New Zealand Institute of Professional Investigators (NZIPI). In November 2022, he stood down from the Executive having been made a Life Member. During that time he made submissions to and presented at Parliament regarding Private Investigators legislation. He continues to occasionally assist the Ministry of Justice Licensing Authority (PSPLA) as an independent expert when considering complaints against private investigators. Ron is accepted in the New Zealand Courts as an expert private investigator.

He has been involved in many high-profile investigations for corporates, government agencies, and other entities. He is regularly asked to provide industry comment to media and has appeared on 60 Minutes, various morning and current affairs programmes, and TV news. He was part of the team in the TV3 Missing Pieces series. In May 2018, the Australian Department of Home Affairs invited Ron to lecture at a Proceeds of Crime conference in Indonesia. He has also run many two-day training courses as an investigative mentor for experienced investigators entering the PI profession.

The Lee Sheppard Cold Case

One standout example of Ron's dedication was when he personally took on the unsolved cold case of Lee Sheppard, who went missing in London in January 2003. In November 2008, working full-time for a month from a London Police Station in what has been described as the first ever truly joint PI/Police re-investigation, Ron solved the case. The Metropolitan Police had failed to do so for six years previously.

Author

In 2020, Ron wrote BUSTED, a book about his many exploits as a career Private Eye. The book sold out three times and was so successful that the publishers asked him to write BUSTED AGAIN. Both books are available online and in bookstores across New Zealand.

Speaking & Presentations

Ron has presented at the New Zealand Insurance Institute fraud forums, the NZ Insurance Ombudsman's Inaugural Conference on insurance fraud, and was asked by the NZ Police Commissioner to present a paper on the overlap between private investigators and police fraud investigators at a NZ Police symposium.

Known in the profession as "The Grey Man" for his relentless pursuit of the truth and his integrity in refusing to take sides.

Police Career

As a qualified New Zealand Police Detective, Wayne worked on all facets of crime investigations including several high-profile homicides, such as arresting David Tamihere for the murder of the Swedish tourists in Operation Stockholm. During his service, Wayne was awarded two Silver Merit Awards for performance.

NZ Post & Security Leadership

Wayne is a former New Zealand Post Security Manager and recognised security expert, having performed security consultancy for many of New Zealand's largest corporate entities and several government agencies. At NZ Post, he successfully led a national security team of 10 staff, developing investigation and proactive strategies, a reporting database, and statistics and reporting protocols.

Wayne led an international postal task force carrying out security reviews at international airports. He also led the team through the development of Kiwibank, a unique opportunity to apply security to a startup bank. For the Kiwibank establishment, Wayne developed new responses to robberies across a corporate and franchise network, engaging employees at all levels on procedures, training, and response. He was responsible for developing risk matrices for robbery prevention and implemented fraud prevention packages for retail networks.

At Paragon

In 2012, Wayne was appointed General Manager of Paragon and to the Board of Governance. As part of the succession plan, Wayne works alongside the Managing Director, taking on day-to-day activities and responsibility for all investigations, with an increasing financial involvement. More recently, he assisted one of Paragon's government clients on a contracted basis re-aligning their security and fraud prevention plans, reporting directly to the board.

Wayne personally performs investigations as Paragon's lead investigator and is available to meet clients around the clock.

Industry Experience

Before joining Paragon, Thomas built a strong track record across several companies in the New Zealand investigation and enforcement sector, including founding and directing firms with offices in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. Under his leadership, these operations grew to serve some of New Zealand's largest corporations and government agencies, with teams that included qualified solicitors, legal executives, and former members of the NZ Police and NZ Defence Forces.

His core strengths lie in investigations, process serving, and commercial debt litigation. Thomas is known for building teams of skilled professionals who deliver quality, timely, and cost-effective outcomes. He places a strong emphasis on professionalism, integrity, and brand protection, tailoring services to meet each client's specific needs.

At Paragon

As Director, Thomas oversees case progression and reporting standards across all instructions, including Legal Aid matters. His background in complex enquiries, tracing, and sensitive matters for legal and private clients makes him well suited to handle the full range of work that comes through Paragon's doors. He is known for discretion, sound judgement, and clear communication with clients and counsel.

Public Profile

Thomas has appeared in national media commenting on investigation and enforcement matters, including a notable appearance on Newstalk ZB discussing his intervention in a Newmarket robbery. He is an active member and sponsor of the NZICM and NZCFI, and is committed to raising professional standards across the industry.