The Team is comprised of Rodney Dickens (Managing Director and Chief Research Officer), Denise Pilbrow (Office Manager and Research Officer), Gary Dick (IT Manager and Website Design) and Jude Dick (Website Administrator).

Rodney Dickens

Before founding Strategic Risk Analysis Limited in 2006 Rodney had five years at ASB, including as Group Strategist and Head of Research.  He has been a member of the Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee and researched international interest rate behaviour at the Bank of England in London.  He has been Chief Economist at a New Zealand commercial bank and New Zealand Head of Research at two international investment banks.

During his time at ASB Rodney fine-tuned his already considerable skills in housing market research.  While few if any can match his credentials and track record at analysing and forecasting interest rates, the exchange rate, consumer spending, residential building activity, the labour market and inflation.

His enviable track record is tribute both to the rigorous forecasting framework he has developed and to his passion for supplying clients with valuable business risk management tools.

Over the past 25 years Rodney has developed a unique analytical framework based on leading indicator analysis, a hands-on understanding of how many industries and markets work, and sound judgement about human behaviour.  This analytical framework gives him a unique advantage in providing definitive analysis and forecasts for the housing market, residential building, consumer spending and interest rates.

Denise Pilbrow

Prior to founding Strategic Risk Analysis Limited with Rodney, Denise was Northland Golf Development Manager.  She has experience doing accounts for several prominent Northland companies, for 12 year was the proprietor of a hotel and shares Rodney’s passion for doing hands-on property research. 

Gary Dick and Jude Dick

In addition to their work with Strategic Risk Analysis Limited, Gary and Jude are the owners/managers of Alternate Routing Limited, a central North Island Technology Consultancy Business.  Gary has over twelve years experience working with Web and Information System Technologies and has a passion for Web Centric Information Systems Delivery.  Jude runs operational support and is instrumental in the continuing success of Alternate Routing Limited.

Rodney Dickens, our Managing Director and Chief Research Officer, regularly undertakes in-house strategy presentations and client function presentations.  He is an accomplished, enlightening and entertaining speaker.

If you are interested please contact Rodney to discuss his availability and the fee ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 027 288 2209)

Strategic Risk Analysis Limited was founded in 2006 by Rodney Dickens and Denise Pilbrow, motivated by a desire to help a myriad of New Zealand businesses, as well as individuals, to make better quality decisions.  We will have succeeded in this quest if, after making use of our services, you consider us to be partners in your business risk management and/or investment strategies.

Our quality assurance is that our services will contain the most rigorous analysis available, delivered in plain English and with a bit of fun along the way.  Ours are not traditional economic reports full of mumbo jumbo.  We are not in the traditional economic forecasting game (i.e. using “black-box” forecasting techniques that are often as useful as an umbrella made of toilet paper).  Our reports contain predictions based on upfront analysis that you can see with the aid of our leading indicator charts. They will help you understand how things work in the real world and how the economy interacts with your business and/or investments. 

Our analytical framework is designed to ring warning bells in advance of major changes.  We leave the analysis of the noise in the monthly retail sales and building consents data to the economist.  Of course, forecasting the future is an art not a science, so even armed with the best analytical techniques in the world we will not always get it right.  Who knows when “nuclear bombs” might start falling on Chicken Licken’s head.  However, we can confidently assert that our track record in our specialist areas is matched by none, while in the event of a major shock we will issue a Special Report to help clients negotiate the chaos.

Our philosophy is to ensure that price is not an obstacle to you having access to the best available analysis.  We want individuals, and small, medium and large businesses to have an equal opportunity to make better decisions with the help of our insightful and often unique analysis.  To implement our philosophy we have set our prices at affordable levels and we have a tiered pricing system based on the size of your organization.

As Professor John Ward, Dean of Economics at Waikato University in the 1970s, said: “There is no unique definition of equity.  It can be considered equitable for all users of a service to pay the same price.  However, an equally acceptable definition of equity is that each user pays in proportion to the value he/she gains from the service.”  Or words to that affect.  Our approach to pricing falls in between the extremes of these two definitions of equity.

Contract Research

We are available to undertake property, economic and industry contract research.

Property Research

We have undertaken contract property research jobs for developers, councils and financiers.  Much of the research is focused on the economics and viability of subdivisions, which is our specialty, but we have also done contract research on housing markets, the apartment market and the industrial land market.  We have undertaken projects in Takapuna, Gulf Harbour, Orewa, Manukau, Papakura, Franklin District, Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown, Hamilton-Waikato and Northland.

In 2008 we undertook major studies for Hamilton City Council, Waipa District Council and Waikato District Council and the three reports are available from the following link - Reports.  The reports covered options for intensification of Greenfield residential subdivisions, options for Greenfield residential subdivisions and options for Greenfield industrial subdivisions.

The confidential nature of most contract research jobs means we are not able to show you samples but the free Property Insights reports give insights into our research methodology, which can be applied to most areas of the property market.  Click here to access these reports.

Economic Research

We have done work for the Canterbury Development Corporation helping the Corporation assess the economic risks and opportunities faced by the Canterbury economy and we have done work on the Taranaki economy for Venture Taranki. 

Industry Research

We have extensive experience in analyzing how economic cycles impact on industries and the companies in an industry. Industry contract research projects include assessing the economic drivers of the transport industry, assessing the the long-term outlook for concrete demand, assessing the drivers of international dairy prices, advising on the pay structure for overseas staff, advising on a pricing structure for a grape grower and advising on the viability of a home building franchise.

Contact Rodney if you want to discuss a potential contract research job ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 027 288 2209)