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What is your current role at TBH?
I am a Quantum Claims and Dispute Resolution Consultant based in the Perth office, with a background in Quantity Surveying (QS). Throughout my role, I have gained experience in a variety of industries, including commercial, infrastructure, health, education, and energy, working from independent, claimant and respondent perspectives.
Why do you find these services and industries interesting?
Construction projects can be complex, involving multiple stakeholders, varying demands and tight deadlines and targets. The ripple effect of any issues that arise can be quite significant.
With my background in Quantity Surveying, I’ve seen firsthand how a small issue can quickly escalate. What I find fascinating now is, from an ‘in hindsight’ perspective, being able to resolve issues on other projects and identify common problems. It allows me to analyse how these challenges could have been prevented or mitigated from a different approach.
What did you study, and what made you decide on a career in consulting and ultimately at TBH?
I qualified with a 1st Class Honours degree in Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management. During and after my degree, I worked in a Quantity Surveying consultancy in the UK, supporting clients across multiple sectors, including healthcare, education and commercial construction.
With a QS background, I have always enjoyed the analytical side of the role and have a keen eye for detail.
The opportunity to apply my skill set in a consulting role – helping find simple solutions to complex problems – felt like a natural progression in my career.
Upon my move to Australia and joining TBH, I was given my first taste of quantum claims and disputes. It was a refreshing and embraced change, allowing me to apply my previous experience while constantly challenging myself.
Ultimately, the culture and team within TBH have made me want to stay. The diverse backgrounds of the staff bring a variety of knowledge and perspectives, which is essential for a successful team.
The leadership within the team has also been an inspiration, providing invaluable guidance in my early claims career. Watching how the experts approach their work and lead by example has given me great insight into how I can continue to develop.
What major projects have you worked on while at TBH?
The nature of my work at TBH means most of my projects are confidential. However, I have gained diverse experience in the field of claims and dispute resolution.
I’ve been involved in preparing large-scale claims for Arbitration and private resolutions, focusing heavily on quantum analysis to support or defend claims, and assisting in the preparation of expert reports. I’ve also gained significant experience in Adjudications, having supported the team on nine within the last year, working with both claimants and respondents. Additionally, I’ve been involved in matters dealt with via Expert Determination.
Throughout my time at TBH, I’ve worked across various sectors, including infrastructure, building and construction, mining, resources and energy. Some of these projects have involved multi-million-dollar claims, working with both domestic and international clients. This has allowed me to develop a broad skill set and tackle unique challenges, working with diverse stakeholders, contractual structures, and project-specific approaches.
Tell us about a career highlight!
Having taken the leap into the world of claims and disputes and gained the exposure, experience and knowledge I now have, I believe stands as its own achievement.
I have been fortunate to have worked across numerous Adjudications, all of which have been very successful, as well as Arbitrations and private resolutions for WA-based and international clients.
I have also had the opportunity to network in a new region and attend several social events with TBH. This has provided me with confidence and opened up new and exciting avenues to further my career.
For example, I’ve been invited to present and participate in a panel discussion alongside one of WA’s leading law firms who specialise in construction project disputes. Recently, I had the honour of presenting and participating in a panel discussion alongside one of Western Australia’s leading law firms specialising in construction project disputes. We explored strategies to avoid, manage, and mitigate distressed projects. This is definitely a career highlight, and I look forward to similar opportunities in the future.
In regard to your career, what are you passionate about?
I’m a natural problem-solver and have a genuine passion for helping others. This outlook allows me to connect with both the job and the people impacted by it, working toward successful outcomes for the parties involved.
This, combined with the ongoing challenge of turning something complex (and sometimes messy) into something simple, brings me a sense of pride and together serves as a strong motivator.
Ultimately, I see consulting as a way to make a meaningful contribution. Every challenge is an opportunity to learn and improve, helping to deliver better outcomes for everyone involved.
What major innovations or industry trends are you most excited about?
An exciting and unavoidable trend in the construction industry and project management is the increasing use of technology and digital tools. As more projects adopt digital platforms – for tracking changes, managing costs, improving overall management and enhancing communications – it will be interesting to see whether this leads to a reduction in claims and what their nature will be. On the flip side, it will be fascinating to explore how we can leverage these tools to build stronger, more objective arguments in claim preparation and dispute resolution.
What’s next?
Growing my career in claims and dispute resolution, in line with the increasing demands of the industry, presents me with the opportunities to take on more complex challenges as I progress. I plan to use these opportunities to help strengthen TBH’s reputation by delivering efficient and commercially sound outcomes.