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THE ADVISORY BOARD

Sydney Build 2024
 

What is The Advisory Board?

The Sydney Build Advisory Board consists of leading industry stakeholders from across Australia. The key goals of the Advisory Board  are to help:  plan the event, shape content and ensure Sydney Build is representative of the whole industry.

The board are made up industry leading: Builders, Contractors, Architects, Developers, Surveyors, Universities, Government, Charities and Experts who work within the built environment sector. The board is approached a minimum of three times a year to discuss and give guidance on the topics to be discussed at the event, initiatives/pledges to be launched, industry feedback and help shape the direction of the show. Feedback from the board will be announced quarterly.

The Sydney Build Exhibition organisers would like to thank everyone involved for all their hard work in making this the industry leading exhibition.

 

Who is On The Sydney Build Advisory Board?

Roy Qian

Roy Qian
 

Technical Principal - Design Automation, WSP

Roy has been working in MEFH(Mechanical, Electrical, Fire and Hydraulic) design for buildings and infrastrue project, as well as software development projects for the past 27 years.

Since early 2008, Roy has successfully led and completed a number of landmark and high profile BIM/Revit projects across New Zealand, Australia and Aisa, became one of the industry leaders of BIM/Revit implementation for MEFH with lots of first hand project experience.

Roy has been one of the leaders of the digital engineering team for the recent Auckland City Rail Link Project since mid 2019, which contributed to the winning of the prestigious Autodesk AEC Excellence Award 2020 for large infrastructure category, showing his truly top-of-the-world technical flairs and leadership skills.

Roy has been speaking extensively on BIM/Digital Engineering topics globally, including five times at Autodesk University (AU), six times at the Revit Technology Conference (BILT) and aslo in the Sydney Build Conference.

Brendan Murray

Brendan Murray
 

Principal, Plus Architecture

As Principal at Plus Architecture, Brendan is an accomplished registered architect with a diverse portfolio of major projects.

He brings to the Plus studio a distinguished 20 years of experience in complex public, commercial, heritage, cultural and transport projects that have been recognised for their design excellence with multiple awards at State, National and International levels.

He has an international perspective gained through collaborations with highly regarded European practices in Australia and with practices in south-east Asia and China.

Brendan’s active design leadership and passion for the profession of architecture and place-making extends to mentoring young colleagues and sessional teaching at UNSW, University of Sydney and UTS. He has received several honours including a University Medal and RAIA Chapter Medallion in 2004, was one of the National winners of the AIA Dulux Study Tour in 2011 and the AIA NSW Emerging Architect Prize in 2015.

Clive Parson

Clive Parsons
 

Director for Digital Construction, Mirvac

After backpacking around Europe and Asia for 10 years, Clive belatedly started his Technology career in 1989 as a trainee systems analyst at P&O Containers. After 14 years at P&O (later P&ONedllod), Clive had led Global Architecture, APAC business systems, Global Finance Systems, APAC Data Centres and off-shore development centres. He then moved to Coffey as their Global CIO and from there to News Corp to head the Technology Transformation. Recently, Clive joined Mirvac as Director for Digital Construction, bringing his broad enterprise technology and digital transformation experience to bear to help Mirvac Construction exploit digital technologies in Construction.

Jayne Harrison

Jayne Harrison
 

Founder & Principal, JDH Architects

Jayne Harrison is Founding Director of JDH Architects and has been at the helm since its inception in 2003. Through her leadership, and pioneering vision, JDH Architects has delivered an extensive portfolio of education and community projects and a hard‐earned reputation as one of Australia’s most creative and dynamic architecture firms.

Specialising in educational architecture has allowed Jayne to combine her loves of creativity and lifelong learning. With a unique holistic approach to engagement and in depth understanding of pedagogical practice, Jayne’s thirst for knowledge has established the practice as leaders in educational architecture, planning and design.

Jayne is a leading voice advocating resilient and responsible architecture and building methodologies and takes her professional responsibility for global stewardship seriously. Believing in a better way to practice her profession, where people and the environment are the cornerstones of good design, she looks towards long lasting solutions that support a responsible and resilient thriving future, the built environment, and the communities they serve. As a speaker and advocate, Jayne is also extremely passionate about supporting other females in the industry and promoting women in leadership in general.

Yolanda Espinar Garcia

Yolanda Espinar Garcia
 

Digital Delivery Lead, Jacobs

With a passion for BIM and Digital Delivery, Yolanda has participated in projects in Australia, Spain, Brazil, Colombia and the Pacific Islands for 10 years. Yolanda has a Masters of Architecture from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and a Master in Global BIM Management from the University of Barcelona/Zigurat Institute of Technology. Yolanda has been an undergraduate scholar at the University of Helsinki, Polytechnic University of Madrid, Pontifical Xavierian University and University of Sao Paulo and has been awarded the Erasmus Mundus and Magalhaes Scholarships. Yolanda is an advocate for team collaboration and digital innovation.

Peter Swanson

Peter Swanson
 

Digital Technology Lead, Mott MacDonald

Having over 20 years’ experience in consulting, contracting, technology manufacturing and property development organisations, Pete brings a great breadth of knowledge and expertise in the design, deployment and operation of digital technology within the built environment. Starting his career in the audio visual industry, he has led projects in the corporate, education, government, leisure and entertainment sectors. Expanding his focus to all aspects of digital systems deployed in construction projects, he has also spent time developing software products and solutions to enable data acquisition and analysis from these systems to help clients improve user experience, operational performance and sustainability outcomes. Pete has a great passion for industry improvement and has contributed to a variety of international standards and initiatives over his career.

Kalyani Wakhare

Kalyani Wakhare
 

Senior Sustainability Officer, Roads Safety, Environment and Regulation, Transport for NSW

Kalyani Wakhare is an enthusiastic sustainability professional with more than 15 years’ experience in corporate sustainability and policy implementation within NSW Government. She is a senior sustainability officer at Department of Planning & Environment. Kalyani graduated in Architecture and completed a master’s degree in sustainable design and is an advocate for sustainable building design and construction. She recently moved into her newly designed and constructed sustainable home, which was shortlisted in the Sydney Design Awards, Residential constructed category.

Besides sustainability, Kalyani is also passionate about realizing the potential of your mind via meditation, awareness, and conscious positive thinking. She hosts monthly webinars to share ideas on personal growth and mindfulness.

Troy Uleman

Troy Uleman
 

Director, John McAslan + Partners

An architect with over 30 years’ industry experience, I lead the Sydney studio of John McAslan + Partners.

I have a keen interest in cultural projects and a deep understanding of the potential for urban design to create healthy environments, gained from experience on projects in Australia, the USA and Italy.

I believe that great places are made by great teams. Teams that acknowledge and work with each other toward the best outcomes for people and the planet. I look forward to that every day.

I have taught design and construction at the School of Architecture at The University of Sydney and have been a guest design critic at UTS, UNSW and Newcastle University. A passionate advocate for the industry, I contribute to the AIA mentoring program and committees, including as a past member of the Sustainability Committee. I have been registered with the Green Building Council of Australia.

Awarded projects that I have been involved in:
Jane Foss Russell Building (AIA NSW Public Award 2009); Deutsche Bank Place (Property Council Award 2007, Steel Institute Award 2006); Aurora Place (The Sulman Medal and AIA National Award 2004); Macquarie Apartments (The Wilkinson Award 2004); National Institute of Dramatic Art (The Sulman Medal 2002); Cooks Cove Master Plan (AILA Merit); Armidale Regional Airport (Environment Award 1994).

Other projects that I have made a significant contribution to include:
High Museum of Art, Atlanta, masterplan stage; North Sydney Olympic Pool; Hermes Sydney Elizabeth Street Flagship Store; Sydney Grammar School auditorium, Ross Milbourn multi-purpose sports hall at UTS, Sydney, and Charles Perkins Centre University of Sydney.

Janitha Senavirathna

Janitha Sena
 

Project Management Professional, CPB Contractors
Australia

Janitha is a chartered project management professional and a civil engineer who has been mainly involved with construction of infrastructure projects in Australia and Sri Lanka. He is currently working with CPB Contractors Pty Ltd for TasWater Capital Delivery Program to ensure cost effective and timely delivery of quality capital works projects for TasWater that will meet the needs of TasWater’s business and those of the Tasmanian community. He has started his career as a site engineer for a major road project and then he joined National Water Supply and Drainage Board Sri Lanka as he is more passionate about water and sewer industry. Janitha started his career in Australia with John Holland Pty Ltd for Goulburn Murray Water Connections Project as a Separable Portion Manger and he was responsible for tendering, managing and construction of separable portions to improve the current irrigation systems for Goulburn Murray Water. He is passionate about construction, infrastructure and sustainability.

Harman Singh

Harman Singh
 

Smart Cities and Places Lead, GHD Digital

Harman is the Smart Cities and Places Lead at GHD Digital, where he pursues his passion of developing innovative solutions for Smart Cities, Precincts & Buildings. He brings with him 20 years of global work experience with various technology-related businesses in USA, Dubai, India and Australia. Harman is a Certified Smart Cities Practitioner and a regular speaker on smart technologies, applied innovation and digital transformation. In the past, he served as the Chief Innovation Officer at Brady Family of Companies, USA, where he led the organisation to be awarded the “Most Innovative Workplace” in North Carolina in 2017. He also led the development of an IoT platform for smart buildings, built on world leading SAS Analytics technology. Harman holds an MBA from London Business School and currently serves on Standards Australia’s committee for Smart City Systems with the goal to foster the development of standards in this evolving space.

David Morris

David Morris
 

Lead Consultant, Digital Delivery, Aurecon

Gavin Kain

Gavin Kain
 

Director | Cross Portfolio Design Lead, Hames Sharley

Gavin Kain is a Director and Cross-Portfolio Design Lead at Hames Sharley. Over the last 25 years Gavin has led design teams on major Civic, Residential, Hotel, Commercial, Education, and Urban projects around the world. Major architectural projects include the A$400m Adelaide Convention Centre,  the NZ$500m New Zealand International Convention and Event Centre in Auckland, the UAE2B CoEx in Dubai (as part of Expo 2020), and the A$250m Tonsley MAB (innovation hub) in Adelaide and most recently the $30m Albury Entertainment and Convention Centre. Major Urban projects include the 95h Bays strategic masterplan in Sydney, the NZ$40b Christchurch Earthquake Blueprint, the NZ$6b Lets Get wellington moving transport strategy and the $1b Canberra Civic and Arts precinct masterplan.

Gavin’s experience generally covers design through to project delivery/construction. Gavin has also held advisory roles to various governments in Australia and New Zealand including the lead architectural advisor to INSW on the $2b International Convention Centre in Sydney.  

Andrea Ciaffi

Andrea Ciaffi
 

Digital Portfolio Leader, Buildings NSW, Arup

I lead automation in mechanical, electrical and plumbing design for Australasia.

Automation is central to freeing our engineers from repetitive tasks, leaving them to focus on where value is really created. My background in the design of building services for large, complex projects showed me the value of combining engineering knowledge with digital expertise.

Our industry has a goal of total digital design. That will only be possible when automation is accessible to all and achievable on real projects. To move us and our clients closer to that goal, I run Arup’s automation lab. The lab is an open forum for our engineers, BIM experts, quantity surveyors, data analysts and programmers to collaborate. Many industries are adopting a ‘digital first’ approach. The lab helps deliver that in our industry. Colleagues set out the digital agenda for projects from the very start, improving our workflows and the quality of our delivery.

‘Digital’ should not sit in a silo. Making the most of what it offers means we all need to understand the possibilities. Through the lab, I run digital bootcamps to share with colleagues what the digital future could look like and the paths to get there, as well as running just-in-time training for our engineers.

Valentino Gareri

Valentino Gareri
 

Founder Architect, Valentino Gareri Atelier

Valentino Gareri is the founder architect of Valentino Gareri Atelier, an architectural practice based in Sydney, composed by a group of dreamers
focused on designing architectures that make a positive impact on our planet.


Born in Italy, Valentino graduated with honors in 2010 at IUAV - University of Venice, studying Sustainable Architecture Design,
For his research and studies on sustainable design, he has been awarded with the Sustainable Architecture Award - Fassa Bortolo
2012 by Glenn Murcutt and with the SAIE Selection 2011 Award by Mario Cucinella.
In 2019 the European Commission awarded him with the European Sustainable Award as part of the team Workshop
Reconstruction - MCA. In 2022 Valentino has been nominated Jury Member of the New European Bauhaus Prizes by the European Commission. 

 

With professional experience in Europe, Australia and the United States, during his career Valentino had the opportunity to work with prestigious international practices, such as Pritzker Laureate
Renzo Piano Building Workshop and BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group.
Valentino Gareri Atelier is currently involved in projects across the world.

Maggie Steele

Maggie Steele
 

Senior Associate, i2C Architects

Maggie studied in Germany before moving to Sydney in 1999 to embark on a scholarship working with Harry Seidler. Her love for travel and meeting new people led to her settling in Sydney to complete her studies and registering as an architect with the AIA.

In 2000 she started working as a Project Assistant with i2C Architects as one of their first employees and is proudly still part of their team today as a Senior Associate and is part of i2C’s employee share ownership plan.

Maggie is a talented architect who has built a reputation from the care and commitment she brings to each project from its initial sketch design right through to completion. She is passionate about excellence in design and thrives on collaborating with clients to deliver the best outcomes for every project. She believes that a great culture, happiness, well-beingand diversity of the team are paramount to achieving success as a business.

Craig Gilbert

Craig Gilbert
 

Construction Manager, Fulton Hogan

Tash Taylor

Tash Taylor
 

Workforce Development, Industry Participation and People Lead, Laing O’Rourke

Tash is a Workforce Development, Industry Participation and People Lead for Laing O’Rourke, working across several of Sydney’s major infrastructure projects.
Tash has over 10 years’ experience in construction, engineering, and oil & gas across the Human Resources remit.
Tash is passionate about developing high performing teams and individuals, and believes strong leadership is fundamental in empowering people to develop into their best selves. 
Teams can succeed or fail based on leadership, and Tash has seen firsthand the positive and negative effects of engagement, moral, mental health and performance based on the strength and experience of leadership in teams.
Tash is an advocate of informal mentoring and having a key network to tap into for mentorship and advocacy. 

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