Building trust across Australia and the Pacific

My first project in the Pacific, in Tonga, was a pivotal moment in my career. Having lived in French Polynesia, I understood the importance of humility, local culture and taking the time to build trust. This was Haskoning’s first project in the Pacific and it was a pivotal moment where I could see the big impact you can have as an engineer. 

That project became the starting point for many others across the Pacific. Not all our projects are large scale, but they all play a part in making a big difference for these communities. As an example, we did a project on one of the most remote atolls in Tuvalu, a place that you needed a 24 hour boat trip to get to. This project was to design and build a port, as there was nowhere to disembark. The location was so remote that there was no hospital or medical services, and when women were 8 months pregnant they’d need to transfer to the mainland, travelling through a tiny keyhole on the reef.  

But it’s not just about building the infrastructure, it’s about what this means for the communities. When you build a port, it’s the first link in the chain to creating more opportunities. A lot of our work in the Pacific is also about enhancing coastal resilience and making it safer for people to stay living on their island home for longer. This also means taking a big picture view, considering things like water access, planning marinas for safer access for fishing boats, and working with local people to mentor them to grow their own engineering knowledge and capacity.  

Partnership is at the heart of everything we do. 

In the Pacific, partnership means working collaboratively with a wide range of groups, whether that’s development banks, governments, construction companies, and local communities. Rarely is there a simple answer or a straightforward path. So often it’s about doing your best to understand different points of view to make sure you can truly deliver a result that benefits people. In such vulnerable communities, the last thing you want is unnecessary delays or wasteful spending.  

The same principle applies in Australia. Over many years we've built strong relationships with councils along the New South Wales coast and organisations such as Transport for NSW. These partnerships are built on trust, shared experience and a commitment to solving complex challenges together. 

For me, partnership also means being willing to give honest advice, even when it isn't in your immediate commercial interest. I remember advising a council that it did not need to spend money on a particular study because our experience suggested there was a simpler solution available. We may have lost that piece of work, but we strengthened the relationship. And over time, trust always creates greater value than a transaction. 

Australia faces a growing shortage of maritime and coastal engineers at a time when demand for these skills is increasing. Climate resilience, the energy transition and investment in ports and coastal infrastructure will create significant opportunities for engineers who can combine technical expertise with practical thinking and curiosity. 

I think we'll also see major projects act as catalysts for broader investment. Brisbane 2032 is a good example. Beyond the Games themselves, there are opportunities to create more resilient infrastructure, strengthen waterfront precincts and support long-term economic growth.  

For young people considering a career in engineering, my advice is simple: stay open to new opportunities. The career you end up loving may be one you never expected. That's certainly been true in my case.