Leading Australia’s next chapter in engineering

In my time at Haskoning, I have already been inspired by the work our teams are delivering across Australia and the Pacific. 

In Ebeye in the Marshall Islands, our colleagues have worked closely with the local community and key stakeholders to improve climate resilience and adaptation in one of the Pacific’s most remote locations. In Tonga, the team is supporting the development of a bridge specifically designed to provide a rapid evacuation route during tsunami events. 

Every day, I’m seeing the team work collaboratively to do work that really makes an impact. We can draw on expertise from our global network, including head office in the Netherlands, while deepening our local capabilities and specialisations. 

It’s inspiring to see our people come together to solve complex issues in dynamic environments. 

For me, this is also what good leadership looks like. It is not about having every answer yourself. It is about creating the conditions for people with different experiences and expertise to come together, challenge one another and solve complex problems that make a genuine difference.

The real test of any partnership is how resilient it is when things aren’t going well. Being able to communicate and champion collaborative decision making when things get tough is vital. 

I feel this is something the Haskoning team does well, we really try to stay focused on solving problems and taking a holistic approach. We work with a lot of different clients, contractors, consultants and community stakeholders, so staying clear on expectations and what’s required helps us to get the most benefit and deliver robust outcomes.

Clients also value our willingness to draw on different perspectives and resources. Whether that means engaging specialists from our global network or working with trusted partners, we bring the right people together to apply our technical expertise and address complex challenges holistically. 

Change is a constant in life, and the engineering industry is no exception. Right now, a big opportunity that I think will shape our work is the adoption of artificial intelligence and digital transformation. We’re currently working through how to implement AI in our own operations, and alongside that, we must also recognise that our clients are at different stages of understanding and adoption. 

But with the increased adoption of technology, we can’t afford to lose our focus on developing the next generation of engineers. I think it’s incredibly important that we continue to support graduates and early stage career engineers with the opportunities to learn on projects, grow their skills and foster ongoing learning. 

Looking ahead, I expect climate resilience and adaptation, the energy transition and investment in port infrastructure to continue creating opportunities across Australia and the Pacific. Our new Melbourne office is one sign of our commitment to serving clients more locally. 

With our focus on technical expertise, I feel confident that Haskoning will continue to be at the forefront of designing and delivering solutions that stand the test of time.  

Whether its clients, contractors, community members or colleagues, I want people to feel happy to have come into contact with us as a company and we’ve given them the results or opportunities they needed.