Rotary Melbourne Weekly Club Meeting - 25 January 2023

Annual Vocational Service Issues Panel - Managing Major Infrastructure Projects

Guest Speakers Jim Orchard, Barbara Yerondais, Nick Pelham

Time 12.30 for 12.50 -2.00pm

Venue No35 Restaurant Sofitel Hotel on Collins

Price $53 (2 course lunch @ No35) / $10 Zoom only online access

Bio

Moderator Richard Parker

Retired infrastructure specialist CEO

Former roles - CEO State Government Infrastructure and Urban Development Agencies, CEO Melbourne City Link Authority

Dr Nick Pelham,

Director, Project Point consulting Pty Ltd

National Project Management Competency Assessor, Australian Institute of Project Management

Nick is an infrastructure management consultant who works across the lifecycle of High Value / High Risk projects. Experience includes public and private sector projects across the Department of Defence, Halliburton, Sinclair Knight Merz, Boeing Commercial Airlines, Downer EDI and state/federal governments.

From 2007-12 he was a senior executive at the Department of Treasury and Finance, at the centre of the Government’s infrastructure investment program. He was responsible for the 10-year investment pipeline, implementing the UK’s Gateway Review Process™ in Victoria (independent project assurance program for projects over $100m) and developing whole-of-government infrastructure better practice guidance.

Based on his interest in improving the delivery of Mega-Projects ($1b+), in 2019 he completed a PhD (University of Melbourne – Infrastructure Engineering Department) where he investigated project failure and the role of Boards on project performance. He was awarded the University’s Sir Louis Matheson prize and a PhD thesis award from the Royal Technical Society of Australia (Engineers Australia).

Barbara Yerondais

Principal Architect, BY Projects Architecture

Barbara is an Architect in private practice since 1989, successfully delivering projects of all scales, from the smallest of residential and commercial renovations to master planning of substantial residential developments for both the private and public sectors.

Barbara has a special interest in social inclusion and social housing, working on multiple public housing developments, as well as participating in and presenting in seminars on affordable housing.

Barbara is actively involved in the architectural community, particularly in education and mentorship. She previously held lecturer's positions at RMIT and the University of Melbourne in construction, project planning and property and mentors young women in architecture through the Australian Institute of Architects.

Dr Jim Orchard

Energy Consultant

Jim is a part time pro bono lecturer at several Australian Universities and an independent energy analyst.

He spent more than 30 years working in the resource and energy industry with Comalco, Rio Tinto and as Senior Vice President, Marketing and Government Affairs with Cloud Peak Energy in the US. Over his career Jim has been involved with the commissioning and start up of major projects as well as executive level project review and approval.

Jim has a PhD from the University of New South Wales, School of Chemical Engineering and Industrial Chemistry.