Kevin Pascoe
Successful engineering project delivery for nearly 30 years
Kevin Pascoe
Engineering Project Leadership - Commercial Direction - Construction Law
I am passionate about using my 30 years of experience in project development, procurement, design, construction, and operations, to help join up the complex interfaces on major engineering and construction projects.
My experience working for Tier 1 engineering consultants and publicly owned utility corporations, combined with my engineering, law, and project management qualifications, provides me with a comprehensive understanding of how to do this effectively.
My career has focused on large transport infrastructure, power generation, and industrial projects. I've spent nearly a decade living outside of Australia and working on major projects in Latin America, Spain, the UK and the Middle East in particular.
I am also enthusiastic about sharing my experiences with others to help them succeed in the delivery of their projects. I do this by lecturing in project management and construction law, activity with industry bodies, and by mentoring numerous other professionals.
What I do
Successful delivery of major engineering projects is what I've spent my entire career striving for and doing.
From modifying and commissioning industrial plant, to supervising the construction of major international power projects on behalf of financiers and owners... From project managing the design of large transport projects, to developing contracts and claims for various major infrastructure projects...
If it's about getting a complex project developed and built, I am in my element.
Project Management & Direction
After graduating with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from the Queensland University of Technology, I started in project management undertaking plant modifications in large power stations. With each success, my projects grew larger, more complex, and have now spanned several industries including:
Power generation
Highways and roads
Rail
Mining
Water desalination
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As a Certified Practicing Project Manager with the Australian Institute of Project Management, my areas of specialisation include:
Developing and procuring projects
Delivering engineering design
Supervising construction & ensuring specification compliance
Plant commissioning
Project governance, undertaking reviews, and identifying lessons learned.
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Commercial Management
& Construction Law
With a Masters Degree in Construction Law from the University of Melbourne, and a Professional Certificate in Arbitration from the University of Adelaide, I have a comprehensive understanding of the law governing how major projects are delivered.
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I regularly provide projects with commercial management services which include:
Contract drafting, negotiation, and formation
Contract administration
Risk management
Budget control and reporting
Developing variations and claims
Avoiding, managing, and resolving disputes
I also enjoy writing on construction law matters. My paper 'Incorporating Active Risk Management in Construction Contracts' won the SoCLA 2017 Brooking Student Prize for the best paper in Construction Law and was published in the Building and Construction Law Journal (33 BCL 333).
Lecturing & Speaking
Having been a Toastmaster for many years, I am an engaging public speaker who enjoys sharing the lessons of my experience with others.
Some of my lecturing and speaking activities include:
Lecturing the subject PMN502 Project Management Essentials 2 in the Masters of Project Management at the Queensland University of Technology
Lecturing on managing legal risk in construction in the Melbourne Law School Construction Law Masters
Corporate training in Commercial and Contract Management
Presenting at the Society of Construction Law Conference
Facilitating workshops and Q&A panel discussions
Industry Involvement & Mentoring
I believe it is critical that experienced professionals engage with their relevant industry organisations to contribute to continuous improvement and help society and the professionals that follow them. I am involved with the following organisations through active membership and support:
Australian Institute of Project Management
I am also passionate about mentoring & coaching, and provide this support to numerous engineering project professionals.
My Experience
These are a few of the projects I am proud to have been involved with in various roles.
Cross River Rail
Brisbane's Cross River Rail project is a new 10.2 km rail line, which includes 5.9 km of twin tunnels under the Brisbane River and CBD. It includes four new underground stations, and upgrades to eight above-ground stations.
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I was engaged in senior commercial leadership for the design of the Project during both tendering and delivery phases.
My roles have included responsibilities for:
Contract reviews, commercial assessments, and negotiation advice
Delivery risk assessment and management
Scope change management
Gateway Upgrade North Motorway
This was a fantastic project for which I was the Project and Commercial Manager for the Design Joint Venture (DJV) for the widening of the Gateway Motorway, located north east of Brisbane’s city centre, from 4 to 6 lanes between Nudgee and Deagon.
The $1.143 billion project involved over 280,000 hours of design and construction phase services performed over 3 ½ years in which numerous large variations were ordered by the client. In this role, I was a key member of the DJV management team.
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Sometimes joint ventures are difficult, but this one was great fun and highly successful due to the fantastic team of people involved.
Diamantina & Leichhardt Power Stations
I was the Owner’s engineer project manager for the construction of these 240MW combined cycle and 60MW open cycle gas turbine power stations in Mount Isa, Queensland. This involved the engineering compliance management of the EPC Contract during the design and construction by the two contractors on behalf of the Owner. I had a great team of engineers supporting me and a highlight was mentoring one of them into becoming a project manager for the first time.
A key feature and challenge of this project was the bankruptcy of one of the EPC Contractors during construction.
Kogan Creek Slurry Pipeline
This project for which I was the Project Manager, involved the design, construction and commissioning of this modification to the existing ash slurry system at Kogan Creek Power Station in Western Queensland. The project scope included an access road and associated civil works on which two high pressure ash pipelines and a water pipeline were placed over a 4.5km route.
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I delivered the project via a mix of contract packages for design, supply, construction, and commissioning due to the specialised nature of the plant and the geographic isolation of the works.
Ras Abu Fontas B2 Power and Water Desalination Project (Qatar)
I was the Owner’s engineer project manager for the construction phase of this 567 MW, 30 MIGD power and water desalination plant. I managed the full Owner’s engineering services contract during the design review and construction as the principal point of contact between the EPC Contractor and the Owner. This included the management and coordination of UK office and Qatar site based project teams of approximately 20 people in total.
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Yes, I earned a lot of frequent flyer miles!
Arrubal Power Plant (Spain)
I was the Owner’s engineer resident project manager based in Madrid for the evaluation and negotiation of the EPC Contracts for this 800 MW Combined Cycle Gas Turbine power plant. During the design phase, I acted as the principal equipment design engineer, and then I transferred to site as the Owner's commissioning manager during the year long commissioning & testing phase.
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During this 3 ½ year period I of course became fluent in Spanish!
A few Testimonials from those I've worked with...
'Kevin is a highly organised, diligent project manager with deep experience delivering major infrastructure projects.'
'Kevin brings a much-needed skill set to contract negotiation and management. His ability to bring together the legal aspects of a contract with their practical, commercial implications sets projects up for success. With increasingly complex risk transfers inherent in the construction industry, Kevin’s skills are more valuable than ever!'
'Kevin has the ability to decompose complex and challenging problems to enable practical and effective solutions. He is a strong communicator and a great team player.'
'Kevin knows the values of setting up the systems, quality assurance and processes that will get the right outcomes for everyone involved in a project. He is an ideal person to have on your team as you move into the implementation and delivery phase of a major project.'
