Phil Kienstra

About Phil Kienstra

Phil has 20 years’ experience working on major multi-million-dollar infrastructure projects in Australia and the UK. With a background in the British Army, Phil has been put to the test in the most challenging circumstances within global operational tours, which has enabled him to quickly understand and execute successful project outcomes in a fast-changing environment. Due to his exceptional stakeholder management expertise working with the British Government, Phil was personally named in the House of Commons for making an impossible situation work.

Phil has worked in and led multiple PMO’s across varying sectors, most notably in the transport infrastructure and construction sectors. As a Project Controls SME and recognised leader, Phil can mobilise, develop and manage large teams effectively on complex infrastructure projects in short timescales, integrating seamlessly into client teams. Phil’s passion is understanding multifaceted project cultures and the development of people to ensure his team is high-performing and effective.

What is your role at HKA?

Our team is the heartbeat of any project. We work with clients to ensure they are armed with the information they need to make really good decisions. This means providing them with up-to-date data on the potential impacts of their decisions, including time, cost, and risk implications.

As the team leader, I work hard to ensure we have the right culture and mix of people. I like to get to know people beyond the role to understand what makes them tick. Once you understand someone’s drivers and where they want to grow, it’s much easier to help them reach their potential.

“I love projects, and the bigger, the better, and with that comes legacy – that drives me. The sheer scale can have a huge impact (positive and negative) on people’s day-to-day lives. So, doing things to improve how people travel or the quality of their environments is key for me.”

What do you love about what you do?

I love my team; they’re great. We have people at all levels who are hugely skilled at what they do, and more importantly, they do it with a smile.

They’re also culturally diverse. Every day we learn from each other and broaden our knowledge of different cultures. The different perspectives allow us to create a dynamic project culture. They enjoy their work and being part of the team, which is fantastic to see.