Caryn Fuller is a Partner in HKA’s Houston office with 24 years of professional experience in engineering and construction project management, project controls, and construction claims analysis. She has provided claims analysis and management consulting services on large-scale global construction initiatives focusing on cost control, scheduling, and reporting.
In 2020, Caryn was recognized by the Houston Business Journal as an honoree for the Women Who Mean Business Awards, and she is a board member of the Rice Global Engineering and Construction Forum and the Energy Industries Council. Her published work includes articles addressing challenges within the oil and gas industry and the impacts of COVID-19 on the construction sector.
Tell me about your background.
I have a bachelor’s and master’s degree in civil engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. After I graduated from college, I went into the construction industry. I started as a project engineer for Whiting-Turner in Boston, where I focused mainly on office buildings, managing concrete and steel sub-contractors. I left Whiting-Turner in 2002 to work for Clark Construction as a project engineer at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. I assisted with managing all of the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) subcontractors and gained an extraordinary amount of experience. I was then transferred to Chicago in 2003 as a project engineer for the McCormick Place expansion. I supported the MEP department director and was in charge of renovating the security command center in one of their existing buildings. I was then promoted to project manager for a major 60-story high-rise managing all exterior skin trades. I left Clark and moved to a competitor from 2009-2012, working mainly on claims for KBR, Inc. (formerly Kellogg Brown & Root). I left in 2012 for KBR, and I started off as the project controls department manager in their Chicago office but was transferred to Houston and promoted to senior project controls manager on a major fertilizer project. I started here at HKA in 2017. I have a construction and engineering background with hands-on, boots-on-the-ground experience, which gives me the foundation I need to work on the types of claims I handle today.
What drew you to engineering in the first place? What were some of your major influences?
I always loved math. Growing up, I was drawn to solving problems and doing puzzles, which led me to the career path of an engineer. Also, my grandfather was a Professional Engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) during World War II. He was stationed in Tunisia, working on infrastructure design. After the war, my grandfather had his own civil engineering consulting company. He worked as a technical expert for an insurance company and also designed warehouses, stores, and university buildings.
He enjoyed driving my sister and me around to see some of the stores he helped design that were still under construction. Our little excursions always ended with a trip to Baskin Robbins. He gave me all of his slide rules, which I still have. I also went to an all-girls school in Dallas growing up, and they were really good about helping students follow their passions. I took AP classes and other advanced classes in math and science, and I got great mentoring from my teachers from a young age, which definitely helped push me to where I wanted to be.
What do you feel is the driving factor for your success?
I’ve always been a very focused, diligent person. I always want to do better and learn from my past experiences. My background of working with different trades has led me to become an expert in my field because I have the practical experience of being on a construction job site. The projects that I get here at HKA and the way they are structured have really helped me grow and advance my career.
What does a typical day look like?
I work with clients and counsel in an advisory or claims support role on all different types of projects to help them navigate the issues they are facing, either through developing improvements or diving deep into project issues in the dispute resolution process. As the Partner who manages the Houston office, I help our people on a personal level or mentor them because I want them to grow their careers and be excited about working and gaining experience.
How do you feel that you and your teammates drive change in the industry, from a broad perspective but also as a woman in the construction industry?
When I started in the industry, there were very few females. I’ve always been driven, so I’ve never let anybody’s gender get in the way of my dreams. I never let anyone intimidate me, and it gave me more of a drive to succeed because I wanted to prove that I could be as good, if not better, than somebody else who would be doing my job. I also went to an all-girls school, and we were taught to follow our dreams without allowing gender to get in the way of anything, and I had very supportive parents. Also, at the beginning of my career, I asked to be mentored by a female in a leadership position so I could learn from her about what she did to succeed, and I followed some of her guidance.
At HKA, we have more women than many other companies, especially in the expert field. As a leader in the company, I mentor other women who aspire to become a partner at some point in their careers. I give them the same advice I received and the knowledge I’ve gained from my own experiences so they can build their careers. HKA allows women to succeed and be exposed to different clients, attorneys, etc., who see that we are qualified and the right expert for the job. I also do a lot of speaking engagements. I’m a board member of the Rice Global Engineering and Construction Forum and the Energy Industries Council, and I serve on the Executive Council for the Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute, which exposes me to the broader community.
What are some of your passions or hobbies outside of work?
My passion is my family. Outside of work, I really take that time and spend it with my family and my children. I don’t want them to see that I’m always working. I don’t want to miss out on them growing up, and I want to support them at school events, recitals, and games. I want to be a role model for them and show them that women can be leaders in our industry.
What is something surprising that people might not know about you?
I used to live in Belgium as a kid. My dad worked for IBM and was transferred there for four years. I loved living in Belgium; it was incredibly safe, and we could travel to different countries and experience different cultures and places.
Where are your favorite places that you’ve traveled?
As a kid, I really enjoyed Ireland. It was so beautiful, and where my grandmother was from, so it was nice to see her heritage. As an adult, I really love Saint Kitts. It’s where my husband and I were married, and we just took our kids there to celebrate our anniversary and my birthday (which are on the same day!).
What is your favorite movie or TV show?
The Goonies! I watched it so many times as a kid, and it always makes me laugh and brings me back to my childhood. It’s one of those movies where if it comes on, I have to sit down and watch it.
We recognise the devastating toll mental health issues can put on those who suffer and their loved ones. HKA is committed to doing its part in erasing the stigma and misunderstandings surrounding mental health issues by supporting mental health initiatives, promoting conversation and transparency.
Hear from some of our colleagues who have shared some of the ways they look after and support their mental health, as well as share their tips for others.
Richard Aindow, Partner, Group Finance Director Daresbury, United Kingdom
Many of us lead busy lives and work in a high-pressure environment, which can make it particularly difficult to be able to switch off. We can fall into the trap of letting work take over our personal lives, which can then start impacting on our mental health as well as our physical health. Whatever our role in the business, we all face challenges professionally and personally on a daily basis, and it’s vital that we take the time to focus on our mental health, as it’s very easy to ignore this given everything else we have going on.
For me, it’s all about making time to do what you enjoy and not feeling guilty about taking time away from work or not responding to emails within a minute of them landing in your inbox!
I’m lucky enough to have a season ticket at Liverpool FC, so that’s a great escape for me – to spend a day socialising with friends from all different backgrounds, talking nonsense and enjoying the football! I also have a 2 ½ year old niece and try to create as much time as possible to spend with her (again, largely talking nonsense!). All of this helps me realise what the really important things in life are: friends and family. It really helps me switch off from the pressures of work.
Exercise is also a great way to improve physical and mental health;
even doing something for just 20 minutes can make a real difference. As the saying goes, you never regret a workout!
It’s also important to talk about any issues you might be facing. It’s great that HKA supports initiatives such as World Mental Health Day, and it’s all part of removing any stigma around mental health issues. You never know what someone might be going through, and even the most outgoing and happy person may have some real challenges they are trying to hide, so it’s really important to reach out to people and check in on them. Just a simple “How are you?” if you haven’t heard from someone for a while may be all it needs to allow that person to open up and to know that they have someone there to support them if needed.
Kayla Begg, Proposal & Marketing Manager Los Angeles, California, United States
To be honest, I’m not super comfortable publicly admitting that I have mental health challenges, including adjustment disorder and chronic anxiety. But I think it’s more important to destigmatize mental health care, especially in the workplace. Most people will face some kind of mental health issue at some point in their lives, and hopefully, the more we talk about this, the more people will feel comfortable pursuing treatment options that could help them.
Therapy has been the most beneficial thing I’ve done so far for my mental health. The whole process has helped me build tools to manage my chronic anxiety, process emotional challenges and traumas, and gain a deeper understanding of myself. The improvement in my mental health has been tremendous since I started, and I highly
encourage anyone who is thinking about therapy to try it, even if they aren’t totally sure if they need it or not. You might be surprised. Self-care rituals have also become a foundational piece of my mental health care practice. Mental health doesn’t exist in a separate box from my physical health, and a daily walk before or after work allows me to temporarily detach from stress in my professional or personal life. Creating bedtime routines and cues helps me ‘turn my brain off’ so I can fall asleep more easily. I also journal quite often, which helps me get my thoughts out of my head and reduce rumination and cyclical thinking. Everyone’s mental health care needs and practices will be as different and unique as they are, and it’s important to try different methods and approaches to address your specific needs.
I have played various sports throughout my childhood and adult life and enjoyed the camaraderie, the competition, and the physical health benefits. Over the years, however, I have increasingly recognised that it has also brought mental health benefits.
For the last 15 years, my main sporting activity has been golf. Whilst playing can be highly frustrating as our expectations are often more significant than our ability, it provides me valuable time away from work pressures, enjoying the company of other like-minded people in the fresh air and sunshine. I have learnt to embrace the challenge of the sport without putting too much pressure on myself by welcoming the need for focus, concentration, and strategic thinking within a serene landscape. The photograph shows the natural beauty of a course on the south coast of Ireland.
I find that golf and mental well-being share a harmonious relationship.
Old Head Golf Links, Ireland
The environment is conducive to reducing stress and enhancing mental health. Focusing on trying to get a little white ball into a hole in the ground frees up my mind of daily tasks or concerns. The sport has enabled me to foster valuable friendships and shared experiences and enhance my cognitive skills and resilience.
To recognise World Mental Health Day, HKA is pleased to support and donate to World Federation for Mental Health, National Alliance on Mental Health, the Canadian Mental Health Association, Full Stop Australia, The Befrienders KL, and Scottish Association for Mental Health.
Morgan Kung, Consultant Hong Kong SAR, China
How I look after my mental health
I enjoy visiting the pet-friendly café during the weekend. Interacting with animals gives me a sense of companionship and connection, which helps relieve my stress. Studies also proved that pets could have a beneficial effect on mental health by reducing the levels of the stress hormone in our bodies. However, keeping a pet might not be easy as it requires lots of time and effort. Instead, I choose to keep houseplants at home and in the office. Like animals, having houseplants allows me to take care of another living organism, creating a sense of connectedness that alleviates feelings of loneliness.
Living in Hong Kong (known as concrete jungle), where access to public green spaces is often limited. Houseplants can remind me of the positive experiences I’ve had in nature, which boosts my mood. Nurturing plants is like a mindful exercise and allows me to have some quiet time to feel relaxed and calm. I like watering my plant when taking a break at work; it helps refresh my mind and distract me from any negative thoughts that I have.
Mental health tips
Stay connected
Spending quality time with friends or family can stop us from feeling isolated as well as improving our mental health. The best way to maintain our social connections will undoubtedly be meeting in person, but it may not always be possible due to location and time zone differences. However, we can always make use of technology and stay connected with people through phone calls, video chats or even text messages.
Friends not only provide us with company to overcome loneliness but also give us emotional support when we need it. It is important to talk to someone when we are struggling. Friends and family can provide us with a safe space where we can let down our guard and talk about how we are feeling without the fear of judgment and the need of having to explain ourselves.
Stay active
Exposure to stress in the long term can put us at higher risk of mental health illness, including depression and anxiety. Physical activities can help mitigate the negative effects of stress and improve our resiliency against stress. Studies show that people can experience lower levels of stress hormones like cortisol and epinephrine, even just having short bursts of exercise.
Routine exercise is as powerful as antidepressants in treating anxiety and mood disorders. Exercise can improve our mental health by allowing our brain to release “feel-good hormones” like endorphins and serotonin that help improve our mood. We can also combine our exercise routine with other evidence-based practices such as meditation. Training our ability to focus on the present allows us to break out of the cycle of negative thoughts that feed depression.
Norah Mudau, Senior Business Support Administrator Johannesburg, South Africa
My name is Norah Mudau, and I am a single mother of two beautiful girls, 17 and eight years old. Mental health problems can happen to anybody, as we all feel tired, stressed, and not coping at times. I have learned to be honest with myself, admit when it gets too much, and find ways to cope that work for me. I talk to people I trust so that the situation will not get out of hand. I sit back and listen to my little one read for me; it brings me joy and closes off negative thoughts and what happened during the day. She tops it up with storytelling or a song about events that happened during the day at school and aftercare. I get to hear who said and did what. It always ends with a lot of laughter, which works for me. And it is amazing how refreshing and relaxing that is for me.
If we have time on Saturdays, we go on outings with the girls (most of the time, at a park near where we stay), and the kids play while I sit on the bench. I always get a chance to speak to a stranger. The conversation may be about kids or any news of interest while we watch the kids play, and we cheer while they run or rush to queue for a slide, and that helps to take a break and my mind off things.
Sundays are always the best; we do photoshoots anywhere we find interesting. I always take at least a one hour nap on Sunday to prepare for the week ahead. Always do what works best for you and the little things that bring joy and make you feel good.
If you feel distressed, please speak with someone and be honest with yourself. If you are able to help yourself, do what works for you. What works for others may serve as guidelines, but do what will help you, depending on your situation. Accept who you are and seek professional help if you need to.
Colleagues, let us continue to be kind and considerate. If you have a chance, ask how others are doing sincerely and support them in any way you can. Always remember that some situations need a professional or help from someone experienced. And always keep in touch, that will mean a great deal to the other person.
I am glad we are looking into mental health and that the firm supports it. A couple of years ago, HKA trained a group of volunteers – including myself – to become Metal Health First Aiders. It was great to see colleagues express genuine interest and fully commit their time and effort to the training (which, of course, competes with chargeable work). I think we have real awareness of mental health continuum across our team.
I am learning to look after my mental health daily, and it looks different every day. I know some things that certainly work for me (yoga, hot bath, sketching, reading a good non-fiction book). However, the days my mental health needs love the most are the ones when I find doing anything from my list the hardest. Instead, I let myself do the smallest thing that I have the energy to do, trying to let go of any expectation of my feeling going away: a walk, a break for a cup of tea, a hug or stroking my dog, Pippa. Pippa “works” from home with me, and her quiet presence (well, she snores loudly even with her eyes open, so not that quiet) is something I take for granted. But whatever it is I do, it is a gift and not a transaction; there is no agenda, and I offer my full presence.
Pippa
Here are three things that I continue learning and practicing that others may find useful:
Letting go of an expectation to be “good”/“on it”/“100% of everything” every day, each and every 24 hours.
Noticing the moments when I do not feel great and staying curious (and kind) about them rather than drowning them in busyness.
Connecting with people, asking for support when you need it, and giving it when you notice others need it. It may feel in the moment that our experiences are unique; it is just us, but they never are. And no one can or should go through some things on their own. As one of my favourite authors, Brene Brown, writes, “Love is the last thing we need to ration in this world”.
Rey Saballa, Lead Consultant Sydney, Australia
When my son was diagnosed with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) at age four and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and anxiety at age seven, these were challenging times for me, and I felt sad, worried, and overwhelmed. I had trouble sleeping and concentrating, and my mental health suffered.
Initially, I tried to ignore my symptoms, but I soon realized that they were not going to go away on their own. I had to accept that I was struggling and take steps to help myself.
One of the most helpful things I did was to talk to people I trusted about how I was feeling. Simply speaking aloud about my difficulties helped me to process my emotions and feel less alone. Sometimes, the people I talked to were able to offer me support and advice or help me to see my problems from a different perspective.
I also made sure to schedule some “me” time each week. This was time just for me to relax and recharge, without having to worry about my son or my other responsibilities. I would often use this time to play golf or take photographs, which are two of my passions.
Taking care of my mental health has helped me to be a better parent to my son. When I am feeling good, I am better able to manage his challenges and provide him with the support he needs.
If you are concerned about someone, have the courage to check in and ask how they are doing. A conversation could truly change a life, and remember, it is okay not to be okay.
If you have been affected by anything in this article, please visit HelpGuide.org‘s international directory of mental health support services.
Michael Cuevas is a Partner in our Miami office. He is a registered Professional Engineer with more than 25 years of experience on complex and challenging projects. Michael comes from a family of carpenters, which he attributes to his familiarity with construction and structures. It was an easy and natural choice for Michael to gravitate towards structural engineering.
We spoke to him about his background, how he and his team drive change in the industry and what he enjoys doing outside of the office.
Tell me about your background.
I’m a civil and structural engineer who dedicated the first 15 years of my career to designing buildings such as hospitals, offices, schools, theaters, manufacturing facilities, and many other types of structures. Subsequently, I started the second phase of my career by becoming a forensic engineer, evaluating damage to existing buildings and structures. These evaluations have included damage due to design defects, construction defects, wind, earthquakes, floods, fires, explosions, construction activities, and vehicle impacts, among others. I have performed these forensic evaluations for the past 11 years in support of litigation, construction disputes, and insurance claims.
What do you think has been the reason for your success?
There are several reasons for my success, but the most important are:
Work Ethic – My parents are some of the hardest-working individuals I know. They instilled that work ethic in me through example. Working hard and giving an honest effort in everything you do is still very underrated. It is an important attribute for success and one that does not go unnoticed by clients.
Challenged and Competitive – I get bored easily, which makes me navigate to challenging work. Structural engineering and working in disputes where other experts are opposed to you in a high-stakes environment is very challenging.
How do you and your team drive change in your industry?
Our goal is to provide our clients with incredible value. We take the time at the beginning of an assignment to understand what questions we need to answer for our clients. Then, we try to go above and beyond to provide those answers by:
Putting in the work to gather information, assess, analyze, process, and conclude. If you cheat the process, you’ll most likely miss something and make a mistake.
Providing technical reports that are easily understood by all while having the technical information and rationale required to support our findings.
Overcommunicating. If a client calls us to ask a question or request an update, we have failed.
Being honest. Honesty is the best policy, especially when it seems that you will not benefit from it.
What was a project you were involved in that stood out to you / are you most proud of?
I worked on an $800M claim in Argentina early in my forensic career, where I was the only Spanish speaker. Initially, I was just one of the engineers on the team. Still, my role grew to one in which I was responsible for the team and the work product across all disciplines (mechanical, electrical, plumbing, civil, structural, cost estimating, and scheduling). It was a considerable challenge, fun, and a learning experience all at the same time.
What advice do you have for aspiring claims consultants?
At HKA, you’re often involved in multiple projects at once, and your team’s deliverables change constantly, depending on your client’s needs and the ongoing development of any review. Being organised is critical. I stick to the basics of project management by always understanding what we need to achieve and understanding your team’s strengths in each aspect. Open communications with your team members go a long way in forging good team dynamics and allow for early dedication to stumbling blocks that can be better managed. This allows for a less stressful environment for your team and better results for your client.
What is something about you that might surprise people?
I was the first person in my immediate and extended family ever to attempt to attend a college/university. It’s important to note that I have over 50 cousins! I placed more pressure on myself to graduate because I knew that if I succeeded, it would show my siblings and cousins that they could take a similar path.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Staying healthy, running, cycling, and exercising are my passions. I also love to travel and most recently visited Colorado. I enjoyed spending time in beautiful country and mountains with my wife, hiking at the Garden of the Gods, visiting Red Rocks Amphitheater, and driving up Mount Evans, above the clouds.
Izel Hart is a Senior Consultant based in our Johannesburg office. She has over 15 years’ experience in project commercial management, contract management, commercial administration, contract drafting, tender evaluation and adjudication, operations forecasting, and commercial management.
We spoke to Izel about her background in claims management, the project she is most proud of, her passions outside of work and she gives advice to upcoming claims consultants.
Tell me about your background.
I started my career as an administration clerk for a well-known petroleum company. This was my first taste of the corporate world and the intricacy of project leadership. This position afforded me a unique perspective into all the so-called puzzle pieces a massive assessment requires before a win can be achieved.
My curiosity led me to be part of numerous greenfield projects across a broad spectrum of various industries, and I’ve been learning ever since.
What attracted you to your specialty?
No two projects are the same; the claims environment is constantly changing. It’s the one thing I enjoy the most. As the project parameters change, you must redirect your thoughts and your interpretation of what you know. My skills are continuously being put to the test. As a claims manager, you’re consistently developing your skills, which allows for growth, and I find this intriguing.
What was a project you were involved in that you are most proud of?
I was part of a dynamic team responsible for implementing a massive greenfield project for a new iron ore mine. This project was based in a very remote area with limited access to major infrastructure and posed a real challenge when it came to managing all the various contractor interfaces and their schedules. Our team managed to get the project up and running on time and within the budget constraints limiting contractor claims. This project was recognised as one of the most successful greenfields projects at its time and played a significant role in my career path and the drive I have as a consultant today.
Why is HKA a stand-out employer for you?
Our HKA team is very diverse; we have the top experts in both delay and quantum. HKA is very people driven with a lot of focus on upskilling its employees. HKA has a good culture and is renowned for its success in this industry.
What advice do you have for aspiring claims consultants?
At HKA, you’re often involved in multiple projects at once, and your team’s deliverables change constantly, depending on your client’s needs and the ongoing development of any review. Being organised is critical. I stick to the basics of project management by always understanding what we need to achieve and understanding your team’s strengths in each aspect. Open communications with your team members go a long way in forging good team dynamics and allow for early dedication to stumbling blocks that can be better managed. This allows for a less stressful environment for your team and better results for your client.
Is this career path what you had initially set out to do?
Not quite. As a teenager, I wanted to be involved in criminal investigations. Whilst that path was not taken, I do feel that the thing that made me tick, i.e., wanting to know why and how continues to drive me in this career path which, in a sense, always comes back to “investigations”.
What are your passions outside of work?
I enjoy just about anything that doesn’t involve sitting in one spot for too long. People are my passion. I love interacting with my loved ones, including my daughter, and close friends through weekend boat trips, pottery, art classes, or a good music festival. Of late we’ve had numerous music festivals with fantastic local artists, and I’m enjoying every one of them.
I love animals. I almost hoped I’d have a homestead or farm of my own. So, whilst I don’t have any farm animals, I have 6 wonderful dogs ranging from massive to small. I’ve rescued litters in the past, and hand-raised them.
HKA was delighted to welcome our newest colleagues to our diverse global team in July 2023
17th August 2023
A warm welcome to HKA. We are a diverse global team, and our culture is collaborative, honest, transparent, and high performing.
Thank you for joining HKA, a great place for our brilliant people to work, grow and play. Good luck to you and we hope you enjoy being yourself with us.
We understand joining a new company is exciting, yet can also be challenging. As you start a new chapter in your career with us at HKA, please look after your mental and physical health and well-being. Always reach out if you need any help.
Enjoy.
Kate Wood, Partner, Chief People Officer
Sara Alblooshi, Analyst Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Having graduated in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), Sara now hopes to build upon her practical experience at HKA.
Sara has a well-rounded understanding of various engineering tasks, including quantity takeoff and surveying. Her previous work experience involved structure design and she is well-versed in a range of design programs including STAAD and Navisworks.
Ayesha Alhammadi, Analyst Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Ayesha graduated from Higher Colleges of Technology, Sharjah in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in applied science in electronics engineering technology. She specialises in delay analyses.
Ayesha has previous experience as an electronics engineer and an assistant manager, where her responsibilities included liaising with clients to resolve issues and complaints, registering claims, and monitoring processes.
She looks forward to putting her strong analytical skills and attention to detail to use at HKA.
Nawaf Alhejji, Analyst Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Nawaf is a civil engineer and a 2022 graduate of Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud Islamic University. He gained most of his experience working on the Security Forces Medical City Project and was also previously engaged on the King Abdullah International Gardens Project.
Nawaf is adept at editing project reports, plans, and construction schedules and is knowledgeable in design calculations, conducting material tests and analysis, reviewing, and auditing structural designs, and general project management support. He is a member of the Saudi Council of Engineers.
Meghan Bolinger, Associate Consultant Chicago, IL, USA
Meghan has joined HKA in the Chicago office as an Associate Consultant. She received a bachelor’s degree in accountancy and a Master of Science in Accountancy (MSA) from the University of Notre Dame. She returns as a full-time employee with HKA, following her internship with TM Financial Forensics last summer.
Kimberly Hepburn, Managing Consultant Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Kimberly recently relocated to Dubai, UAE, from the UK. She is a chartered quantity surveyor (MRICS) with nine years of client-facing professional experience.
She brings significant expertise from working on a range of major infrastructure and property investment projects in the UK, including High Speed 2, Thames Tideway and the Battersea Power Station redevelopment.
She is passionate about making a difference, adding value, and being a positive role model in the construction industry. Kim sits on the Chartered Surveyors Training Trust (CSTT) Board and is also a guest lecturer at her former university.
Timothy Hoying, Associate Consultant Minneapolis, MN, USA
Tim joins the Minneapolis office after an internship over the past year. He is a recent Iowa State University graduate with an MBA and a Mechanical Engineering degree. Tim has experience working in a variety of different industries including additive manufacturing, food manufacturing, and nonprofit management consulting.
Kwe Parker is a Baltimore, MD native who is currently based in the Washington, D.C. area. He has over 6 years of experience in the Government Contracts space, with a focus on Federal Acquisition Regulation (“FAR”) & Cost Accounting Standards (“CAS”) compliance, indirect rate modeling, Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (“DFARS”) Business Systems, and M&A due diligence.
Magdalena Prus, Associate Technical Director London, UK
Magdalena is a Chartered Architect with over 12 years’ experience and holds a master’s degree in Construction Law and Dispute Resolution from King’s College, London. In her role as an Expert Witness and Forensic Architect, she has been involved in the analysis of a wide range of technical issues in adjudication and litigation proceedings in the UK. Her international experience includes working as part of a wider expert team on high-value claims in international arbitrations, relating to university projects, infrastructure and hospitals in the Middle East.
Liz Saunders, Global Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager London, UK
Liz Saunders joins our London office as Global Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager within our Global People team. Liz has a B.A. in Modern European Languages as well as over 25 years’ commercial experience in manufacturing and International Sales. After a 15-year hiatus from work to bring up her two children, she returns to support Chris Bernard, Partner, Global People Recruitment & Equality, Diversity & Inclusion and HKA with progressing on our global ED&I global journey.
Chia Tang, Business Support Administrator Brisbane, QLD, AUS
Chia joins the Asia Pacific Business Support team with extensive experience in various administrative and client management roles.
Prior to HKA, Chia worked in the logistics industry for a number of years where she attained skills in handling documents for compliance with local and international regulations.
Chia is also highly skilled in communicating and building influential relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels.
Ziad Zibaoui, Associate Consultant Phoenix, AZ, USA
Ziad recently graduated from the University of Arizona where he studied business economics and management information systems. He is thrilled to be a part of HKA, and he is excited for all the professional development and learning opportunities as he begins his career.
Alex Lee, Principal, was recognised as an Exceptional Expert in Financier Worldwide’s 2023 Power Players in Environmental, Social & Governance
10th August 2023
Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) has become more prevalent in many companies across the world. Organisations across the globe are setting targets for ESG to combat the climate crisis, engage with local communities, improve diversity, protecting workers’ human rights, and focus on many more issues.
Alex Lee, Principal, was recognised as an Exceptional Expert in Fiancier Worldwide’s 2023 Power Players in ESG. In the publication, Alex shares his story through a brief Q&A and some of his engagement highlights.
In Financier Worldwide’s Power Player series, they highlight leading experts in their field who provide insight into themselves and their areas of expertise. Alex was recognised alongside four other experts in the ESG sector.
See the document below to read Alex’s recognition in this report.
HKA was delighted to welcome our newest colleagues to our diverse global team in June 2023
28th July 2023
Thank you for choosing to join our HKA global team. HKA is a great place for our brilliant people to work, grow and play. Your diversity, experience, and skills will make our company even better as we continuously collaborate and improve HKA together. Our culture is collaborative, honest, transparent, and high performing – we are one global team.
Joining a new company is a challenging and exciting time. Please look after your mental and physical health. Protecting your health is HKA’s number one priority and we are here to support you. We embrace hybrid working, we are enjoying meeting up in our offices together again and reaping the benefits of in-person time – looking forward to seeing you in one of our offices soon.
We hope you enjoy working with us in our global team and have time to develop as well as laugh together too.
Kate Wood, Partner, Chief People Officer
Kay Badenhuizen, Associate Consultant Phoenix, AZ, USA
Kay joins the Phoenix office after spending a year in Management Consulting since moving from her hometown in England. She graduated in May 2022 from the University of Arizona where she earned her BSBA’s in Business Economics and Entrepreneurship. She has experience working in a variety of different industries including financial services, real estate, and renewable energy.
Shilpa Bhatia, Senior Consultant Sydney, NSW, Australia
Shilpa is a skilled risk management and corporate governance professional with risk, assurance and compliance management experience across large infrastructure projects, providing advice and recommendations to senior executive and board levels. She has strong stakeholder management, shows highly effective planning, organizational and communication skills and applies a solutions-oriented approach to problem solving. She has delivered platforms, strategies, policies and advise for whole-of-government to support their strategic agenda. Shilpa has previously worked in the project risk management for Sydney Water and Sydney Metro.
Rob Chipanga is a chartered quantity surveyor with over 25 years of experience in the construction industry. He is experienced in the commercial delivery of projects and financial reporting, as well as managing profit & loss on projects for contractors and managing budgets for clients. Rob is also well-versed in full pre- and post-contract cost management/quantity surveying, procurement strategy, engagement of project consultants and contractors, contract advisory, financial disputes, claims resolution, and process and procedure formulation/implementation.
Rob has experience in managing the entire contractual cycle of projects, including contract negotiations, risk management, and cost control. He has successfully led commercial teams in delivering high-value, key complex construction and engineering projects across public and private sectors. Furthermore, Rob has worked on many large-scale infrastructure/built environment projects across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.
Stuart Ells, Partner, Chief Growth Officer, EMEA London, UK
Riley Gora, Associate Consultant Minneapolis, MN, USA
Riley joins the Minneapolis office as a recent graduate from Iowa State University with a degree in industrial engineering. His previous experience has primarily been with manufacturing and systems in the aviation industry. Outside of work, he enjoys baseball and competing in powerlifting meets.
Luke Hester, Finance Business Partner, EMEA Warrington, UK
Luke is an ICAEW Chartered Accountant with 7 years’ experience in the finance industry. During his early career, Luke was an External Auditor with one of the Big 4 accounting firms, working on a variety of engagements across the North of England, and prior to joining HKA, held a Financial Reporting role at a global pharmaceutical company.
Andrea Lunt, Assistant Management Accountant, EMEA Warrington, UK
Andrea has 11 years’ experience of working within management accounts, across a wide range of industry sectors including, various manufacturers, as well as a graduate role within the motor industry at Arnold Clark. Having studied AAT level 2&3 which led to her BSc Hons degree in Accounting and Finance at Liverpool John Moore’s University, Andrea is currently studying with ACCA to become chartered.
Craig Mcpheator, Associate Director Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Craig has 26 years of quantity surveying and quantum-related experience in the construction and engineering industry. He has worked for main contractors, civil engineering contractors, and consultants in a dispute resolution capacity. He specialises in quantum-related services in relation to construction and engineering disputes. He joins HKA also marks his return to the Middle East, where he previously worked for 13 years.
Craig is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, an RICS Registered Expert Witness, and an Academy of Experts registered expert determiner.
Alma Melling, Transactional Finance Manager, EMEA Warrington, UK
Alma has 20 years’ experience in transactional finance, managing high volume and value transactional finance teams and started her career invoice processing. Alma enjoys new challenges in the workplace and expanding her knowledge of new industries across transactional finance and aims to focus on implementing standard processes within the departments functions.
Khabib Musashaykhov, Associate Consultant Washington, DC, USA
Khabib has three years of experience in asset management, with a focus in equity investments. On the qualitative side, his work has included maintaining client relationships and managing several teams of analysts. On the quantitative side, he has experience in market, industry, and equity research which gave him extensive exposure to accounting, valuation, financial analysis and modeling.
Khabib is currently on track to obtain his Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) certification and enjoys his work in international arbitration and forensic accounting.
Cami Patel, Senior People Advisor, Asia Pacific Singapore
Cami has six years’ HR experience and joins in Singapore from London, where she worked as an HR Advisor for the Barbican Centre. Prior to this, Cami has worked in HR in London and Sydney in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, supporting organisations in large scale projects and providing day to day people support.
Cristiana Roscoiu, Managing Consultant Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Cristiana is a legally qualified Civil Engineer with 20 years of experience in the engineering and construction industry. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a listed Adjudicator on the FIDIC National List (ARIC) and a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Chartered Quantity Surveying and Construction).
Cristiana has extensive experience in project management, alternative dispute resolution, and quantum. She has provided strategic, contractual, and claims management services for major construction, civil engineering, and infrastructure projects across the world. During the last 18 years, she has worked on entire project life cycles and prepared and presented quantum and time claims in Dispute Adjudication Board and International Arbitration proceedings under ICC Rules.
Cristiana has worked for international companies focused on major infrastructure, preparing or defending valuable claims in Europe, South America, and the Middle East. In the last 3 years, she was appointed by international financial institutions as an international consultant expert.
Patrick Sanders, Partner, Chief Growth Officer, Americas Los Angeles, CA, USA
Alex Tilbrook, Associate Consultant Phoenix, AZ, USA
Alex is a recent University of Arizona graduate with a Finance degree. He has joined our Phoenix office as an Associate Consultant on the Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages team. As a recent graduate, Alex is focused on gaining experience and exploring options regarding the direction of his career.
Jordan Tu, Recruiter, Asia Pacific Sydney, NSW, Australia
Jordan joins as a recruiter with over 5 years of recruiting experience. Prior to joining HKA, Jordan gained much of his experience from private organisations in the Finance, Legal, and Technology sectors. He is responsible for the end-to-end recruitment process, partnering with hiring managers to develop a strong candidate experience.
Raven Xiao, Associate Consultant Beijing, China
Raven Xiao has 3 years of experience in construction industry. She holds a master’s degree in structural engineering from The University of Hong Kong. Raven previously worked as a structural design engineer at China Railway Shanghai Design Institute where she was involved in building and transportation infrastructure projects.
Azeem Zakariya, Consultant Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Azeem is a qualified accountant and an affiliate of ACCA (Association of Certified Chartered Accountants).
Since graduating with First Class Honors in Accounting and Finance from Middlesex University, Dubai back in 2019, Azeem has worked on several cases and is well-versed in drafting expert witness reports for testifying experts within the DIFC and Dubai courts. He has experience in analysing fraudulent activity and developing risk assessment frameworks. He has also conducted AML and Compliance reviews for banks and other financial institutions based on Cabinet Decision No.10 of 2019 and its associated guidance and amendments.
HKA becomes a beacon of hope on Mandela Day at the Othandweni Family Care Centre
24th July 2023
In remembrance of what the late global icon Nelson Mandela stood for, July 18 is observed and regarded as a day of service to our communities. Our South Africa team spent the day at the Othandweni Family Care Centre in Soweto, a township in Southern Johannesburg, South Africa.
More than 90 vulnerable children, ranging from infants to 18 years old, call the centre home. In recent years, this centre has become dear to our hearts, and we have remained committed to continuing to serve the needs and wellness of the children.
To celebrate Mandela Day, we purchased two washing machines and three kettles for the centre. These were delivered to the centre as our team—led by Lihle Ntshangase, Marketing Manager, Africa—was preparing lunch for the children while they were at school. In celebration of our donation, the caregivers burst into song as they had long wished for these appliances.
On July 6, another delegation with Kelly Whitehead, Partner, People Business Partnering, Asia Pacific and EMEA, and Pam Arries, People Manager, Africa, visited the centre with donations from the Middle East office, groceries, and baby walkers. The donations included soccer jerseys that gave the children hope and a sense of pride.
“Being present here and personally seeing the conditions these children live under makes me understand how much of a big difference HKA makes in their lives. We have great respect for their caregivers for just being there for them,” said Kelly Whitehead, Partner, People Business Partnering, Asia Pacific and EMEA.
Thank you to all those who supported and delivered our donations to help improve the lives of the young and vulnerable.
Discusión sobre las diferencias entre las metodologías de análisis de demora más utilizadas.
Un análisis de demora retrospectivo debería por lo menos producir lo siguiente:
Identificación de las actividades que realmente causaron demora en la ruta crítica; y
Cuantificación de la demora crítica causada por cada actividad.
En teoría, la cantidad de la demora crítica causada por una actividad debería ser algo objetivo. Sin embargo, bien se reconoce que consultores de lados opuestos en una disputa, generalmente (siempre) llegan a conclusiones muy distintas respecto a las actividades que causaron demora y la cantidad de demora causada por cada una.
Consultores tienen a su disposición varias metodologías para preparar/presentar un análisis de demora retrospectivo, pero hay que estar pendiente que algunas pueden producir resultados erróneos. Es importante estar consciente de esto al evaluar un análisis de demora preparado por otros. En este informe se comparan tres métodos de análisis de demora que se usan con frecuencia:
Plan impactado (en inglés – Impacted As-Planned1 o IAP);
Análisis del impacto al plazo (en inglés – Time Impact Analysis o TIA); y
Plan comparado a los acontecimientos reales en periodos (en inglés – Planned v. As-Built o PAB).
Para evitar confusión con respecto a la nomenclatura, abajo se definen las tres metodologías de acuerdo a como se utilizan en este informe:
1) Plan impactado (IAP):
Esta metodología consiste en insertar “fragnets” al cronograma base del proyecto para medir el cambio a la fecha de finalización del proyecto (o a ciertos hitos).
Un fragnet es un modelo que consiste de una o más actividades que representa un cambio u otros impactos que no eran parte del plan original del proyecto.
El cronograma base del proyecto (en inglés – Baseline Schedule), es el cronograma que incluye todas las actividades necesarias para ejecutar el contrato original (sin cambios, adendas u otros impactos). Para el análisis, es preferible usar el cronograma base aprobado. En caso que no exista un cronograma formalmente aprobado, se debería utilizar el cronograma (antes de actualizar) que fue usado por las partes (contratista, supervisor o dueño) contemporáneamente para la ejecución del proyecto.
Utilizando este método de análisis, si después de insertar un fragnet (o más de uno) la fecha de finalización del cronograma base cambia (se atrasa), se concluye que la causa de la demora (a la fecha de finalización) fue el cambio representado por el fragnet.
Consultores tienen a su disposición varias metodologías para preparar/presentar un análisis de demora retrospectivo, pero hay que estar pendiente que algunas pueden producir resultados erróneos.
2) Análisis del impacto al plazo (TIA):
La principal diferencia entre la TIA y el IAP es que en la TIA, el fragnet es insertado a un cronograma actualizado, preferiblemente uno cercano a la fecha de inicio del evento de demora representado por el fragnet. Como en el caso del análisis IAP, si la fecha de finalización del proyecto cambia (se atrasa) después de haber insertado un fragnet, se concluye que el cambio o impacto representado por el fragnet es la causa de la demora.
A continuación, se demuestra en forma gráfica, un ejemplo simple de las metodologías IAP y TIA.
Plan base (IAP)/Plan actualizado (TIA):
En este ejemplo, el cronograma del plan base/plan actualizado tiene una ruta crítica a través de las actividades A, B y D y un plazo de 20 días.
Inserción del fragnet: Fragnet X (3 días) representa el cambio que tardo 3 días y que fue ejecutado después de la actividad B y antes de la actividad D.
En este ejemplo, la fecha de finalización se atrasó 3 días. La causa de la demora es el cambio o impacto generado por el Fragnet X.
3) Plan comparado a los acontecimientos reales – en periodos (PAB):
El método de análisis PAB compara el progreso que se tenía previsto según el cronograma con el progreso real, evaluando todos los cambios a la ruta crítica (la ruta crítica siendo algo dinámico) en forma cronológica y cumulativa. Como en el caso de la IAP/TIA, es preferible usar un cronograma aprobado, pero si tal no existe, entonces se debería usar el cronograma usado para ejecutar la construcción.
El progreso real se puede establecer usando varios documentos incluyendo: los cronogramas actualizados, informes diarios/semanales/mensuales, y correspondencias. Cuando se introducen cambios significativos en el plan de ejecución que se incluyen en el cronograma actualizado (todo cambio significativo en el plan de ejecución se debe incluir en el cronograma actualizado), se debe empezar la comparación de nuevo – así dividiendo el análisis total en distintos periodos de análisis. Es necesario comparar el progreso real con el plan contemporáneo.
Hay variaciones en los métodos descritos anteriormente.
AACE INTERNATIONAL – RECOMMENDED PRACTICE NO. 29R03, FORENSIC SCHEDULE ANALYSIS (RP 29R-03):
El RP 29R-03 separa las metodologías de análisis de retraso retrospectivo en dos categorías, (1) Observacional y (2) Modelos (Aditiva y Sustractiva). Los métodos Observacionales son variaciones del PAB y los Modelos Aditivos son variaciones del IAP y el TIA. El método Modelo Sustractivo no se utiliza con frecuencia.
El RP 29R-03 no recomienda el uso de un método sobre otro – solamente describe los distintos métodos.
SOCIETY OF CONSTRUCTION LAW DELAY AND DISRUPTION PROTOCOL – 2A EDITION (PROTOCOLO SCL):
El Protocolo SCL identifica 6 métodos de análisis. Los tres métodos incluidos en este documento se identifican y describen en el Protocolo SCL.
La 1A Edición del Protocolo SCL recomendaba el uso de cierto método de análisis para situaciones retrospectivas, pero tal recomendación no existe en la 2ª Edición (corriente).
Problemas con los métodos modelados (IAP and TIA):
Hay dos situaciones en las que los métodos de análisis que usan modelos, el IAP y la TIA, pueden producir resultados erróneos:
Estado real al comienzo del impacto – La diferencia entre el progreso planeado y el real en el plazo entre la fecha de comienzo del cronograma base o de la actualización en la que se insertó el fragnet y el comienzo del impacto (evento que representa el fragnet) no se considera en los métodos modelados, y
El progreso real durante la ejecución del fragnet no se considera en los métodos modelados.
1) Estado real al comienzo del impacto:
Los análisis en que se usan fragnets, el IAP o la TIA, pueden producir resultados inexactos si no se toma en cuenta el estado de construcción al comienzo del evento de demora. En el tiempo transcurrido entre la fecha de comienzo del cronograma base (IAP) o de la actualización (TIA) y el inicio del evento de demora, es muy probable que la construcción no ha progresado precisamente como predecía el cronograma base (IAP) o el cronograma actualizado (TIA).
El RP 29R-03 reconoce esta deficiencia cuando indica que “[a]cuarcy of the duration of the critical path impact for any given delay event degrades in proportion to the cronological distance of the delay event from the data date of the Schedule” (traducción: precisión del plazo del impacto a la ruta crítica para cualquier evento de demora disminuye en proporción a la distancia cronológica del evento de demora a la fecha de corte del cronograma). No solo la precisión del plazo se disminuye, sino que también podría resultar atribuyendo una demora crítica a una actividad que no es crítica en el momento del evento de la demora.
Este concepto se puede demostrar con el ejemplo del IAP y la TIA utilizado anteriormente:
Plan base (IAP) / Plan Actualizado (TIA)
Considere el impacto del fragnet si todo el trabajo se realizó como estaba previsto, excepto por la actividad C que comenzó 6 días tarde.
Estado en el día 15:
En este caso (en el día 15 después de la fecha del comienzo del cronograma) la inserción del Fragnet X no tendría impacto a la fecha de finalización:
La demora crítica en este caso sería de 4 días debido al retraso de 6 días en el inicio de la actividad C (2 días de holgura).
Fragnet X no tiene impacto – solamente consume la holgura creada por la demora en el inicio de la actividad C.
Recientemente, en un arbitraje del ICC, un consultor presentó un análisis IAP en el que concluía que el reemplazo de un equipo importante en una planta se había demorado 6 meses (hito con penalidades) porque el dueño de la planta no permitió el paro del equipo existente para permitir el reemplazo. Debido a que la planta estaba funcionando, el dueño tenía que minimizar el tiempo de inactividad (desde el paro del equipo existente hasta la puesta en marcha del equipo nuevo). Las actividades relacionadas a este equipo se habían programado iniciar en junio lo cual incluía fundaciones, otras obras civiles y actividades mecánicas preliminares que debían completarse antes del paro del equipo existente lo cual estaba programado para noviembre – un plazo de 5 meses (junio a noviembre). En el análisis, el fragnet que representaba el paro del equipo existente fue insertado con una fecha de inicio en mayo del siguiente año, lo cual resultó en un retraso crítico de aproximadamente 6 meses (noviembre a mayo del año siguiente). Los 6 meses de retraso fueron atribuidos al dueño por demorar el paro.
Lo que el análisis no toma en cuenta es lo ocurrido entre junio (comienzo planeado) y mayo del año siguiente. Recién en abril fue que el dueño permitió que se iniciara el paro en el mes de mayo porque no fue hasta entonces que el contratista estaba por terminar los trabajos preliminares que tenían que haberse terminado antes del paro. Las actualizaciones mensuales del cronograma mostraban que los trabajos preliminares se demoraban por causas no atribuibles al dueño.
El dueño no causó la demora crítica de 6 meses. Sin embargo, la cantidad de páginas con terminología técnica y gráficos con barras y flechas creadas con programas electrónicos sofisticados describiendo y defendiendo la metodología IAP que estaba incluida en los “procedimientos recomendados” (Recomended Practice…) de la AACE Internacional resultaría en confundir a los árbitros.
En este caso la aplicación de la metodología fue correcta, pero los resultados no acertaban con la causa real de la demora crítica. El problema fue que no se tomó en cuenta lo que ocurrió entre la fecha del inicio de las actividades del cronograma base (fecha de corte) y el inicio del fragnet (modelo).
2) El Modelo:
En análisis retrospectivos, deberían existir los datos de los acontecimientos reales. Si estos existen, ¿cuál es el propósito de crear un modelo?
Esto es análogo a una situación típica en la que el contratista entrega una propuesta para costos de trabajos extra (no incluidos en el alcance original) que no se habían realizado al presentar la propuesta. La propuesta del contratista representa un plan o modelo de lo que él piensa que va a tomar para ejecutar el trabajo. Por ejemplo, si el contratista piensa que el cambio requiere 10 trabajadores por 10 días entonces prepara su propuesta a base de ese modelo. Si el dueño acepta la propuesta, y se ejecuta una orden de cambio, entonces no importa si el trabajo en realidad requirió 8 trabajadores por 8 días o 12 trabajadores por 12 días: se aplicará la orden de cambio ejecutada.
Por otro lado, si no hubo un acuerdo antes de haberse ejecutado el trabajo, no tiene sentido volver a la propuesta o crear un modelo. Si se conocen los datos reales, entonces la cantidad real de trabajadores y el plazo que realmente trabajaron en el cambio se debe usar para el costo del cambio y el tiempo.
Problemas con el método Observacional (PAB):
El principal problema con el método de análisis PAB es que generalmente consume más tiempo que los métodos modelados. Mientras más detalle se considera en el análisis, más preciso va a ser el análisis.
RECOMENDACIONES
El protocolo SCL describe el TIA (análisis de fragnet) como el “procedimiento recomendado” (recommended procedure) que debe seguirse para un “análisis contemporáneo de demora” (contemporaneous analysis of delay). Ni el protocolo SCL ni el AACEi recomiendan el TIA como el método preferido en situaciones retrospectivas. El protocolo de SCL indica “después de la finalización de las obras” (after the completion of the Works) el TIA “puede no ser apropiado” (may no longer be appropriate).
Hay dos situaciones en las que los métodos de análisis que usan modelos, el IAP y la TIA pueden producir resultados erróneos:
Estado real al comienzo del impacto – La diferencia entre el progreso planeado y el real en el plazo entre la fecha de comienzo del cronograma base o de la actualización en la que se insertó el fragnet y el comienzo del impacto (evento que representa el fragnet) no se considera en los métodos modelados, y
El progreso real durante la ejecución del fragnet no se considera en los métodos modelados.
Para remediar la primera situación hay que considerar los acontecimientos reales durante el plazo del comienzo del cronograma (base para el IAP y actualizado para el TIA) hasta el comienzo del fragnet (evento de demora).
Para remediar la segunda situación se debe considerar los acontecimientos reales durante la ejecución de las actividades del fragnet y las otras actividades que se ejecutan contemporáneamente.
Si la forma de remediar las posibles deficiencias de los métodos modelados, el IAP y el TIA, es considerar los datos reales antes y durante el período del fragnet, entonces es preferible usar el método PAB.
En la mayoría de los casos, el aumento de precisión del PAB justificaría el tiempo adicional requerido en relación a los métodos modelados.
Cualquiera de los tres métodos, IAP, TIA, PAB (1) identifican las actividades que realmente causaron la demora a la ruta crítica, y (2) cuantifican la demora crítica causada por cada una de las actividades, con tal que los datos reales se usen para complementar el IAP y la TIA.
Sobre el autor
John H. McTyre tiene más de 35 años de experiencia en proyectos de construcción.
Durante los primeros 10 años, John ha trabajado en proyectos con empresas de construcción sirviendo de superintendente y gerente de obras. También ha sido representante del dueño en otros proyectos. Los siguientes 25 años ha preparado y analizado reclamos incluyendo reclamos de demoras, costos de demoras, costos relacionados al detrimento de productividad y evaluación/costo de trabajos adicionales. Ha trabajado en plantas eléctricas (hidroeléctricas, parques eólicos, de hidrocarburos, etc.); infraestructuras (carreteras, puentes, aeropuertos, puertos, metros, líneas de transmisión, etc.); petróleo y gas (plantas de distribución/licuefacción/regasificación de gas, cañería, refinadoras, etc.); edificios (oficinas, estadios, residencias, teatros, universidades, etc.); centros de datos; industriales (plantas de bioetanol, producción de papel, plásticos, etc.).
Los clientes incluyen contratistas, dueños, subcontratistas, ingenieros, etc.
El Sr. McTyre ha hecho presentaciones de perito en arbitrajes (ICC, AAA, y CCL), cortes (federales, de las fuerzas armadas, estatales) y en mediaciones. Ha hecho presentaciones de perito en inglés y español.
Footnotes
1 Plan impactado (IAP) es usado con mucha frecuencia en Latino América.
HKA was delighted to welcome our newest colleagues to our diverse global team in April and May 2023
21st June 2023
Thank you for choosing to join our HKA global team. HKA is a great place for our brilliant people to work, grow and play. Your diversity, experience, and skills will make our company even better as we continuously collaborate and improve HKA together. Our culture is collaborative, honest, transparent, and high performing – we are one global team.
Joining a new company is a challenging and exciting time. Please look after your mental and physical health. Protecting your health is HKA’s number one priority and we are here to support you. We embrace hybrid working, we are enjoying meeting up in our offices together again and reaping the benefits of in-person time – looking forward to seeing you in one of our offices soon.
We hope you enjoy working with us in our global team and have time to develop as well as laugh together too.
Kate Wood, Partner, Chief People Officer
Jean-Philippe Andanson, Senior Contract Manager Paris, France
Jean-Philippe has a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering and has 15 years of experience in the preparation, negotiation and management of contracts in the energy, gas, transportation and mining industries. He has been involved in the early engineering phases of projects through to the closing of contracts and any associated disputes, and also has extensive experience in contract management and dispute avoidance. He supports and guides engineers in contract management, maintaining overall consistency and ensuring the success of projects.
Yousef Benghalia, Managing Consultant Glasgow, UK
Yousef is an experienced quantity surveyor with 10 years of experience in the construction industry and has acted as a senior quantity surveyor on a range of projects on behalf of various main contractors. Working across oil & gas, nuclear, and rail sectors, Yousef has developed a command of pre and post-contract commercial management through assignments to significant projects in highly regulated industries and possesses master’s level education to bring theory and practice together. Able to take charge of complex commercial workloads, he has also demonstrated good financial acumen in the management of projects.
Wintress Cloud, Senior Associate Consultant Houston, TX, USA
Wintress has 7 years of collective construction industry experience. Her background includes dissecting the scope of complex capital projects utilizing advanced work packaging methodologies and project controls. Over the years, she has interfaced directly with the project team and site personnel during field assignments. She enjoys getting exposure to multiple projects, excels in collaborative work environments, and is receptive to development opportunities.
Terry Feng, Managing Consultant Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Terry has 10 years of project control and delivery experience in the construction industry, working on many large-scale projects.
His experience includes a vast number of high-profile construction projects in the UAE, focusing on buildings, access roads, and bridges. Terry has a BEng in civil engineering and an MSc in Commercial Management and Quantity Surveying. In addition, he also holds a Level-One Constructor Certificate issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of China (MOHURD).
Likaa Ghaddar, Managing Consultant Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Likaa Ghaddar is a skilled planning engineer with eleven years of experience in project planning and forensic delay analysis within the engineering and construction industries.
Likaa has been engaged in many Middle East projects across the residential, oil and gas and commercial sectors, specialising in baseline program development, progress updates and monitoring, resource and cost loading, and delay analysis.
Likaa holds an MSc in engineering management and a BE in industrial engineering and CST credentials from AACE International.
Rosalie Hollands, Associate Director London, UK
Rosalie is a Chartered Quantity Surveyor with over 10 years of experience in the construction industry. Rosalie has supported clients on national and international projects, from minor public realm works to new builds and major conversations with budgets exceeding £170 million. She has extensive experience in collaborative working with large client and construction teams. She has been responsible for administering and reporting project progress from conception to handover, ensuring key deadlines are met. In addition to her professional role, Rosalie is undertaking an MSc in Construction Law & Dispute Resolution at King’s College London, with completion expected in September 2024.
Rosalie has worked alongside experts, assisting with the quantum analysis, evaluation of losses, and preparing and drafting reports. She has experience in various forms of dispute resolution, including mediation, domestic UK adjudication and international arbitration.
Pamela Kahwajy joins HKA as a consultant with a civil engineering and project management background. During her studies, she worked as a structural design engineer but began her career in infrastructure advisory. Prior to joining HKA, Pamela gained experience in the private and public sectors. She has experience in risk management and strategic risk advisory across both the water and transport infrastructure sectors.
Melissa Kiser, Implementation Consultant Las Vegas, NV, USA
Melissa Kiser has 10 years of experience in the aviation industry. Most of her career has been spent administering project control systems, specifically PCM, P6, and PMWeb. She is an avid volleyball player, a travel enthusiast, and an animal lover. She joins the Las Vegas office as Implementation Consultant.
Morgan Kung, Consultant Hong Kong, China
Morgan Kung is a Consultant within the Quantum team based in our Hong Kong office with over 5 years of experience in the construction industry. She has a bachelor’s degree in quantity surveying from the University of Reading, UK. Morgan specialises in quantum analysis and has worked alongside experts to provide quantum assistance in preparing expert witness reports as well as audit services to various institutions. She has been involved in numerous projects that required a broad range of experience, such as pre-contract tendering, procurement, tender analysis, cost control and management and post-contract administration.
Cathy Le, Executive Assistant Philadelphia, PA, USA
Cathy is a Philadelphia native who graduated from Temple University. Her career background is quite diverse; she is a Pennsylvania licensed realtor, and she gained extensive administrative experience as a Senior Administrator/Executive Assistant at URBN Inc. for over 10 years before moving over to a Post-Production Supply Chain Senior Coordinator role where she spent over 5 years learning the ins and outs of the retail supply chain business. Prior to her start at HKA, her most recent position was with a home furnishings manufacturer in Delaware as a Finished Goods/Raw Materials Import Buyer. She joins the Philadelphia office as Executive Assistant.
Lukas Leuthold, Manager San Francisco, CA, USA
Lukas joins HKA’s San Francisco office after a sabbatical exploring the American West by road, from the Arctic Ocean to the Sonoran Desert. He previously worked in external financial audit and in managing and accounting for construction and information systems projects in California, Switzerland and Uganda. Lukas studied at Haverford College and Santa Clara University. He leads the SF chapter of the ACFE.
Alexia has 5 years of experience in the construction industry. She is rejoining HKA as a full-time employee after an internship last fall. She joins HKA in the Montreal office.
Anton Ma, Lead Consultant Sydney, NSW, Australia
With over 20 years’ of experience in the Construction Industry, Anton joins HKA as a Lead Consultant in the IPS team. As a Chartered Professional Engineer, he has undertaken various roles in mechanical contracting, including engineering design, estimating, commissioning, project management and BIM coordination. During the past 8 years, his role focused on estimating and cost management within an extensive range of sectors including infrastructure, defense, hospitals, retail complexes, data centers, commercial and residential towers.
Erin Sheth, Senior Associate Consultant New York, NY, USA
Erin has over seven years of experience in forensic accounting and litigation consulting. She has worked on a number of matters, including business interruption, fraud investigations, and FCPA investigations. She began her litigation consulting career in insurance archaeology and complex insurance claims cases. Erin enjoys conducting both data analysis and investigative research to provide support to a variety of projects.
Saif Sohail, Consultant Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Saif has three years of experience as a forensic accountant, specialising in conducting investigations and working on disputes for clients primarily in the Middle East. Saif’s professional experience includes professional services and start-ups, and he has worked across a diverse range of sectors, including retail, FMCG, energy, utilities, oil & gas, NGO, fintech, and health-tech.
Saif holds an MSc in Finance and Accounting from Imperial College London and is currently finishing his accounting qualifications.
Nitheesh Valappil, Managing Consultant Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Nitheesh is a qualified accountant with over seven years of professional consulting experience, predominantly in forensics.
During this time, he has contributed to numerous dispute resolution cases, providing critical assistance to experts in litigation and arbitration matters. Nitheesh has a BCom degree in International Business and is a member of The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
