Our People

The demonstrated mastery and leadership of our senior executives, combined with the passion and diligence of our emerging leaders, is what sets SJA apart. Together, our team is best placed to deliver exceptional client outcomes.

A message from our founder

Steve Abbott

Founder and Construction Expert

From the day I established SJA, my intention was to create a company that genuinely strengthens the construction process and the people it supports. My career began on the tools and progressed through many facets of the construction and development industry. Those experiences shaped my belief that successful projects rely on clear advice, dependable guidance and a team that truly understands what it takes to deliver.

SJA was built on that belief. I wanted to bring together specialists who not only know their craft, but who care deeply about the outcomes our clients are striving for. Our work is grounded in practical knowledge, thoughtful decision making and a commitment to doing what is right, not simply what is easy.

What I am most proud of is how our team has carried these values forward. SJA has grown into a trusted partner for organisations across Australia and internationally, yet our foundation remains unchanged. We listen carefully, we act with integrity and we stand alongside our clients from beginning to end.

To everyone who has been part of our journey from clients to colleagues and collaborators, thank you for your confidence in us. Your trust inspires us to keep raising our standards and expanding what we can achieve together.

Our Leadership

Mark Lincoln

Managing Director

Mark has over 30 years’ experience in the building, construction, infrastructure and defence industries, successfully providing commercial management direction and support for a wide range of construction and service-based projects. Mark’s skills are complemented by his hands-on experience as a site engineer and planner and programmer. Mark has held management roles for ASX200 firms including a board member and chair role for a joint venture delivering a $600m capital works program across Australia.

Tim Stevens

rEGIONAL gENERAL mANAGER | nsw/act

With more than 30 years’ experience in the construction industry in the UK and Australia, Tim has spent most of his career working for main contractors spanning public and private sectors. Tim’s expertise covers a range of procurement and delivery models for clients including self-delivery, design and construction, traditional construct only lump sum contracts and specialised management contracting contracts.

Kieran Sweeney

Regional General Manager | Southern and Western (VIC/WA)

Kieran is an accomplished Quantity Surveyor and first principles cost estimator, with over 30 years of industry experience, which has been gained across a range of sectors including Transport (Road and Rail Infrastructure), Mining and Industrial Facilities, Water & Waste Management, Oil and Gas and Commercial, retail and residential building, in private and public entities, both contracting organisations and consultancy practices at various stages of an asset’s lifecycle.

Lionel Poustie

Regional General Manager | Northern (QLD/NT)

Lionel is an experienced and proven senior manager in ASX-listed businesses and privately-owned organisations in the construction, manufacturing and mining industries.

Lionel has worked internationally and across Australia, specialising in developing business process improvements and implementing practical solutions to complex issues.

Scott Patten

regional General MANAGER | New Zealand

Scott is a qualified Charted Quantity Surveyor with over 20 years’ of experience in the engineering and construction industries.

Scott has a depth of expertise in all facets of contractual agreements, ranging from main contract and services agreements, through to actively leading change control, risk management, dispute avoidance and resolution.

He has worked across multiple sectors and geographies, including the United Kingdom, Dubai, Australia, and New Zealand.

Maximilian Benz

regional General MANAGER | Asia

Maximilian has contributed to major global projects across sectors including leisure, power and utilities, commercial, retail, rail, oil & gas and aerospace, ranging from office fit-outs to multibillion-dollar airports.

He provides expert witness and advisory services involving quantum analysis, damages and cost estimation, change assessment, contract management and the evaluation of prolongation, disruption and owner claims.

He is experienced with multiple contract forms (FIDIC, NEC, JCT, PSSCOC and bespoke agreements) and offers commercial, contractual and tendering advice, including developing estimates from concept to detailed design in both individual and team settings.

His project experience spans Australia, Algeria, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Malta, Mongolia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, the UAE and the UK.

Ben Marshall

Regional Manager | Expert and Project Management Services (nsw/act)

Ben is an accomplished Project Management professional, bringing over 23 years of senior project management experience and a proven record of delivering complex construction projects across the United Kingdom, Middle East and Australia.

He has developed deep expertise in the full development and construction lifecycle, having led numerous large-scale mixed-use, retail, commercial, education, residential and hospitality projects from inception through to completion.

Ben combines strong contractual and commercial acumen with excellent stakeholder management skills. He is highly experienced in project planning and approvals, as well as the procurement and coordination of consultant teams and contractors to drive optimal project outcomes.

His technical capability is matched by a strong commitment to collaborative project environments, ensuring that each project benefits from aligned teams, clear communication and a focus on achieving the best possible results.

Chris Gray

regional MANAGER | Advisory Services

With over 15 years of experience in the construction industry across the UK and Australia, Chris has worked in both consultancy and contractor roles across sectors including transport, infrastructure, environmental remediation, energy, and building. He has held positions with major contractors and consultancies, developing expertise in commercial and contract management, claims, project auditing, and change control.

Chris has supported project delivery under a range of procurement models, including design and construct, construct-only, and framework agreements. He has worked on high-value infrastructure and remediation projects, providing both hands-on commercial support and input into independent expert reports. His varied project experience and academic background in quantity surveying and construction underpin his ability to support commercial outcomes in complex environments.

Daniel Yeung

regional MANAGER | Planning and Programming

Daniel Yeung is a Regional Manager at SJA, bringing extensive experience in project planning and delay analysis across the construction industries in Australia and the UK.

He specialises in live programme management, forensic delay analysis and strategic planning, applying a disciplined and solutions-focused approach to critical path assessment, interface coordination and the development of practical methodologies that enhance project performance.

Daniel’s expertise spans a broad range of sectors, including commercial, education, residential and defence, where he consistently supports clients in achieving clarity, efficiency and strong project outcomes.

Alistair Bowden

Regional Manager | Advisory Services

Alistair has built a career delivering practical, outcome-focused support across both public and private sectors, specialising in contract and cost/schedule claims management and risk mitigation.

He optimises commercial outcomes through effective negotiation, stakeholder engagement, and disciplined contract execution. His experience spans senior roles in commercial management, contracts, project controls (planning and scheduling), project engineering, and estimating, with organisations including APA, ARTC, Evans & Peck, Worley, Acciona, Aurecon, Kvaerner, John Holland, and Concrete Constructions. This breadth of experience underpins a strong understanding of project delivery from early feasibility through to completion.

He has extensive international experience across major construction projects, having lived and worked in Beijing, Abu Dhabi, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, and across multiple Australian states.

He brings a combination of technical capability, legal insight, and commercial acumen to each engagement, with a consistent focus on aligning commercial strategies to client objectives.

Craig Lee

regional MANAGER | Planning and Programming

Craig is a seasoned project planning and programming professional with experience in the construction industry in both Australia and the United Kingdom.
Having spent the vast majority of his time working for large Construction companies at site level, Craig has a comprehensive understanding of the end-to-end construction process. Craig’s experience spans the full project lifecycle, including development, new business, and delivery, and he is adept at developing robust, data-backed planning solutions.
Craig has worked across numerous sectors, including Healthcare, Corrections, Commercial, Residential and Retail.
In addition to demonstrating a commitment to strong teamwork and communication to achieve the desired project outcome for our clients, Craig expertly leads our Planning and programming division in his capacity as Regional Manager.

Chris Hodges

Regional Manager | Planning and Programming

Chris Hodges is a construction expert with over 30 years of comprehensive, hands-on experience across all phases of the project lifecycle from feasibility and planning through to execution, close-out and dispute resolution.

Chris brings a practical, solution-focused approach to both project consultancy and expert advisory roles, providing impartial delay and disruption analyses for contractors, owners and legal teams. He also advises on claims preparation, helping clients assess case strengths and communicate effectively.

Chris’s expertise spans multiple sectors, including infrastructure, marine, mining, oil & gas and commercial construction. He is highly regarded for his deep knowledge of planning and programming, and he regularly leads teams in project planning, controls and performance improvement.

Having frequently been engaged to address complex issues involving delay, disruption and project recovery, Chris has served as both a Consulting and Independent Expert, delivering objective, detailed reports and analyses in support of claims, adjudications, mediations and litigation proceedings.

Pedram Rahimi

regional MANAGER | Planning and Programming

Pedram is a Senior Planning Consultant and Regional Manager with over 15 years of professional experience in delivering complex infrastructure projects. He holds a degree in Industrial Engineering and a Master’s in Information Systems, combining technical expertise with strategic project planning and process optimisation skills.

Throughout his career, Pedram has contributed to major projects across the Rail, Civil, Telecommunications and Energy sectors in Australia and the Middle East. He has extensive experience in developing detailed project schedules, resource planning, risk analysis and implementing advanced project management systems to improve efficiency and project delivery. His technical proficiency ensures projects are delivered on time, within budget and to the highest quality standards.

Rieko Zimmermann

regional MANAGER | Planning and Programming

Rieko brings over 30 years of experience in the Building, Engineering and Construction industries, with a proven track record on large-scale, multibillion-dollar international projects. Beginning his career as a Carpenter, he has progressed to senior management roles, underpinned by deep expertise in Planning and Project Controls.

Rieko excels at developing robust, data-driven project controls solutions and has contributed to projects across all phases from feasibility through to commissioning in New Zealand, the Middle East, and Germany. Notably, he led the Time Impact Analysis of COVID-related disruptions for the Link Alliance on Auckland’s City Rail Link and currently advises a leading Auckland-based client on the evaluation of Contractor Extension of Time claims.

Known for his systematic and methodical approach, Rieko applies best practices from leading engineering and project controls bodies to deliver clarity to decision makers while guiding project teams. His disciplined approach is a cornerstone of building high-performing teams and successful project outcomes.

He is an active member of the Society of Construction Law New Zealand and AACE International Board Member.

Zdravko Kuruzović

Regional Manager | Delay Expert

Zdravko is a seasoned Delay Expert with over 14 years of experience in planning, project controls and forensic delay analysis. He began his career in EPCM project planning, contributing to complex mining, oil and gas, process plants, power plants and infrastructure developments across Africa, before specialising in forensic delay analysis.

Appointed as a delay expert in numerous formal disputes, Zdravko has also supported expert witnesses in preparing detailed analysis and reports. His work spans multiple industries and contract forms, including FIDIC, NEC, JCT and bespoke agreements.

Fluent in multiple languages, Zdravko combines technical proficiency with strong analytical skills to deliver objective, high-quality advisory and expert witness services. His expertise includes delay estimation, entitlement apportionment, disruption and prolongation assessments and owner / employer claims evaluation.

Zdravko is known for his attention to detail, adaptability and commitment to client outcomes, qualities that have consistently led to successful legal determinations and established long-term client relationships.