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Leadership

Dale Morrison

With a 22-year tenure as Chief Financial Officer at McConnell Dowell, Dale embarked on an exciting new chapter in March 2024 by transitioning into the role of Chief Operating Officer for the Aveng Group. This change brings a fresh opportunity for Dale to provide the Group with leadership, experience and corporate knowledge.

Dale’s professional journey commenced at BTR’s Head office in London, where he refined his skills over a three-year period before returning to his homeland, New Zealand, in early 1988. Joining McConnell Dowell in Auckland marked the start of a 36-year journey characterised by continuous progression and notable achievements.

Throughout his career, Dale has demonstrated adaptability, expertise, and resilience, navigating through a diverse range of business challenges in accounting and finance roles across various locations. His leadership and strategic acumen have been instrumental in driving organisational excellence and fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration throughout the Aveng Group.

Qualifications

BCom, Auckland University CA (ANZ)

Samantha Johnson

Samantha has over 25 years experience in health and safety, risk management, and insurance, of which 16 years has been in the global engineering and construction industry.

Samantha commenced with McConnell Dowell in 2000 as group insurance manager. In this role she managed the successful integration of the McConnell Dowell and Aveng insurance regimes, resulting in a globalised insurance programme for Aveng Group.

She assumed the role of McConnell Dowell’s Executive General Manager HSE in 2015 and assumed the role of Group Executive – health, safety, environment for Aveng Group in 2024.

Qualifications

ACII – Associate of Chartered Insurance Institute

Trevor Cruden

Throughout his 35-year career in construction, Trevor has led the delivery of many high-profile civil infrastructure projects, up to $1.2 billion in value.

A natural leader, he has a proven ability to build and sustain high performance teams, and create project cultures focused on accountability, safety, innovation, and value for money.

Now in an executive-level governance role, Trevor brings his intimate project knowledge and personable yet direct approach to drive performance excellence across Aveng Group’s construction project portfolio.

Qualifications

BEng

Heinrich Kukkuk

Heinrich has over 25 years of IT experience within the construction, manufacturing and mining industries and a demonstrated history of leading transformational initiatives in Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia and Africa.

Heinrich joined McConnell Dowell from Aveng in 2016, before assuming his current leadership role across all of Aveng Group in 2024.

Heinrich has a passion for data-driven decision making and loves to put people at the centre of technology solutions.

Qualifications

BCom Informatics, University of South Africa

Liesl Tweedie

Liesl has over 30 years’ experience in projects, manufacturing and service type businesses within the construction, electrical engineering, mining, manufacturing as well as IT industries. She has been deeply involved in corporate restructures, divestments, business turnaround initiatives. Additionally, she has improved the financial and commercial performance on multiple projects over the span of her career.

She is an experienced leader adept at developing high performance teams.

Liesl joined the Aveng Group in November 2017.

Qualifications

BCompt (Hons), University of South Africa, CA(SA)

Mario Russo

Mario joined the McConnell Dowell Group when the business acquired Built Environs in 2008.

Since joining the company, Mario has built an impressive track record in project delivery and new business. Most recently, as General Manager of McConnell Dowell’s South Australian and Western Australian region, he has overseen the delivery of a diverse portfolio of projects across several market sectors and built a sustainable and profitable business in the process.

Mario is a natural leader and collaborator who builds high performing teams that deliver results.

Qualifications

BEng, University of South Australia

Fraser Wyllie

Fraser is an experienced construction industry professional with over 30 years of experience.

He has worked extensively in the infrastructure sector, encompassing various aspects such as design, major project construction, and general management of multi-disciplinary civil contracting. He has worked in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

Throughout his career, Fraser has demonstrated a strong commitment to high-quality project execution and driving sustained commercial growth. He is recognised for cultivating a positive culture and achieving results.

Qualifications

BEng, University of Auckland; MBA, Massey University

Hee Wee Tan

Hee Wee’s experience in infrastructure construction spans the public and private sectors across both operations and precontracts. He has spent time in senior leaderships roles at John Holland Group, Gammon Construction Ltd and SoilBuild Construction Group, as well as establishing his own professional consultancy business.

Hee Wee’s longstanding contribution to the Singaporean construction space is complemented by equally significant ties to Australia.

Hee Wee completed his tertiary education in Melbourne, spending the early stages of his career as a Research Fellow for the Victorian Department of Transport.

Qualifications

MBA, Deakin University; M.Eng.Sci, Monash University; B. Eng, Monash University

Michael Clemenger

Michael is a dedicated and results driven construction professional with over 30 years of experience managing all aspects of project delivery and leading construction businesses across Australia and New Zealand.

Michael is a passionate and engaging leader who enjoys building a business that enables him to create teams that deliver an inspiring vision.

Personal, gregarious, and socially outgoing, he excels in roles that involve understanding customers and stakeholders and building the organisational capabilities to fulfil their needs.

Qualifications

BPD, University of Melbourne

Rod Dixon

Rod joined Moolmans in June 2023 as the Operations Director before being promoted to the role of Managing Director in September 2023.

Rod brings a wealth of experience to his role, with a career spanning over 30 years in the mining sector, encompassing various countries such as South Africa, Botswana, Australia, Canada, Indonesia and New Zealand.

He has held senior positions including directorships at Thiess Australia, Majwe Mining Joint Venture, Thiess South Africa, Felix Resources and White Mining.

Qualifications

MBA, University of Cumbria (UK)