Our people are at the
heart of everything
we do.

David is the Founder of Essence and is responsible for its strategic direction, growth, and overall performance.

His driving motivation is to provide a supportive and collaborative environment for people to thrive, develop, and fulfil their professional and personal objectives. As well as heading the executive team, David provides leadership in the delivery of major projects and portfolios.

He has more than twenty-five years of experience in senior roles for market-leading project management businesses and has amassed more than 35 years of experience in Australia, SE Asia, and the UK.

He is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and holds a Master of Management from one of the world’s leading business schools.

David’s personal interests include ocean racing, competing regularly in various Bluewater races including Sydney Hobart and Sydney Gold Coast yacht races. He is also a keen skier and regularly hikes in remote environments.

Caitriona and her team are responsible for the company’s national finance & operations function, engaging with leaders to drive and optimise the financial health and deliver the seamless operations of Essence. Her career spans more than 20 years across various industries, with extensive experience in financial management operations, performance optimisation and corporate strategy.

Caitriona holds a double bachelor’s degree in business administration and Commerce, with Accounting and Marketing majors, a Post-Graduate Chartered Accounting degree, and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Advanced Leadership. Caitriona is a professional member of the institute of Chartered Accountants Australia & NZ and has recently been admitted as a Member of the AICD.

Caitriona prides herself on collaboration, communication, and cohesiveness to deliver a best-practice back-of-house function to strengthen the company’s performance and is passionate about making Finance & Operations accessible across the business. In her spare time, Caitriona enjoys hiking, spending time with family and travelling.

James is a senior-level executive with an exceptional ability to construct and facilitate cohesive teams, interface with public agencies, and liaise with key stakeholders. He has been instrumental in the ongoing success of Essence and its growth in the NSW market.

James’s expertise is in the delivery of heritage, hotel, and commercial developments. An engineer by practice, he has managed the delivery of many award-winning buildings such as 5 Martin Place, 60 Martin Place, the Fullerton, the W Hotel, the Hyatt Regency, and The Sandstones.

He is an analytical thinker who can think critically about all aspects of a project. He takes a fresh approach to each project bringing with him warm optimism and enthusiasm.

When he’s not hard at work, you’ll find him riding around the Northern Beaches with his young family.

David is an exceptional leader with a strong belief that a positive working culture and working environment, will produce positive results for any project.

He brings a wealth of experience, expertise and skillsets having worked with private and listed property developers, Tier 1 contractors, and quantity surveyors on major projects around Australia. His strengths lie in the delivery of mixed-use, residential, BTR, and commercial offices. Notable developments in his portfolio include Commonwealth Games Village BTR (Gold Coast), Swanston Square Apartments (VIC), 480 Queens Street Offices (QLD), 3 McNab Avenue BTR (VIC), 50 Queens Road BTR (VIC) and 10 Ballarat Street BTR (VIC).

David has a degree in Planning & Design and a degree in Property & Construction. He brings an extensive background and skill set in property development and project delivery across all critical phases of the development process. He prides himself on bringing passions, commitment and diverse thinking to his role as a people leader.

David’s exceptional talent doesn’t stop at property development, he once trialled for a professional football contract in Europe.

Katrina is an accomplished executive with 30 years of experience in the property industry, with exposure to some of Australia’s largest, most complex and exciting projects.

She is a dynamic individual who thrives in growth environments applying significant experience in stakeholder engagement, influence and strategic planning.

Katrina has demonstrated hands-on ability to drive projects from concept to completion as an intuitive leader and insightful problem solver. She applies strong interpersonal skills and a high level of integrity and ethics.

With a proven record of successfully executing strategies with measurable results, Katrina is an significant asset across her project involvement.

David is a property executive with more than 30 years of experience in the design, development, and delivery of projects. An architect by profession, and with a background in property development and project management, David seeks to influence every stage of the project’s journey to achieve a successful outcome.

He is passionate about sustainable development and has led and delivered major projects that set high standards for sustainable development. Under David’s guidance, he is responsible for Essence’s response to climate change.

David currently serves on the Property Council’s NSW Sustainability Committee and is a Green Star Associate of the Green Building Council.

David is also an avid sailor and is passionate about architecture.

Damian is a highly accomplished professional with more than 19 years of experience in the property and construction industry.

His roles in both, client-side and contractor delivery, provide him with exceptional experience across the development lifecycle.

Damian is a great team player who is outcomes focused. His relatable approach and win-win visualisation allow him to form great working relationships, both internally and externally across all project disciplines. This leadership delivers superior outcomes for his clients and their projects.

Damian is a Professional Member of the Australian Institute of Project Management and Project Management Institute and an advocate for gender equality in the property industry. Damian has led the charge of several initiatives to promote a more diverse workplace within Essence.

With over two decades in the construction industry, Paul boasts 20 years of Project Management expertise, specialising in Health, Medical Research, Pharmaceutical and Education Sectors.

For over 10 years, Paul has been a driving force behind the planning and delivery of public infrastructure, delivering triumphs for government and non-government clients.

Paul’s experience includes successful collaborations with NSW Health Infrastructure, overseeing critical stages of projects like Shellharbour Hospital, Wagga Wagga Hospital, Dubbo Hospital, Maitland Hospital, Byron Hospital, and various Ambulance & Mental Health facilities.

Lindsey is an accomplished industry professional with both development management and client-side project management expertise locally and abroad. His experience spans over 20 years in the retail, hotel, and residential sectors.

Projects within his portfolio include the Marriott Docklands, AC Marriott, Quincy Hotel, Melbourne Connect student accommodation, Coventry Haus, The Peak, Pacific Werribee, Hoppers Crossing and Pacific Epping Shopping Centres, Harbour Town Shopping Centre and Westfield London.

He is personable with a respectful and collaborative approach to projects, whilst being results-focused.

His experience across both consultancy and property development, results in the ability to prioritise actions and outcomes to meet the client’s best interests, and contains the technical skills to deliver projects successfully, making him a well-rounded project director.

Lindsey is passionate about creating a fun and high-performing working environment where people want to be, participate, learn, and feel rewarded by their contribution.

Stephen is a highly skilled and accomplished Director with significant experience in the design and delivery of medium to large-scale complex projects. His expertise spans various sectors including education, social infrastructure, sport & recreation, State Government, aged care, commercial, retirement living, residential, health and retail.

Stephen is a practical thinker with a keen attention to detail and strong problem-solving skills. He is a valuable team leader and contributor, known for building strong relationships with clients, consultants, contractors, and stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of projects.

Stephen’s commitment to achieving client goals, coupled with his collaborative approach, consistently delivers exceptional outcomes for every project he undertakes.

Stuart Angas, a seasoned project manager with expertise across aviation, hotels, health, residential, government, and defence.

Stuart is known for his calm, measured, and strategic approach to project management.

His success in team leadership and effective organisation of diverse personnel reflects his expertise in construction, development strategy, and various business environments.

Jason Wong, an accomplished professional with 19 years of experience in the Adelaide market.

Jason’s background as an architectural consultant brings a unique perspective to Essence SA.

His emphasis on collaboration and communication ensures successful project outcomes, with a focus on fostering strong relationships with project partners.

Jason’s extensive industry experience encompasses design consultancy and project management, providing advanced knowledge across various facets of the construction and property industries.

Alice brings close to 20 years of experience delivering complex construction projects with a strong focus on client outcomes, stakeholder engagement, and high-quality delivery. Her background spans Tier 1 construction and client-side project management across the hotel, retail, residential, and retirement living sectors.

A Newcastle local, Alice studied Construction Management at the University of Newcastle and has managed projects across NSW, QLD, and SA. Her project portfolio includes the W Hotel, The Sandstones Precinct, Chatswood Chase, Charlestown Square Retail Development, Hunter River Remediation, the Randwick Racecourse Redevelopment, and large-scale residential communities. She is particularly experienced in delivering projects within live operational environments and high-security settings.

Alice is known for her thoughtful, solutions-focused approach. She provides strong leadership throughout the full project lifecycle—balancing technical, commercial, and stakeholder complexities to ensure delivery on time and within budget. Her calm and collaborative style, paired with deep industry knowledge have consistently led to successful outcomes on high-stakes, multi-faceted projects.

Now heading up Essence’s Newcastle and Hunter Region office, Alice is passionate about championing gender equity, fostering team growth, and (re)building meaningful industry connections in her hometown.

Cameron is an industry leader with more than 20 years of property experience.

Throughout his professional career, Cameron has led the successful delivery of a wide variety of civil, environmental and building projects. He has specific expertise in seniors living, social housing, education and infrastructure. Cameron has directed numerous project teams ensuring consultant designs and contractor works are delivered within budget, and on time, ensuring statutory & standard requirements, and project objectives are met.

Cameron is a successful negotiator and communicator and has led negotiations and managed relationships with authorities, public and private partnerships, construction companies, and consultants.

Marie has more than 20 years experience in the property and construction industry, driving maximum return by bringing a high strategic approach to major projects.

Marie’s career combines 360 degree experience across client, builder and tenant side. She is passionate about design excellence and dedicated to a strategic, turn-key management approach which drives value across the full life-cycle of complex projects.

Throughout her career Marie has managed multi-year projects spanning across the commercial, residential, infrastructure and retail sectors.

Reece Tabor has over 19 years of experience in the property and construction industry, bringing a proactive attitude and pragmatic approach to every project.

His extensive experience spans across Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Middle East, Canada, and Indonesia, where he has managed projects ranging from high-end fit-outs and international airports to commercial and residential high-rise buildings and retirement living.

Reece’s expertise lies in design management, procurement, contracts administration, construction estimating, project scheduling, and construction management. His strong leadership skills have enabled him to effectively manage teams and deliver successful project outcomes for his clients

Michelle is an accomplished and versatile property executive with over 20 years of experience leading complex projects and
programs across private, government, and non-profit organisations.

With a background in architecture, Michelle has led multidisciplinary teams to deliver education, health, social infrastructure, and residential projects throughout
Queensland. She has spearheaded major strategic initiatives focusing on precincts and economic growth at both citywide and project-specific levels.

Throughout her career, Michelle has earned a reputation for collaborative work, strategic thinking, and delivering on commitments. She has a proven ability in engaging and managing stakeholders within complex project environments, ensuring quality outcomes for clients.

An accomplished and adaptable Project Director with over 20 years of expertise in the construction industry Ben boasts a commendable track record of steering successful projects across, luxury hotel, commercial, mixed-use, and public sectors.

His experience includes pivotal contributions to cutting-edge legal and commercial fit-out and luxury hotels in Australia, overseeing various project management processes.

Demonstrating a robust skill set, Ben excels in navigating both the design and delivery stages of projects, showcasing proficiency in proactive risk and issue management.

Following a 30-year career in the private sector, David joined Infrastructure NSW and was appointed as Head of Projects in 2015. David is currently a non-executive director for Water Infrastructure, and Chair of Projects for its Advisory Board.

He is also a member of Infrastructure NSW Project Assurance Group and serves on several other public and private sector boards as an advisor including Western Sydney Airport Metro, and the City of Sydney Waterloo Social and Affordable Housing working group.

Julie is the founding Director and past CEO of JBA Urban Planning Consultants (now Ethos Urban).

She is currently a board member of Greater Sydney Parklands including the Western Sydney Parklands Trust, the Board of Trustees of Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust, and the Board of Trustees of Parramatta Park Trust.