Rob is the Director of Project Development Consultants.

He established Whitwell Group PDC Pty Ltd in 2002, which trades as Project Development Consultants, and provides indepth management and leadership services for the development of projects in property and engineering. In 2004 Rob was also President of the Master Builders Association of Victoria, and also a director of Incolink, the construction industry redundancy fund body in Victoria.

Prior to founding PDC in 2002, Rob was General Manager of the Southern Region of Abigroup Limited, with more than 30 years experience in the building and construction industry. Abigroup started business in Victoria by acquiring Salzer Constructions Pty Ltd, and Rob became the General Manager in 1989.

He was a Director of Abigroup Contractors Pty Ltd, the main operating entity of Abigroup Limited with a group turnover of $700 million on the east coast across a wide range of building and infrastructure development projects including BOOT Schemes.

Rob established Abigroups' leadership in construction companies providing finance for the design and construction of projects under a single DC&F contract arrangement.

He also directed the purchase and establishment of a number of new businesses including the York Capital Group, a structured finance and syndications business in the property industry; the establishment of Abigroup Maintenance Services with activities in the utilities, building, health and aged care sectors, the latter in joint venture with Epworth Hospital, and the merging of Cathodic Protection Systems with the Utilities Division of Abigroup Maintenance Services.

Prior to joining Salzer, Rob was Victorian State Manager of Consulere Design & Construction Pty Ltd, one of the leading D&C companies in the late 80's with major projects including large retail distribution centres and medium-rise office buildings.

This position was preceded by a decade of experience with Civil & Civic and Lend Lease Developments as Project and Development Manager for industrial and commercial projects in Perth; Development Manager with Austmark Developments Pty Ltd and Business Development Manager for Victoria for Leighton Contractors.

Rob's early career was with local government, including becoming the Design Manager for the City of Stirling, a large municipality in WA.

Rob's career commenced with graduating with a Diploma of Engineering (Civil) in 1972, and becoming a qualified Municipal Engineer in Western Australia. His management training includes the Management Development Program at the Australian Administrative Staff College in Mt Eliza, and a Certificate in Advanced Management from the Australian Institute of Management.

Paul is the Associate Director of Project Development Consultants.

He has over 30 years of hands-on and consulting experience in the project management of major building and engineering projects in Australia, Japan, UK and Canada.

Paul is an independent management consultant, trading as META Consultants Pty Ltd, consulting and training in project and construction management, business development and project management including market and feasibility studies, IT systems, contract management and project delivery in construction, telecommunications, defence, energy and aviation industries. Highlights include:

• Consulting assignments over several years developing project and quality management systems for condominium projects and preparing international bid and contract documents for the $1.5 billion Roppongi Boeichou project for Mitsui Fudosan of Japan.
• Trouble-shooting a wide range of major engineering and building projects involving joint ventures and other complex project arrangements.
• Providing expert opinion for major complex project claims, in particular computerised modelling.
• Facilitation of nine Strategic Business Planning and Business Development programs for project management, construction, engineering, IT, telecommunication and manufacturing companies
• Design and project management of software development, including the Project MISSION software, an advanced program and project management information system using Rapid Application Development (RAD) platform, and product development in C/C++
• Conducting Client Satisfaction Surveys for three project management, construction and engineering companies
• Review of the organisational structure and effectiveness for the $1000 million JORN over-the-horizon radar project and implementation of program management for Telstra.
• Facilitating the business development of start-up software and technology companies including, marketing, business planning and venture capital funding.
• Developing an Industry Training Plan for the building and construction industry for the National Building and Construction Industry Training Council.
• Facilitating an innovative Enterprise Agreement Program for a construction company and supported by the Department of Industrial Relations.

Prior to establishing himself as in independent consultant, Paul had 15 years experience with MacLachlan Group, K G Hooker Builders, Civil and Civic, Laing Construction in Canada and the UK, Western Canada Hydraulic Laboratories and the Department of Public Works New South Wales.

His qualifications include graduating in civil engineering with a Bachelor of Engineering, as well as being a Certified Management Consultant and Founding Member of the Australian Institute of Project Management. He also guest lectures in the Graduate Diploma of Project Management course at the Victorian University of Technology.