Architect and principal of Allen Jack+Cottier Architects Michael Heenan has been appointed CEO of the practice.

Known for having won the best sports building in the World Architecture Festival for the Berry Sports hall, Heenan has gone on to chair state and international architectural juries. He will be in Singapore in August to participate in the World Architecture Festival as both an international judge and designer of a short listed project.

Principal Peter Ireland will assume the role of GM.

Keith Cottier, Reg Smith and Glynn Evans continue as members of AJ+C’s Design Advisory Board.

“AJ+C has come through the GFC with a powerful design focused agenda, the best people to support that agenda, great clients and, a stronger, more resilient business,” said Heenan.

The firm has also moved to strengthen its project delivery, finance, resources and management systems with two key appointments to its Executive Team: Michael O’Brien to the new role of Practice Manager, and Martin Clapham as Chief Financial Officer.

The firm now has projects in seven countries and major work in multi-residential and mixed-use projects, education, sporting facilities and specialist residential, including retirement and seniors living. Most recently, the practice has won new projects in Beijing and Shanghai.

Heenan commented:

“Our continued focus on design excellence, combined with an immense wealth of experience, and an ability to deliver large-scale, complex projects, is taking AJ+C to new levels.”

Ireland added: “The collective wisdom in this firm never fails to surprise me. We deliberately cultivate different ways of looking at design. When we put a team together to focus on a particular project, that collective energy becomes immensely powerful.”

Michael O’Brien — Practice Manager

O’Brien has an extensive background in practice management having handled strategic planning, resource management, tenders and project delivery for (among others) the $1.6b New Royal Adelaide Hospital (Hansen Yunken/Leighton) a number of BER projects (Ken Down Architects/Core Architecture), and the Inner Northern Busway, Brisbane (Bligh Voller Nield).

Martin Clapham — Chief Financial Officer

Clapham has a strong background in financial planning, strategy and enterprise management in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Most recently, he worked as Operations Director for UK-based Residential Development and Hospitality company Towercrest, and prior to that was Finance Manager and a Director of Calibra Enterprises, a NZ hospitality company.

Architecture & Design Team

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