We are excited to welcome experienced project controls and scheduling professional, Niall Casey, to our growing team in Western Australia!
Joining us in a Schedule Assurance role supporting government and industry projects, Niall brings over a decade of valuable experience across Defence, infrastructure and complex project environments.
Born in Ireland, Niall completed his degree in electrical engineering and a Master of Business before landing his first role in power plant project development with a state-owned electricity company.
“I worked on a number of power development projects across the UK. It was primarily a project development role, but it also included some scheduling,” says Niall.
“At the time, power prices were falling and the financial models for a number of projects were no longer stacking up, so projects were starting to be put on hold. I decided it was a good opportunity to take a break and move to Australia for a couple of years.”
While living in Perth, Niall was hired by UGL to undertake scheduling work on a maintenance project at Garden Island, where HMAS Toowoomba was alongside for a refit.
“That was really where it all started for me in Defence. I enjoyed the environment and the work, and one opportunity naturally led to another.”
From there, Niall built his career across a number of well-known Defence and engineering organisations including UGL, NSM Australia, Austal, ASC and L3Harris, working across a range of programs involving ships and submarines.
“I joined ASC as a Scheduler and was later promoted into the Program Scheduling Manager role, where I managed a sizeable scheduling team across Western Australia and South Australia.”
Niall and his wife Séverine first met while travelling in Guatemala in 2011. Before COVID, they made the move to the Margaret River region, where they bought a home in an ecovillage.
“Séverine was working at Cape Mentelle Vineyards in Margaret River, while much of my work was in Perth and Henderson. We split our time between Perth and Margaret River so we could both pursue our different career paths.”
Just after the COVID period, Niall needed to take some personal time away from work before eventually returning to Defence.
His career later took him to L3Harris before moving into his first above-the-line role with Naval Construction Branch in Henderson, giving him experience working from both sides of Defence contract delivery.
“That was an important step for me because it gave me a different perspective on how programs are managed and assured from the Commonwealth side. Having worked on both sides of contract delivery, my approach is practical and collaborative.
“I’m all about identifying problems early and working with delivery teams to fix them, rather than just reporting on them.”
That experience ultimately led Niall to Geodetica and the Schedule Assurance work he now supports on a large Defence capability program.
Niall met Geodetica’s Daniel Gould (CPPD) through another project and says the opportunity with Geodetica came together naturally.
“There are some great opportunities to grow, and I want to play a part in helping the company grow with them. Continual improvement and best practice are important to me, and I’ll always be looking for areas where I can add more value.
“It’s a great opportunity to continue working on interesting projects that leave a positive legacy for Australia.”
Niall and Séverine recently relocated to Perth as they prepare to welcome their first child, with Séverine going on maternity leave from her role at Cape Mentelle.
“We absolutely loved living in the South West, but with the baby coming the timing was right for us to move back to Perth. It also coincided nicely with me coming onboard with Geodetica, so it feels like the start of a new chapter for us.”
When he’s not working, Niall is a keen CrossFit enthusiast. At the gym five or six times a week, he and Séverine have become part of the local CrossFit community.
“I’ve always been competitive and I enjoy the odd competition, but for me it’s really about the style of training and the community around it. Séverine and I also enjoy travel and socialising, though I imagine life might look a little different after our first baby is born in a couple of months.”
