Meet the Team | Alliance Geotechnical

David Duff

David has over 25 years of experience working in geotechnical consultancies in Australia. He has extensive experience in investigation, design and construction of major infrastructure and transport projects as well as small scale residential, commercial and industrial developments. His practical experience, positive attitude, technical, managerial and commercial acumen is well respected and these attributes deliver substantial benefits to the projects he works on.

Thomas Dale

Thomas Dale is a practising Geotechnical Engineer and leads our geotechnical consulting team. He has over 11 years of experience in the civil consulting sector with a focus on construction phase services, geotechnical investigations and project management. Since commencement with Alliance Geotechnical in 2011, Tom has helped to develop and sustain a successful and experienced team of engineers and geologists.
His typical responsibilities cover the engineering team’s oversight with strategic planning, personnel development and operations direction. This includes managing the risk and quality for on-time and on-budget execution of engineered outputs through clear communication and coordination. He also has significant experience with client relationship management and the departments business development strategy.

Matthew Swinbourn

Matthew is a practising engineering geologist working as part of the Alliance Geotechnical (AG) consultancy team. Matthew has four years’ experience working as an Engineering Geologist in the Sydney Basin area and previous experience working as a Soils Laboratory Technician. This experience has given Matthew a practical knowledge of Sydney’s soil and rock formations and their associated geotechnical issues.
Matthew has been involved in a range of projects, in areas ranging from infrastructure and earthworks projects to residential and commercial developments. In all projects Matthew works closely with clients to build strong communication channels and provide practical solutions to any issue that may arise.

Sahar Mamouri

Sahar Mamouri is a Senior Geotechnical Engineer and has 15 years of experience in the fields of geotechnical and civil engineering. Sahar has been a part of many large-scale infrastructure design projects including embankment dams and roads as a design geotechnical engineer. Moreover, Sahar has worked on several projects as a geotechnical engineer including commercial, industrial, infrastructure and residential multi-storey developments in NSW. She is proficient in conducting numerical analysis including stress-strain analysis, stability & seepage analysis of earth structures using engineering software like RS2, Slope/W, Seep/W, PLAXIS 2D and Auto CAD. Sahar produces technical reports and has fieldwork and project management experience.

Denny Jacob

Denny has over 6 years of experience working in the United States of America, Middle East and Australia on a wide range of geotechnical and civil engineering projects. These include highways, airports, industrial complexes, energy infrastructure, gas pipelines and new and historic building works in addition to road, rail and building construction contracts. Denny’s current project responsibilities as a geotechnical engineer with Alliance Geo include the following: slope risk assessments, numerical and FEM modelling and analyses, pile, pier and footing inspections, preparing fee proposals, supervising drilling, carrying out fieldwork and report writing.

Shiv Gangele

Shiv has over 15 years of experience in the geotechnical field both in Australia and Overseas with a vast experience in geotechnical investigations and construction phase services on many RMS, TfNSW rail and tunnel infrastructure projects. His combination of practical experience, positive “Can Do” attitude, communication and client liaison skills enables Shiv to consistently exceed client expectations.

Lubos Melicharek

Lubos has over 20 years of experience within the geotechnical field throughout Sydney and NSW. in Australia. He has vast and wide acquired knowledge of field investigations, drilling, coring, sampling, supervising, planning, budgeting, and report writing. He has finished a number of medium to large scale residential and industrial projects, pavement designs, rail investigations, and residential subdivisions. With strong communication and client liaison skills combined with practical expertise allow him to relate across professional and social boundaries.

Hadi Ajorlou

Hadi has over 10 years of experience working in Australia and the Middle East on a wide range of geotechnical and structural engineering projects. These include Tunnels and underground structures, highways and road infrastructures in rock and soil, and residential and commercial buildings in geotechnical investigations, geotechnical design and/or structural design stages. Hadi’s current project responsibilities as a senior geotechnical engineer with Alliance Geotechnical include the following: geotechnical investigations, slope risk assessments, forensic engineering investigations, numerical and FEM modelling and analyses, preparing fee proposals, supervising drilling, carrying out fieldwork and report writing.

Arash Afzali

Arash is an essential team member responsible for the preparation of geotechnical investigation reports, project management, pile inspection, supervision of field investigation and preparation of tender technical documents.

Arash started his career as a geotechnical engineer in 2008 in the Middle East. He was involved in a variety of geotechnical investigation projects including oil and gas terminals, offshore platforms and SPM terminals, power and petrochemical plants and major residential and commercial buildings. He has an extensive technical background and experience in soil-structure interaction analyses, remediation of problematic soils and piles driveability analysis and loading tests.

Aidan Rooney

Aidan is an experienced Principal Environmental Scientist with over 13 years’ experience in the environmental sector covering a broad range of associated technical disciplines including contaminated land assessments, planning and environmental approvals and environmental impact assessments for the water, wastewater and waste related projects in both Australia and in Europe for private and public sector clients. Aidan has vast knowledge on a broad range of contamination parameters including asbestos, hydrocarbons and pesticides.

Mehran Asadabadi

Mez has over 10 years of combined environmental and geotechnical engineering experience, with particular focus on linear infrastructure and residential subdivision projects & profound knowledge of project technical assessments and using statistical analysis software. His experience includes contamination assessments, waste classifications, geotechnical investigations, salinity assessments & management plans, subgrade & footing investigations, pavement design & evaluation, pavement rehabilitation, basement excavations, soft soil assessment & improvement, lot classifications, acid sulfate soil assessments & management plans, remedial planning & site validation.

Michael Dunesky

Michael has over 10 years of experience in contaminated land consultancy and environmental science and has coordinated both waste classification and contamination remediation programs for a multitude of contractors on many major infrastructure projects including North West Growth Center Stages 1, 2 & 3A, South West Growth Center Package 1 and Priority Sewerage Program (2010 – 2014). Michael manages many of our larger clients and projects, to help identify and mitigate and possible delay with approvals and construction schedules.

Paul Haslam

Paul has 35+ years of experience in construction materials testing including over 35 years in management of NATA Accredited Construction Materials Testing Laboratories. Paul has extensive experience in construction materials testing testing for a range of private companies and government authorities on large and medium scale construction projects throughout NSW and Queensland. Major clients include Leighton Contractors, John Holland, Laing O’Rourke, Abi Group, Reed Constructions, Fulton Hogan, Watpac, Road and Maritime Services and Department of Main Roads and Transport Queensland.

Rumeshwar Chetty

Rumesh has over 12 of construction materials testing and is highly experience in both RMS and Australian Standard testing for concrete, soils and aggregates. Rumesh has worked on many major RMS infrastructure projects his commitment to both quality control and training in the field and laboratory is invaluable.

Brett Bellingham

Brett has 14 years of construction materials testing and experience managing and coordinating testing on many of our Sydney Water and major infrastructure projects.

Matthew Redfern

Matthew has over 10 years of construction materials testing experience and excels on complex infrastructure where on site advice to clients in regard to specification conformance is essential. Matthew is highly respected and sought after field technician by some of Australia’s largest construction companies working on major infrastructure projects.

Mark McGill

Mark has over 30 years of experience in the testing of construction materials for civil construction projects and has managed site laboratories in the mining and infrastructure sectors throughout Australia and overseas.
He is a NATA Approved Signatory for concrete, soils, aggregate and rock testing for both Australian Standard and Roads and Maritime Services test methods. Currently Mark is responsible for the coordination of the laboratory samples to ensure the highest quality test results are delivered on-time to our clients. Mark is also responsible for assisting with personnel technical training, equipment calibration and maintenance.

Ian Goldschmidt

Ian is the Department Manager of our specialty geomechanical testing section responsible for client management, strategic development, and innovation. Ian has been a NATA Technical Assessor in Geotechnical and Civil Construction Materials Testing since 1996 for Soil & Rock Mechanics. Ian has over thirty years of experience in the Civil, Geotechnical, Environmental & Mining Industries in Australia & Internationally.

Dr. Bowei Yu

Dr. Bowei Yu is our Technical Manager responsible for staff training, testing innovation and development. He has solid research and development backgrounds in soil mechanics, unsaturated soil mechanics, clay liners, contaminated investigations and remediations with over 7 years experience in geotechnical and geoenvironmental specialist testings. His research outcomes include 10 published technical papers and many global conference presentations.

Oliver Yan

Oliver has over 10 years of experience in contaminated land consultancy in the environmental sector with a primary focus on contaminated land assessments (soil, groundwater, and vapour intrusion) and remediation. He has managed many complex projects for both private and public sector clients here in Australia (NSW & Victoria) and in the United States (California and Alaska). He provides advice/mentorship and technical direction for the junior environmental staff.

Nathan Foster

Nathan is a Principal Environmental Scientist with over 16 years of industry experience. His principle areas of expertise are Contaminated Land Management, Acid Sulfate Soils and Soil Salinity. Nathan has a wealth of experience investigating and remediating legacy soil and groundwater contamination across metropolitan Sydney and regional NSW. Nathan also provides due diligence advice to clients and profiles risk for property transactions.

Jacob Walker

Jacob is an experienced Environmental Scientist with 2.5 years’ experience in the environmental sector covering a range of associated technical disciplines including contaminated land investigations, environmental impact assessment, waste management, environmental compliance monitoring and reporting and air quality monitoring.

Mark Green

Specialising in slope risk assessments and slope management (to AGS and RMS), earthworks forensic/expert investigations, construction support services including rock inspections and remedial works, Mark provides a leading role in reviews and mentoring to the team. He collaborates in preparation of proposals and reporting with clients to find the best value scope and solutions for the projects. He is your trusted advisor.

Paul Onukaogu

Paul is an experienced environmental engineer and an NSW Licensed Asbestos Assessor with over four years of Australian infrastructure industry experience across a diverse range of environmental and WH&S consulting projects.

Paul possesses robust field and technical environmental management and monitoring skills, medium-to-large scale Project Management skills, Community/stakeholder engagement skills, high level of risk evaluation and control design & implementation.

Benjamin Byrnes

Ben is the laboratory supervisor for the earthworks and compaction division as well as being a very experienced field and laboratory technician. Ben is responsible for the day to day running of the laboratory testing for the earthworks and compaction division which involves organising the daily workload and human resources and supervising the testing staff. Ben has 10 plus years of experience in construction materials testing.

Shane Power

Shane’s role is the management of earthworks projects. Shane is the primary contact for our civil contractor clients who are requesting field testing, he allocates the work to our field staff and reports the results of the field testing, ensuring their compliance with the project’s specifications and ITP’s. Shane has 5 years of experience in construction materials testing.

John Moore

John is the laboratory quality manager for both divisions, he manages the calibrations and servicing of all the laboratory’s testing equipment and supports the technical manager in making sure that the laboratory maintains it’s accreditation with NATA and Transport for NSW. John has 10 plus years of experience in construction materials testing.

Darien Law

Darien is involved with the installation of new equipment and material testing at Alliance’s Specialised Soil & Rock
Mechanics Laboratory.

Upamanyu Suryadevara

Manyu is part of Alliance Geotechnical’s consultancy team and employed as a geotechnical engineer. With competencies relating to structural/civil engineering before entering the geotechnical discipline, Manyu’s current project responsibilities as a geotechnical engineer with AG include: geotechnical investigations, pile/pier inspections, pad/strip footing inspections, preparing fee proposals, supervising drilling rigs, carrying out fieldwork, report writing, liaison with subcontractors and clients.

Aaron Hong

Aaron is employed as part of Alliance Geotechnical’s (AG) consultancy team. Aaron worked in AG’s geotechnical testing/CMT laboratory during the final year of his undergraduate degree (2017) and was promoted to the role of Graduate Geotechnical Engineer after the completion of his Honours degree in Civil Engineering (mid 2018).

Shambhu Shrestha

Shambhu has been involved with occupational hygiene and environmental investigations since early 2017. He possesses skills in investigating environmental hazards, ensuring compliance during hazardous materials handling works, and evaluating environmental policy and guidelines.

Simon Thomas

Managing Director

Simon established Alliance Geotechnical Pty Ltd in 2004. Alliance primarily provided construction materials conformance testing for civil contractors on residential subdivisions throughout Western Sydney. After 10 years of sustained growth, the need to transform the company to include engineering and environmental consulting services became essential. Alliance has now grown to over 90 employees providing specialist geotechnical, environmental, soil and rock mechanics specialist testing and consulting services to the company profile.

Paul Fakes

Quality Manager
Paul has 30 years experience in Integrated Management Systems. His career started out as an Electrician on large infrastructure projects, but he soon moved into Management roles and then business consulting. This is where his skills were finely crafted in the development of Quality, Safety and Environmental Management Systems. Paul’s main focus at Alliance Geotechnical is to ensure that our Quality System’s meet the highest possible standards and that those high standards are reflected in the way we service our customers. Paul’s other focus is the well-being of our workers and the promotion of environmental awareness.