Our People

Andrew Seccombe

BEng (Civil Engineering), MEng (Structural), AusIMM CP (Geotech), RPEQ

Andrew Seccombe was appointed chairperson of the Board in April 2021. A RPEQ since 2016 registered in the area of geotechnical (mining), Andrew has a demonstrated background in the mining and resources industry which spans over 10 years. He is well experienced in managing mine sites and teams of geotechnical engineers, geologists and coal mine workers and negotiating contracts. From 2011 to 2014, Andrew was employed as a geotechnical engineer by Rio Tinto at its Kestrel Mine. In 2015 he joined Black Rock Mining, a medium-sized consultancy company as technical manager, a position he still holds today.

Suzanne Burow

FIEAust CPEng NER APEC Engineer IntPE(Aus) RPEQ

Ms Burow joined the Board in 2019 as the elected representative. She is a chartered and registered civil engineer with considerable experience as a practitioner in water resources engineering in various sectors across the industry. Ms Burow is currently a consulting engineer in the private sector and the deputy president of the Queensland division of Engineers Australia.

Loren Hickey

Loren is the Precontracts Manager, for Infrastructure and Major Projects at John Holland – one of Australia’s largest construction contractors. She has close to 15 years’ experience in the construction industry. With degrees in Civil Engineering, Marketing and Public Relations, Loren is a work winning professional with experience across the civil infrastructure, building, rail, natural resources, energy and property development sectors throughout Australia. Loren is currently the Deputy Chair of the Infrastructure Association of Queensland (IAQ) and a Board Director for the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC). In August 2022, Loren was accepted to complete a Master of Construction Law at the University of Melbourne.

Suzy Cairney

LLB (Hons) GradDipLegalPrac

Ms Cairney was appointed to the Board as legal representative in April 2018. She is a projects and commercial lawyer with particular experience in project development and operational contracts in the ports, civil construction and resources sectors. She has experience both in Australia and overseas, and has advised government clients, principals, developers, contractors and operators on a wide range of major infrastructure projects. Ms Cairney is a partner in the Brisbane office of Sparke Helmore Lawyers.

Maureen Hassall

BEng, BSc(Psych), MBA, PhD, CEng, CPEng, CPErg, MIChemE, FIEAust, RPEQ

Dr Hassall joined the Board in 2019 as the academic representative. She is a chartered and registered chemical engineer and has a PhD in cognitive systems engineering. Dr Hassall is an associate professor of chemical engineering and the director of UQ R!SK at the University of Queensland. Her research, teaching and consulting work focuses on using leading-edge systems thinking, technology, engineering and human factors approaches to deliver evidence-based innovations in risk management and process and systems safety. Dr Hassall’s academic endeavours are informed by 30 years of working for and with resources, chemical, energy, manufacturing and major contracting companies in Australia, New Zealand and North America.

Dr Emma Eriksson

Emma studied a double degree in Engineering(Electronics)/Bachelor in I.T. at QUT in Brisbane. Since graduating Emma has interspersed working at various engineering firms in process control, electronics, programming, R&D and consulting engineering with completing a masters in Building Services with Sustainable Energy, completed a PhD in hybrid renewable energy with Hydrogen and fuel cells and completed a post doctorate involving the design, construction and commission of a hybrid renewable energy Hydrogen facility with various solar and battery technologies and fuel cells in Queensland. Emma operates her own consultancy engineering business with a focus on electrical, energy and renewable energy engineering. She was recently involved in a pre-concept design in charge of all electrical aspects from solar design to High Voltage power transmission and integration for a 100MW solar farm in Queensland with future hydrogen and battery system capabilities. Emma is regularly engaged by electrical contractors and builders directly to carry out D&C designs as she enjoys the high paced interaction and focus on practical and cost effective engineering. She is currently engaged by a major electrical contractor in Queensland to carry out power analysis quality testing and RPEQ design and sign off of several aggregate solar system totalling 5MW within an embedded network in Brisbane.

Christopher Edwards

MBA, BBus, FAICD, CompIEAust, PMP, PMI-PBA, PMI-RMP

Christopher Edwards was appointed to the Board in 2019. Mr Edwards has over 20 years’ experience in non-executive director roles with a focus on infrastructure and strategy. As a senior executive with RPS Group, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Hatch Associates he delivered global strategy, governance and assurance transformation projects and programs in the oil and gas, mining and metals and social and economic infrastructure sectors. A graduate and fellow of the AICD, he holds an MBA focused on international business and strategy. Mr Edwards serves on several boards including Metro South HHS Capital Works and Asset Maintenance Committee and Racing Queensland where he is the also the Chair of the Capital WorkCommittee.