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Root Partnerships’ strategic growth plans bolstered by new executive team appointments

Root Partnerships is pleased to announce the appointment of David Gundy as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Mac Lydiard as Chief Operating Officer (COO), along with the appointment of three new Directors – Chris Crick, Tim Eerhard and James Moorey – in a move designed to further bolster its determination to become Australia’s leading Project Management & Advisory Consultancy.

As CEO, Mr Gundy will now be responsible for managing Root Partnerships’ day-to-day operations and client relationships nationally.

Mr Gundy has been with Root Partnerships for over 20 years and has been responsible for the strong growth of the Melbourne-based arm of the business. Mr Gundy is a shareholder of Root Partnerships and sits on the Board of Directors.

Founder Peter Root will, as Managing Director, focus on the growth of the practice.

“I am delighted that David is taking on the role of CEO at Root Partnerships,” says Mr Root. “Over the past three years the business has experienced significant growth, more than doubling in size. We continue to have a strong growth outlook and with this appointment we are embracing the current circumstances and putting the business in a stronger position to deliver on its plans.”

In his new role of COO, Mac Lydiard, who has been with Root Partnerships for over three years and sits on the Board of Directors, will continue to focus on driving growth through continued improvement in efficiency and capability.

“Mac joined Root Partnerships at a time of unprecedented growth and has been instrumental in shaping our strategy, operations and business development,” says Mr Root. “He is the natural choice for COO, bringing a rigour to our operations that has put us in a stronger position for engaging new market opportunities.”

These new Executive leadership appointments, along with the personal decision of Executive Director Matthew Dalmau to leave Root Partnerships earlier this year, has opened up opportunities for the further senior appointments of Chris Crick, Tim Eerhard and James Moorey as Directors.

Chris Crick joined Root Partnerships in 1998 bringing extensive experience in project management, construction management and management consulting to a range of government and private sector projects in the civic & cultural, accommodation, education, and heritage sectors.

Tim Eerhard joined Root Partnerships in 2002 and since then has managed the design and delivery of complex and unique cultural/tourism, aviation, retail, education and infrastructure capital works projects and has acted as a Superintendent on multiple major construction and infrastructure projects.

James Moorey joined Root Partnerships in 2003 with considerable experience in project management and construction management that has been integral to delivering a stream of ongoing complex multi-layered, operational projects at Melbourne Airport.

“The combined knowledge and experience of Chris, Tim and James is a tremendous asset to Root Partnerships’ leadership, adding to the major project experience Director Paul Hunter has brought to the practice,” says Mr Root.  “Chris, Tim and James have all contributed significantly to Root Partnerships over several decades and I know their expertise will stand the business in good stead as we continue to grow.”

The restructuring of Root Partnerships’ leadership team follows the appointment of John Taylor as Chairman in October 2018.

Root Partnerships’ strategic growth plan is focussed on aggressive organic growth with strategic partnerships with key entities. The strategy has been designed to continue to capitalise on the thriving infrastructure construction market as well as to take advantage of market opportunities.

The next few months will be a transition phase for the business as the new leadership structure is embedded.

With 2019 marking Root Partnerships’ 25th anniversary, Mr Root is excited to see the business going from strength-to-strength.

“Root Partnerships is better placed to capitalise on all market opportunities now,” says Mr Root. “I am very much looking forward to the next chapter in our development.”