Management team

Fergus founded Catalpa Group with his brother Barry more than 16 years ago after recognising a gap in the market for high-quality civil construction services and specialised transmission line assembly, erection, and stringing. His vision laid the foundation for what has become a trusted, industry-leading business servicing major infrastructure and energy projects across Australia.

Originally trained as a plumber in Ireland, Fergus built his early career in both Ireland and England before emigrating to Perth, where he expanded his expertise and entrepreneurial drive. His hands-on experience, industry insight, and commitment to quality continue to shape Catalpa’s values and long-standing reputation for reliability and technical excellence.

Barry co-founded Catalpa Group alongside his brother Fergus more than 16 years ago, helping establish the business in response to a clear need for high-quality civil construction services and specialised transmission line works. His practical approach and trade expertise have been instrumental in shaping Catalpa’s strong delivery capability and reputation across major infrastructure and energy projects.

Originally trained as a carpenter in Ireland, Barry worked across Ireland and England before relocating to Australia. His hands-on leadership, attention to detail and commitment to workmanship continue to influence Catalpa’s safety culture, construction standards and consistent project outcomes.

Tara is an experienced senior leader in large-scale energy and civil infrastructure, guiding Catalpa Group’s operations across Australia and New Zealand since 2021. She oversees construction, energy, pipelines, and communications divisions, driving performance, safety, and long-term growth.

With deep industry expertise, from pre-tender budgeting to value engineering and client management, Tara leads high-performing teams and ensures complex projects are delivered efficiently and to the highest standard. Her background spans senior roles across Australia and Asia in infrastructure, technology, and professional services, giving her a broad perspective and a strong track record of building trusted partnerships and delivering results.

Dallas is a highly experienced operations and project delivery leader with more than 25 years in high-voltage electrical infrastructure. He brings deep expertise in HV design, construction, scheduling, and managing complex transmission projects across Australia and New Zealand.

At Catalpa, he is responsible for driving operational performance, overseeing safe, efficient project execution and ensuring consistent, high-quality delivery.

Dallas has led major 220 kV–500 kV builds, upgrades, and EPC works, managing multidisciplinary teams, significant budgets, and key stakeholder relationships.

Kendl is an experienced HR professional with over 10 years in corporate and site-based environments across Australia, North America, and Asia. She brings strong expertise in recruitment, employee relations, performance management, HR strategy, and large-scale project support.

At Catalpa Group, Kendl leads all HR operations, driving workforce planning, compliance, training and development, and organisational culture. Known for her pragmatic approach and strong leadership, she supports high-performing teams and ensures HR practices align with business goals and project demands.

Richard is an accomplished commercial professional with nearly 40 years’ experience across the construction industry. As Commercial Director at Catalpa, he brings extensive expertise in contract management, commercial strategy, and subcontractor oversight, supported by a strong reputation for integrity, accountability, and continuous improvement.

His career spans major infrastructure and building projects across sectors including transport, healthcare, education, residential, industrial, and heritage. Known for his ability to manage risk, streamline processes, and drive commercial performance, Richard is a trusted leader who consistently supports successful project outcomes and strong client relationships.

Aaron brings a strong background in financial management with experience in leading finance departments within the infrastructure industry. With a deep understanding of financial principles, he is accomplished in managing complex financial operations and strategic planning.

As a qualified CPA, Aaron’s extensive knowledge of financial systems and controls within this sector has been pivotal in driving the financial stability and growth of the organisations he has served.

Shelley brings strong front-end project insight and commercial experience to her role as Bid Manager, contributing to Catalpa’s tendering strategy across major civil, infrastructure and energy projects.

She plays a key role in shaping quality submissions by coordinating inputs from estimating, delivery and commercial teams to ensure clarity, alignment and competitiveness.

Her experience supporting complex construction projects has strengthened her ability to review scope, assess risks, and establish the commercial foundations required for successful project delivery. Known for her organisation, attention to detail and collaborative style, she supports Catalpa in securing and preparing for the successful delivery of future projects.

Ali is a highly experienced estimating professional with more than 18 years in civil and infrastructure projects across Pakistan, Qatar, and Australia. As Estimating Manager at Catalpa, he oversees all aspects of cost estimation and tendering, ensuring accuracy, competitiveness, and strategic alignment with project objectives.

He has successfully developed and implemented advanced estimating systems, streamlined processes, and led high-performing teams to deliver effective outcomes under tight deadlines.

Known for his analytical approach and collaborative leadership, he plays a key role in driving cost efficiency and supporting Catalpa’s reputation for excellence in project delivery.

Steven is a highly experienced Health, Safety and Environment professional with a strong background in high-risk industries including construction, mining, and exploration.

He is passionate about creating safe, sustainable workplaces and is recognised for implementing practical, risk-based systems that improve safety culture and operational performance.

Steven has led critical risk programs, maintained ISO certifications, and driven compliance and continuous improvement across complex environments. His hands-on leadership and commitment to safety excellence ensure teams are supported to deliver projects safely and efficiently.