About
Property Leaders Brisbane is an independent and vibrant community open to professionals working in the property and construction industry. Our regular events bring people together to share and debate ideas and inspire positive change in our city.
Our events are free for property and construction industry professionals.
SHARE l DEBATE l NETWORK l INSPIRE
Committee Members
Matthew Mackey FRICS, Executive Director – Cost & Commercial Management, Arcadis Australia Pacific
After more than ten years successfully surveying quantities in the UK (or counting bricks, as his mum would put it), Matt dragged his family across the world to start a new life in Brisbane. Not long after arriving, he started Property Leaders Brisbane in an effort to make new friends and to positively impact the local property industry. Matt is genuinely passionate about the built environment – in particular how it can create a more liveable world.
Ben Weaver, Director - Planning, Ethos Urban
Ben is an experienced planner in the glamorous world of town planning (his words) and has degrees in geography, archaeology and town planning. Since moving to Brisbane from the UK, Ben has helped to secure planning approvals for a number of major city-shaping projects including the Gasworks Precinct and 300 George Street and the Queen’s Wharf Development. When not working, Ben likes to spend time paddleboarding with his family. He is also a long-suffering Southampton fan.
Kevin Granger, Project Director, Generate Property Group
Kevin has over 15 years of experience in the construction industry across multiple industry sectors. With a background of construction site management and working on the client side for project management, Kevin has developed strong working relationships with multiple repeat Clients, Contractors, and Consultants delivering exceptional service whilst maintaining project objectives. Kevin is passionate about the Brisbane Property market and enjoys seeing the evolution of the built environment in our city. Kevin is a busy Dad outside of work, spending many weekends exploring the region and natural wonders with the family.
Miranda Sheehan, Director, PDT Architects
Miranda combines architecture, business skills and practical industry knowledge to drive innovation and strategy at PDT Architects. Passionate about bringing the built form to life, Miranda is always on the lookout for new ways to deliver better outcomes for all project stakeholders. In her personal time (or lack thereof), she stays busy keeping up with her three energetic sons.
Finbar McLaughlin, Director, Evolved Engineering
Finbar has 25+ years of experience leading engineering teams across Australia's East Coast. At Evolved Engineering he guides a team of energetic engineers who collaborate with clients to design systems that are efficient, future-focused, and environmentally responsible. Passionate about blending technical expertise with strategic vision, Finbar is committed to creating smarter, greener solutions that balance functionality, sustainability, and the evolving needs of our Built Environment.
Lisa Nixon, Managing Director, BBS Communications Group
Lisa is a highly experienced communications strategist and team leader whose strength lies in complex problem solving and issues management. Her value to clients comes in her ability to comprehend the broader businesses issues and to focus the communications strategic approach to that bigger picture. She’s an animal lover, a classical ballet devotee and an avid cricket watcher.
Sara Benallack, Account Manager, BBS Communications Group
Sara has extensive experience working in corporate communications, stakeholder engagement and event management. A skilled project manager, Sara works across a range of sectors, including government, property and infrastructure. She loves reading and books and truly believes reading and book collecting are two separate hobbies.
Taaj Kumar, Senior Project Manager, Civil | Engineering & Design, Colliers
With a background in engineering , now working in project management, Taaj is a passionate consultant with over ten years of experience in the built form sector. He has successfully delivered retail, industrial, and mixed-use property projects across Australia, managing everything from Development Applications to Practical Completion. Beyond project delivery, he also supplies single origin Colombian coffee, blending his passion for quality and relationship building into both his professional and personal pursuits.
Caroline Sanders, Director, Arcadia Recruitment
Caroline has 15+ years of experience as a recruitment specialist connecting Architects, Designers, Planners, and Surveyors with leading firms across Brisbane. As Director of Arcadia Recruitment, she has a passion and deep involvement in the architecture and planning community. Her background also includes hands-on experience in small-scale property development, residential sales, and structural renovations – giving her a practical understanding of the industry she recruits for. Her focus is on building long-term relationships, not just making transactional placements – helping companies grow with the right people, and helping professionals take meaningful next steps in their careers.
Joe O'Brien, Principal | Structural Engineer, Northrop
Joe been designing and leading large engineering teams for over 25 years. His experience includes community projects, health, justice, education, commercial buildings, and residential developments. Many of his projects require adaptive reuse of existing buildings and construction on live sites. He believes the future of structural engineering is incorporating climate resilience in all aspects of the building life cycle.