Rebecca brings a practical, big-picture approach to the White Associates team.
We are delighted to welcome Senior Consultant Rebecca Ward to our Advisory Division.
Rebecca’s varied background in related industry roles means she has a deep understanding of how different construction stakeholders interact with each other, and what their needs are. After being admitted to the bar as a qualified lawyer, Rebecca soon began applying her legal knowledge in practical property environments including a developer, a building surveying company, and a multi-disciplinary company where she interacted with a full suite of property consultants. “Over time, I began to specialise in contract administration, supporting the project lifecycle and all the associated specialty consultants,” she says.
Rebecca’s ability to consider the big picture comes in handy when working on complex projects. “I like to step back from a project and take the time to understand it in its entirety, not just the portion that I’m involved in. I find this gives me a big advantage when it comes to advising on bespoke solutions and considering the best project outcomes for all. I ask a lot of questions and have learnt not to assume anything!”
Director Justin Maritz, who leads our Advisory Division alongside Associate Director Jesse Conradie, says Rebecca has already made a noticeable impact on projects.
“With her wealth of construction and legal expertise, Rebecca has instantly added value. Rebecca’s specialist skill set enables her to bring a different perspective to our Advisory team. As a collective, we can examine projects from a variety of angles and advise outcomes that are beneficial to all parties.”
In Rebecca’s view, the key to achieving these beneficial outcomes is communication. “If all stakeholders can ‘buy in’ to the project and have realistic expectations, particularly in areas such as risk allocation, then disputes can be avoided,” she says. “I enjoy helping people understand that a shared risk matrix is much more powerful than an unbalanced one. When things go wrong, everyone pays the price to a small degree but there is a shared desire to work together to find a solution – which is not always the case on projects with unbalanced risk allocation. It’s important to remember that all stakeholders have the same end goal: to deliver a successful project.”
If you require advice for your project, get in touch with our Advisory Division today.
This article was contributed by Rebecca Ward and Gemma Christall.