Our Team

MARTIN HILL MANAGING PRINCIPAL M.Real Estate (UNSW), M.Property Development (UTS), BSc (Hons), Certified Practicing Valuer (Unrestricted), FAPI
Martin Hill is the Managing Principal of the practice. He has over 20 years experience in property consulting, with specialist capabilities in feasibility analysis and development strategy, economic impact analysis, strategic asset management, complex property valuations, master plan and policy formulation, and econometric / financial modelling. Martin has testified as an expert witness on economic impact and development feasibility in the Land and Environment Court. Martin holds an unrestricted property valuation registration. He has also participated in numerous government and community committee boards, including: the NSW Task Force on Affordable Housing; the South Sydney Development Corporation; the Ministerial Advisory Board to the Minister of Housing for NSW; the Tender Review Panel, Land Development Agency, ACT; the Tender Review Panel, Landcom; and the Commission of Inquiry for the development application and heritage listing of Currawong. Martin is the founder of Estate Master Property Software which is now regarded in Australia as the industry standard in property feasibility software and used by more than 10,000 users in Australasia, the Americas, Europe and the UAE. Prior to Hill PDA Martin had 10 years experience in property development, property finance and investment.

SARAH HILL PRACTICE MANAGER & PRINCIPAL BSc, MURP (Hons) MAPI, RTPI (eligible)
Sarah Hill is Hill PDA's Practice Manager, responsible for professional development and the management of the firm. With over 12 years of international planning experience, Sarah is also the firm's Principal Planner. Sarah specialises in the relationship between planning, economics and society. She leads on a variety of major projects for local and state government organisations as well as private developers. Key projects relate to employment and centre studies, economic and social impact assessments, major infrastructure projects and the preparation of statutory plans. Previously Sarah worked as a Principal Planner in London where she developed and led the London Borough of Hackney (LBH) Major Projects Team. While working for the LBH Sarah became a founding member of the London Olympic Joint Planning Authorities Team that successfully secured planning consent for the London 2012 Olympic Games and its Legacy. In turn, Sarah was made an Associate Director of EDAW London and acted as lead consultant for the London Olympic Delivery Authority on planning, design and environmental matters. In the United Kingdom Sarah gained extensive experience in the assessment of major developments, planning appeals as well as strategic planning. She worked on some of the largest and most complex urban regeneration projects in the United Kingdom, controversial tall building projects and transport infrastructure. Sarah has been the recipient of numerous planning awards including the Mayor of London's Award for Planning Excellence (2005), the 2005 Royal Town Planning Institute Award for Planning (2005) and the Australian Planning Institute Award for the most proficient student planner (2000). She has also been an active member of Planning Aid for London. Sarah is the current Chair of the PIA Consultant Planners Committee for NSW and is undertaking a PHD at the University of Sydney in the field of Planning and Economics.

ADRIAN HACK PRINCIPAL - PROPERTY ECONOMICS M. Land Econ. B.Town Planning (Hons). MPIA
Adrian is a principal of the firm with over 15 years of service at Hill PDA. Prior to Hill PDA he worked in both local and state government in strategic planning, statutory planning and project management. At Hill PDA Adrian has played a leadership role in all consultancy activities of the practice including market research, analysis and forecasting, development feasibility appraisal, economic appraisals including cost benefit analysis, economic impact assessment, financial modelling, policy research, portfolio analysis, affordable housing studies and employment lands and commercial centres strategies. This has led to an involvement in diverse array of projects for government bodies, private sector corporations, institutions and other organisations. Adrian manages the retail economics team in the preparation of both long-term strategies and specific development proposals. He developed and continues to refine numerous models in this field for expenditure analysis, retail floor space demand forecasting and economic impact assessment (for example gravity models). Regularly he provides expert advice and evidence in the land and environment court in the area of economic impact assessment (in relation to appeals and compulsory acquisition) and in highest and best use assessment (land valuation cases). Examples of cases included: Chamwell Pty Limited v Strathfield Municipal Council [2008] NSWLEC 4 AMP Capital Investors Ltd v Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation [2007] NSWLEC 397 Cartier Holdings Pty Ltd v Newcastle City Council and Anor [2001] NSWLEC 170 Ex Gratia Pty Limited v Dungog Shire Council [2005] NSWLEC 148 Terrace Tower Holdings Pty Limited v Sutherland Shire Council [2002] NSWLEC 150 Adrian is also on the NSW Planning Institute's Economic Development Chapter. The chapter's role seeks to promote the understanding of economics, property and development in the Planning profession. Through much of the 1990's and the early part of the decade he was the principal architect of Estate Master, the industry standard in property development analysis software and he is still responsible for its continued development and refinement.

DR. GARRICK SMALL PRINCIPAL - CONSULTING PhD. (UTS), M.Comm. (UNSW), B. Surv. (UNSW), JP, FAPI
Garrick is the Director of Consulting responsible for research quality. He combines quantitative skills in property analysis and forecasting with a deep understanding of property rights and property economics and their significance for development and planning policy. He enjoys a strong profile in the Australian property profession being a recipient of the Australian Property Institute (NSW) S. F. Whittington Award (2007) and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors Thought Leadership Award (2003) as well as sitting on several editorial and professional boards and committees. His professional background spans subdivision development, construction administration and Geographical Information System development. He has substantial experience in both the public and private sectors. He also has twenty years experience as an academic at the University of Technology, Sydney in various roles including Associate Head of the School of the Built Environment. He has published widely in professional, academic and popular media especially in the areas of property economic behaviour and forecasting and property theory.

KEVIN ALKER CORPORATE ADVISOR B.Ed, MA (Town Planning), Grad.Dip (Env. Studies), Grad. Dip (UEM), UDIA, Former Judge (Planning & Infrastructure), Design Architecture & Building (Advisory Committee and Chair Planning, UTS).
Kevin provides corporate advice to Hill PDA on a consultancy basis. His capabilities are founded on over three decades of professional experience in property development and urban planning throughout the Sydney Metropolitan Region and beyond. In that time, prior to establishing his practice, he held senior positions at Landcom, as the General Manager, Urban Development and at the State Government's Property Service Group (now the Department of Finance) as a Director. Kevin's experience includes property sales at Landcom of over $200 million, acquisition of several substantial redevelopment sites, including the 25 hectare Victoria Park site in South Sydney from the Commonwealth Department of Defence, and the realisation of numerous development opportunities presented by underutilised property assets in the Landcom portfolio. This experience is applied in a range of environments. Apart from his corporate advisory role at Hill PDA, he is a regular lecturer in urban estate management at the University of New South Wales, and is actively involved in the Urban Development Institute of Australia.

RICHARD CLARK PRINCIPAL BSc(Hons)Land Management (University of Reading), AAPI
Richard has over 25 years experience in the property industry in both the UK and Australia. He has worked in the private and public sectors specialising in urban renewal strategies and development management. Richard's experience includes the redevelopment of Ultimo, Pyrmont, Bays Precinct, Darling Harbour, and Redfern Waterloo. His responsibilities have encompassed strategic planning, development strategies, master planning and development approvals, feasibility analysis, land acquisitions and leasing, subdivisions, site marketing, stakeholder management, and community consultation. Richard also has extensive experience with government processes, policy and legislation for asset transfer and disposal. Most recently Richard directed the development of the Australian Technology Park (ATP) on behalf of the Redfern Waterloo Authority, including the construction of new infrastructure and research facilities. He also negotiated the leasehold development agreement for relocation of the Seven Network and Global Television studios to ATP. With diverse experience in challenging renewal projects, Richard focuses on providing advice and analysis for development strategies, infrastructure, master plans, project feasibility, market research and tender management.

VICTORIA TOMPSETT PRINCIPAL - PROPERTY ECONOMICS B. Land Economics / B. Arts International Studies
Victoria is a Principal of Hill PDA who focuses on property economics, retail and masterplanning. In this role, Victoria specialises in providing economic, viability and strategic land use advice on large scale projects and Masterplans for various public and private clients. Additionally, Victoria regularly undertakes feasibility studies and financial appraisals, retail demand analysis, economic impact modelling, development staging advice, release strategies, developer contribution analysis, and due diligence of development submissions to government. Through her experience at Hill PDA, Victoria has provided input into various ACT and NSW State Government land asset management strategies which are critical in decision making at the Ministerial level. Some of Victoria's key clients include: NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority Sydney Olympic Park Authority ACT Land Development Agency NSW Spastic Centre Newcastle City Council Wagga Wagga Council Penrith City Council Victoria joined Hill PDA in 2005 after having worked as a qualified Land Economist with various other property consulting firms and agencies. Experience included strategic asset management, development feasibility analysis, valuation, site analysis and acquisitions, and property research. This range of experience allowed Victoria to focus on the provision of detailed project management advice on a range of mixed use and specialised development applications.

ESTHER CHEONG ASSOCIATE BEc, BCom (Property), DipArb, AAPI, MISM, MCIArb
Esther has over 10 years experience in valuation and property economics, having worked in Sydney, Kuala Lumpur and London. Her role at Hill PDA involves providing advice and recommendations to enable investment, strategic and policy decisions. Professional capability in the following areas is possessed: Development feasibility modelling and analysis; Strategic property and asset advice; Economic input for land use and strategic masterplanning; Market research, supply and demand analysis; Highest and best use studies; Valuation and transactional advice for asset and financial reporting. Clients serviced are from both the public sector representing all levels of government and the private sector including developers, investors, businesses and their consultants. Notable clients include Department of Defence, State Property Authority, Redfern-Waterloo Authority, Sydney City Council, Housing NSW, Sydney Olympic Park Authority, University of Western Sydney, Maryborough Sugar Factory, Eclipse Financial Group Limited, Ku-ring-gai Council, Integral Energy and Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority. Professional affiliations include membership to Australian Property Institute (API), Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (ISM). Esther is also a NSW registered valuer and a WA licensed valuer.

DONNA BARBER ASSOCIATE BA Hons Urban Studies and Planning DIP Town and Regional Planning MRTPI
Donna joined Hill PDA in 2009 bringing with her over 10 years experience working within the planning and property consulting industry in both Australia and the UK. Combining planning and appraisal skills Donna provides strategic property advice from an initial feasibility stage though to implementation. At Hill PDA, Donnas' focus is providing Strategic Property Advice, Feasibility Analysis, Urban Planning and Policy Advice. This work aligns to her experience working for both public and private sector clients including, Housing New South Wales, Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, Sydney CBD Metro, Carrington Centennial Care, University of NSW and some of the UK's largest landowners and developers (Land Securities, Tesco, Unilever and Church of England). Donna has worked on numerous portfolios of significant heritage importance: SHFA, the Rocks; Salisbury Cathedral, the Magna Carta Building (UK) and St Martins in the Field, Trafalgar Square, London, which required sensitive commercial and physical solutions to ensure long term viability of the assets. Donna appreciates the benefits associated with effective engagement of key stakeholders. This is reflected in her approach to the strategic advice she provides. Working for a large number of public sector clients, Donna understands the importance of and is able to articulate a transparent decision making process. In the United Kingdom, Donnas' commercial approach to policy and property advice was acknowledged by the Royal Town Planning Institute who awarded "Commendation" for her work on the Ropewalks Supplementary Planning Document (prepared on behalf of Liverpool Vision and Liverpool City Council, UK) and she was nominated as one of 20 leading Associate Directors, in Jones Lang LaSalle's European business, successfully completing the Associate Director Development Programme that focussed on developing essential skills to be a leader in business.

SIMON ADAMS CONSULTANT B.Property Economics (UTS)
Simon has recently completed a Bachelor of Property Economics at the University of Technology, Sydney. Simon's primary responsibilities relate to the collection and analysis of market research, economic analysis, retail demand analysis, demographic analysis, GIS mapping software, economic impact assessment and development feasibility analysis Simon's role at Hill PDA has enabled him to gain experience and understanding in the property industry, strengthen his understanding of market conditions and trends, whilst providing invaluable support and assistant on a range of Hill PDA projects.

AMELIA MAXWELL RESEARCH ANALYST
Amelia is currently studying a Masters of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Sydney. For her undergraduate degree she has completed a Bachelor of Economics at the University of Sydney. Amelia's key tasks include the collection and analysis of surveys and demographic analysis. Amelia also provides support in report writing and planning advice.

REBECCA ZHENG ACCOUNTANT CPA, BBus, BSc, Adv Dip (Accounting)
Rebecca joined the Hill PDA team in 2005 and has been primarily responsible for the accounting operations of the firm. Rebecca has more than 11 years experience in the accounting industry in both China and Australia and was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award for her Advanced Diploma of Accounting by NAIS. Rebecca has also completed a Bachelor of Business at the University of Technology Sydney and has recently become an associate member of CPA Australia.

JODIE WHITE Executive Assistant
Jodie joined Hill PDA as Office Manager in 2008. Jodie now supports the Hill PDA Principals as an Executive Assistant. Her key tasks and responsibilities include: Assisting MD & Principals, General business management, Office Administration, event coordination, web design and the promotion and marketing aspects of the firm. She also provides support in report presentation & publishing, survey & data collation, research and Accounts. Jodie has over 9 years of experience in Business Administrattion and has completed a Diploma in Business Administration as well as a Diploma in Design.

VESA BASFORD Office Manager
Vesa is the newest member to of the Hill PDA team, starting in February 2010 as Office Manager. Vesa has an extensive background in all aspects of the property industry with over 14 years experience in legal, conveyancing, mortgages, sales and administration. She has completed a Diploma in General Secretarial Studies.

ALEX MARTIN
STRATEGIC ADVISOR
B Arts (Hons), M Arts, M Phil. AAPI, MPIA, MRTPI, FRGS

Alex has widespread experience in urban planning and land economics having been a Principal at Hill PDA and head of Planning at Hassel Architects, Sydney. Alex provides strategic marketing and corporate advice to the Practice.