Stuart Downes

Stuart Downes is a Managing Director in the Construction Solutions practice of FTI Consulting and is based in Perth, Australia.

Stuart is a chartered quantity surveyor, and specialises in the preparation of expert reports, submissions for adjudication, advising and working in conjunction with client law firms in the preparation of claims for delay and disruption costs, extension of time and disputed variations on high profile projects and disputes in preparation for arbitration or litigation.

Stuart has worked in both Australia and the UK and has more than 22 years’ experience in the commercial, contractual and claims management of projects, ranging from ports, gas pipelines, FLNG and LNG installations, mining and resources, power generation, marine civil, heavy and light rail, utilities (electricity, water and wastewater), offices, schools, airport extensions and residential developments. Stuart has worked with a wide range of standard and bespoke construction and engineering forms of contract, including the NEC3 and more traditional contracts (lump sum, with or without quantities), design, build and maintain, model forms, and a variety of framework agreements.

Stuart began his career in the construction industry in 2000, working for several blue-chip contractors and has particular experience and knowledge in post-contract commercial management and contract administration. Stuart relocated to Australia in 2011 with an international firm of construction contract consultants specialising in dispute management before joining FTI Consulting in 2012 as an associate director. He has since been involved in specialist appointments to the mining, oil and gas, power, rail, civil construction and building and infrastructure sectors across the APAC region. He regularly prepares expert reports on high profile/complex projects, and has been appointed as independent quantum expert himself on numerous occasions.