Capabilities

WHR Australia collaborates with technology leaders and innovative engineering, design, architecture and construction firms to deliver better outcomes. integrating public and private entities to improve customer results, delivering smarter infrastructure, sustainably and innovatively to create the best value for money.

Our Key Themes

1. Our experience underpins our capability

2. DNA pushes us to the best possible outcomes for clients and community

3. Deep collaboration turbo charges organisations

4. Transparency wins every time

5. Teams of diverse, trusted people constantly create game-breaking innovation

6. We stand behind every line in our work

7. Identifying the right innovation requires constant learning

Wes Heron

Principal, WHR Australia

Wesley Heron has more than 40 years of experience in the defence, government and private sectors and has led complex pieces of work to successfully and repeatedly develop and deliver outstanding project outcomes and transformation.

He holds an MBA and a masters degree in international relations, both from the Australian National University. His strengths include his ability to bring partners together, his energy and empathy, a can-do outlook and an ability to create smart strategies through innovation.

In the Royal Australian Navy, Wesley gained his Bridgewatchkeeping certificate in the Guided Missile Frigate HMAS Darwin in the Persian Gulf where he was an Officer of the Watch and the Diving Officer. He went into submarines after that and as an Oberon class submariner gained significant submarine patrol and engineering experience. He went on to become the Commanding Officer of HMAS Wollongong, a Fremantle Class Patrol Boat during a period of intense operational border activity. He undertook staff training in Indonesia and speaks fluent Indonesian/Malay. He gained experience in submarine engineering and warfare.

He has a deep understanding of Defence procurement and capability development processes as the Deputy Director (Commander) responsible for the Patrol and Hydrographic portfolio within the Capability Development area of Navy. He has underwater and hydrographic survey experience and ran the first Rapid Prototyping project on Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, pioneered the Rapid Environmental Assessment Project SEA 1770, and took the $550m Armidale Class Patrol Boat from Operational Concept through procurement into delivery and acceptance of the first vessels.

After 26 years’ Navy service, Wesley took his project skills into the civilian arena including heavy haul rail in the Pilbara region of Western Australia where he led a railway construction business in the iron ore mining sector.

Wesley was the general manager of the works department at Sydney Trains responsible for 1500 projects delivered under high risk railway conditions and then was promoted to become executive director, Program Delivery at Transport for NSW (TfNSW).

He was responsible for end-to-end delivery of a $20 billion portfolio of 100 infrastructure and fleet projects - from detailed design through to operational readiness/commissioning and handover. His major achievements included: oversight of the delivery of the TfNSW Infrastructure and Services program of works for 2015-16 FY safely, to time and budget and exceeding targets; delivering the new Sydney ferries under budget, creating the Newcastle Light Rail project, procuring the new Intercity Fleet trains rolling stock; successfully delivering the $1 billion Transport Access Program at $100 million below budget; linking the Wynyard Walk and the Barangaroo Ferry Hub projects together and delivering the Museum station projects to time and budget.