Hank Laan has more that 35 years experience in the engineering and building industries. During that time he has been responsible for the management of a wide variety of macro projects for the process and petroleum industries in Australia, South East Asia and Europe where he gained a reputation for completing projects on time and under budget.

Senior executive positions in the construction industries include Operations Director for the Australia Affiliate of a UK engineering construction company, Group General Manager of a group of companies involved with the building industry throughout Australia and Chief Executive and Director of NSW Government department (The Darling Harbour Authority).

Macro executive project management experience includes appointment as Senior Consultant Project Manager with responsibility for a $665 million project petroleum industry project in South Australia . This was followed by an appointment as the Inaugural Chief Executive and Director of the NSW Government's Darling Harbour Authority with executive responsibility for the $650 million redevelopment of Darling Harbour.

Since 1986 Hank has guided HCL Associates ( Australia ) Pty. Limited to obtain extensive experience in the research, analysis, documentation and resolution of a wide range of commercial contract disputes involving projects in Australia, New Zealand, Vanuatu and South East Asia.

As Principal Consultant, Hank has particular expertise in the clear and concise presentation of material in support of commercial disputes. In 1991 he pioneered the use of video overview summaries of commercial disputes designed to provide senior executives of the parties to gain a ready appreciation of relevant facts of the disputes in the shortest possible time.

In 1994, as part of a research thesis prepared for an MA degree at the School of Law, Macquarie university (dealing with commercial dispute resolution processes in the construction industries), Hank accepted an appointment as the part time referee on the NSW Department of Consumer Affairs Building Disputes Tribunal. The appointment was for a period of 18 months ending in 1995.

As well as managing the development of HCL Associates to a highly experienced firm with specialised skills in both the management of projects and the documentation and resolution of commercial disputes, Hank has successfully mediated commercial disputes.

He is accredited with the Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia and LEADR (and registered with the NSW Supreme Court) as a qualified mediator. He is also accredited (by IAMA and LEADR) as an Adjudicator for matters under The Building and Construction Industry Security of Payments Act 1999 NSW.