Leadership Team

The Delonix Solutions leadership team is committed to delivering exceptional, value-creating engineering solutions
for clients in the resources and heavy industries. We uphold our company values, act with integrity and clarity,
and strive to be the leading provider of innovative and sustainable solutions.

Philippe Vatin

Founding Executive Director

As the founding executive director of Delonix Solutions, Philippe brings more than 20 years of experience in structural engineering, study management, and multidisciplinary project execution across the mining and heavy industry sectors. His expertise spans the entire project lifecycle, from feasibility studies to detailed engineering, construction, and commissioning, ensuring efficient and high-quality project delivery.

Philippe's career is underpinned by a solid foundation in civil engineering, having gained his knowledge and expertise from l'École Spéciale des Travaux Publics in Paris, one of France's premier engineering institutions. This robust education, combined with his hands-on experience, has enabled him to approach complex projects with a strategic mindset, delivering innovative and sustainable engineering solutions. His advanced studies in extractive metallurgy have further enhanced his ability to address the unique challenges of the mining and heavy industries, contributing to his well-rounded expertise.

Philippe has earned a strong reputation for his technical acumen, strategic thinking, and ability to lead large, complex projects in dynamic environments. He has held senior roles in leading international engineering and construction firms, where he successfully managed and delivered high-impact projects across various industries.

Since founding Delonix Solutions, Philippe has played a pivotal role in shaping the company's direction and growth. His visionary leadership has driven the company to establish itself as a trusted partner in the mining and heavy industry sectors. Philippe is dedicated to fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation, empowering his team to consistently deliver exceptional outcomes for clients. Under his leadership, Delonix Solutions has expanded its reach and continuously refined its approach to providing smarter, more efficient, and sustainable engineering solutions.

A passionate advocate for innovation and sustainability, Philippe is committed to redefining how industrial operations are designed and delivered, championing cleaner, smarter, and more efficient solutions for the mining sector and beyond.

Gareth Blakey

Technical Director

A seasoned mining specialist and technical director, bringing over 23 years of experience in project and engineering management across a diverse range of materials, including gold, iron ore, base metals and battery metals. He leverages his strong technical background and management skills to lead multi-disciplinary engineering teams, executing projects from initial drilling and test work through to detailed design, shop detailing, fabrication and construction.

Gareth's technical expertise is deeply rooted in materials handling, where he is highly regarded for his skills and experience. He has served as an expert witness, consulted on boutique plant designs and convened the Bulk Materials Handling Society. His project management and engineering technical compatibility, combined with advanced communication skills, diligence and attention to quality, have consistently delivered value to clients across a portfolio of large and complex projects.

Gareth has managed a diverse range of projects, including power station upgrades, coal supply chain studies and mechanical engineering research and development (R&D). He successfully managed a portfolio of projects and has led a team of engineers through 9 direct reports. Gareth is committed to fostering a culture of excellence, emphasising ethical practice, diligence, high performance, timeliness and transparent communication, aligning seamlessly with Delonix Solutions' client-focused values.

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Graeme Perkins

Technical Director

Graeme started his engineering career in Brisbane in the mid-1990s. He completed a BEng Mech Hons IIA at the University of Queensland, before moving on to various MEng courses in minerals processing at the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre.

Graeme transferred to Perth, where he subsequently became involved in the engineering design aspects of sustaining capital work on an operating plant. This led to more projects in gold, nickel plant upgrades, tailings cyanide treatment, backfill plants and crushing plants in WA's Goldfields.

During his career, Graeme saw many advantages in using information technology to improve efficiencies at each step of an asset lifecycle, including database technology for knowledge management, CAD, 3D modelling, numerical analysis and more.

Having worked across the world for almost 10 years, Graeme learnt many lessons in team building in multi-cultural environments. Overall, he loves being part of a team that creates and delivers the business objectives of his clients.

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Shane Hassan

Engineering Manager

With a career spanning over 25 years, Shane Hassan, is an invaluable member of our management team. His expertise in the mining, minerals and resources sector covers design, studies, project and construction management, commissioning, operations and maintenance.

Shane has worked on various commodities within Australia and internationally, including rare earths, mineral sands, graphite, coal, gold, copper, nickel, iron ore, lead, zinc, cement and lime.

As a team leader, Shane's focus is on building and motivating engineering teams to ensure time, quality and cost targets are met alongside safety and constructability aspects. He believes in applying practical approaches to engineering challenges and zero-based execution methodology.

Shane previously worked for high-profile engineering and construction companies such as Lycopodium, Sedgman, Fluor, Worley, and CPC Engineering before joining Delonix Solutions' management team in 2024.

Sophie Vatin Aldini

Director of Brand, Communications & Marketing

As a dynamic entrepreneur and strategic thinker, Sophie has been instrumental in shaping the growth and success of Delonix Solutions since joining the company in 2022. With a background in law and a sharp eye for detail, Sophie brings a unique blend of analytical thinking, creative storytelling, and leadership excellence with a focus on driving meaningful change and innovation.

At Delonix, Sophie has played a pivotal role in leadership advocacy, strengthening brand identity and enhancing communication strategies—ensuring that the organisation's marketing position remains authentic, clear and impactful.

As a thriving entrepreneur in her own right, Sophie sees her skill set contributing towards positive leadership changes in a traditionally male-dominated environment. Sophie is passionate about empowering others and promoting diversity within the industry. Sophie believes that strong leadership is built on vision, resilience and the courage to challenge the status quo.

Her passion for continuous improvement and operational excellence fuels her business approach, particularly in building robust solutions for future global expansion.

Brian Kiel

Director, People & Culture

Brian joins Delonix Solutions with over 30 years of global business experience, predominantly across the resources sector - and is a passionate advocate for creating vibrant, inclusive cultures and productive workplaces. Brian is known for his strategic mindset, international perspective, business acumen and thought leadership in people and culture initiatives.

He understands that the true value of any company lies with its people and their development. His professional career has been marked by a commitment and proven track record in creating right organisational environments that enable people to do their best work.

Brian is excited to join the Delonix Solutions team and be able to leverage his knowledge and experience to assist the company in its ongoing growth.

Delonix Solutions – Leadership Team – Dr Leon Lorenzen

Dr Leon (Leendert) Lorenzen

Technical Expert – Processing & Advisory

A distinguished senior processing engineer with over 40 years delivering complex mineral processing, chemical engineering, electrochemistry, reactive systems, hydrometallurgy, waste treatment and biofuels. This spans the exploration, economic geology, mineralogy, mining and advisory fields. Dr Lorenzen was most recently the chief executive of Mintrex Australia and maintains the position of Extraordinary Professor at Stellenbosch University in South Africa.

Dr Lorenzen holds a PhD in Extractive Metallurgical Engineering (CPEng, CEng, RPEQ, FIEAust, FAusIMM, FIChemE). He is results-oriented and is seeking to leverage his expertise and contribute to Delonix Solutions' mission of driving sustainable resource processing and extraction. He also aligns with the company's vision for a sustainable future in this area.

Dr Lorenzen has worked as trusted advisor, consultant and research manager since 1991 on various commodities internationally, namely gold, copper, nickel, zinc, PGM's, lithium and uranium. His experience is wide and covers all aspects of research, process operations, process design and advisory.

He has spent most of his career as mineral processing engineer (Anglo American Corporation in South Africa), Innovation Project Manager, Research Manager, Metallurgical Manager (all for BHP Billiton in Australia), Executive Consultant and Group General Manager (Snowden in Australia), Director, CEO and Manager of Studies (Mintrex in Australia) as well as Managing Director of Lorenzen Consultants Pty Ltd. Dr Lorenzen also spent 17 years as Deputy Dean, Chairman and Professor of Chemical en Metallurgical Engineering at Stellenbosch University.

Apart from his vast practical experience, Dr Lorenzen has published very widely (more than 80 peer reviewed journal publications) in the chemical engineering and metallurgical engineering literature and presented his work at international forums (more than 250 presentations) over the last 40 years.

Fil Resnik

Business Development Manager

Fil Resnik brings over 25 years of extensive experience in business development, management, sales and applications engineering to his role as Business Development Manager at Delonix Solutions. His career spans diverse sectors including mining, mineral processing, water and wastewater treatment, transport, industrial, oil and gas, as well as power generation, with specialist knowledge in gold processing operations.

Fil is known for his exceptional ability to cultivate and sustain long-term business relationships both locally and internationally. He is dedicated to collaborating closely with teams to deliver innovative and tailored solutions that enhance operational efficiency and profitability for clients. Fil's strategic approach emphasises providing economical, life-cycle cost solutions that exceed client expectations and contribute to long-term success.

Joining Delonix Solutions, Fil brings a proven track record of driving business growth and delivering results. His leadership and commitment to engineering excellence play a crucial role in advancing our mission to provide cutting-edge solutions and exceptional service.

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Daniel Thompson

Manager of Projects

Daniel joins Delonix Solutions as a proven leader with over 14 years of experience in project management. As a certified professional structural engineer, he brings a strong technical foundation to his role, allowing him to effectively lead multidisciplinary design teams and deliver complex projects.

With a keen eye for detail and a strategic approach, Daniel excels at planning, executing and problem-solving throughout the project lifecycle. His strong communication skills enable him to collaborate effectively with clients, stakeholders and team members to ensure project success.

Daniel's expertise lies in managing projects across various stages, from conceptual design to construction and commissioning. He is proficient in utilising industry-standard project management methodologies and tools to optimise project delivery and minimise risks.

Naim Abou Rjeily

Manager of Projects

A Chartered Professional Engineer, Naim brings 20 years of project and engineering experience across gold, base metals and magnetite developments in Australia, Africa, Asia and Europe. With a track record spanning both greenfields and brownfields, Naim’s turns complex design, study and planning phases into real, constructible outcomes on site. His expertise connects detailed engineering with practical site execution—linking feasibility, procurement and contractor management with the realities of shutdowns, safety and schedule.

As former Director and Manager of Projects at Mintrex for nearly two decades, Naim led major projects for clients like AngloGold Ashanti, Regis Resources, Capricorn Metals, Larvotto Resources and Northern Star. His roles have spanned EPC and EPCM delivery across both greenfield and brownfield environments, including feasibility studies, goldroom upgrades, mill expansions and shutdown-executed plant retrofits. He's held positions as project manager, client representative and superintendent—aligning commercial, technical and site requirements under tight timelines.

At Delonix Solutions, Naim drives project governance and delivery standards for multidisciplinary teams working across structural, mechanical and piping (SMP), civil and electrical, instrumentation and controls (EIC). He's known for problem-solving at pace, integrating engineering with constructability and consistently getting projects over the line—on time, on spec and on budget. His work is grounded in safety, clarity and stakeholder alignment from day one. With Naim at the helm, clients can expect execution certainty in even the most complex mining contexts.

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Craig McDonnell

Project Manager

With over 23 years in the mining and resources sector, Craig is an experienced project manager renowned for his exceptional leadership and client-centric approach. His extensive experience working with industry giants such as BHP, Alcoa, Newmont Boddington Gold and Western Power has solidified his reputation as a trusted and reliable partner.

Craig's expertise encompasses the entire project lifecycle, from conceptualisation to final delivery. His ability to navigate complex technical challenges and foster collaborative teams has resulted in the successful execution of numerous projects. He is adept at balancing competing priorities, optimising resource allocation, and mitigating risks to ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget and to the highest quality standards.

Beyond his technical proficiency, Craig is a skilled communicator who effectively engages with stakeholders at all levels. His proactive approach to problem-solving, combined with his commitment to client satisfaction, has made him a valuable asset to Delonix Solutions.

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Mark Pulley

Project Manager

A mechanical engineer with over 20 years of experience, Mark specialises in materials handling, filtration and plant layout, leading design teams and managing projects to deliver high-performance, sustainable engineering solutions in greenfield and operational mining projects.

His comprehensive experience extends across a broad spectrum of commodities, encompassing base and precious metals, grains, uranium, lithium, graphite, and rare earth minerals. Mark possesses specialised skills in areas critical to the sector, including copper and nickel processing, precise project estimation, thorough feasibility studies, and the intricacies of pump systems. His proven track record demonstrates a deep understanding of the mining and metals industry, solidifying his reputation as a strong engineering professional.

Mark's leadership is characterised by a passion for fostering team growth and driving projects to surpass anticipated outcomes. He has hands-on experience in executing projects through all phases, from initial conception to final delivery, and has consistently demonstrated the ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams to successful conclusions. His dedication to achieving excellence makes him a valuable asset to any project.

Stan Kagiannis

Process Manager

Stan is a metallurgist and process engineering leader with more than 30 years’ experience designing, optimising and commissioning mineral processing plants across the globe. With an Honours degree in Metallurgical Engineering from RMIT in the early 1990s, Stan has spent his career solving complex process problems across a broad range of commodities, including precious metals, base metals and battery minerals.

Specialising in flowsheet development, testwork supervision and detailed design and commissioning, Stan brings his depth of experience by way of cost-effective designs to create value for challenging projects requiring innovative thinking and solutions.

Stan has held senior and principal roles on major studies and delivery projects for clients including BHP, Anglo American, Evolution Mining, Centaurus Metals, Polimetal Madencilik, PT Merdeka and Nippon Steel. His recent work includes process design and peer reviews for flagship developments such as the Woodsmith Polyhalite Project (United Kingdom), the Gediktepe Copper-Zinc Project (Turkey), the Jaguar Nickel Project (Brazil) and the Pani Heap Leach Project (Indonesia).

At Delonix Solutions, Stan leads process engineering strategy and delivery in his role as Processing Engineering Manager, delivering technical excellence for our clients, from concept and testwork to commissioning. His work strengthens the company's footprint in high-throughput, cost-effective plant design across Australia, Africa and South America.

Shayne Yates

Design Manager

Shane is a seasoned design and drafting leader with more than 30 years of experience delivering complex projects across mining, oil and gas and civil infrastructure. His career began on major public works, where he did layout design for the Northbridge Tunnel and design verification for the Narrows Bridge Duplication. Today, his design leadership spans iron ore, copper, gold, nickel, nickel pig iron, alumina and grain handling projects, with clients ranging from Tier 1 miners to emerging developers.

After a decade in oil and gas, including jacket structure, FPSO and fixed platform projects, as well as Project Design Manager that led the FEED study for the Otway project at Woodside Energy, Shayne moved into mining where as Design Manager for BHP's Rapid Growth Projects (RGP5B and RGP6) at Port Hedland, he oversaw multidisciplinary drafting teams of 180 people across Australia, Chile and India for multi-billion-dollar expansions.

Shayne's unique value lies in leading fast-paced, high-stakes design delivery, balancing a strong commitment to technical excellence, effective leadership, workflow optimisation, collaborative and multi-disciplinary project delivery, as well as team performance across geographies and time zones. He brings deep hands-on expertise in structural design, layout planning and CAD platform integration, with a reputation for driving clarity and coordination across complex project scopes.

At Delonix Solutions, Shayne leads design management across process and materials handling studies and delivery projects. His leadership plays a key role in strengthening Delonix Solutions' delivery capability across brownfields and modular execution environments, helping clients move from concept to construction with greater certainty.

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Ricardo Quevedo

Principal Structural Engineer

Ricardo is a highly experienced structural engineer with over 35 years of experience in the global mining, metals and minerals industries, spanning his original hometown in Chile, South America, followed by Australia. Throughout his career, Ricardo has developed deep expertise in seismic design, steel and concrete works.

He has worked with major firms like Bechtel, Fluor, Worley and Jacobs ECR, focusing on mining infrastructure and modular construction design. Currently, he leads the structural engineering division at Delonix Solutions, where he oversees significant projects such as crusher replacements and saline water desalination plants.

Ricardo is proficient in using advanced engineering software like Space Gass, Tekla Tedds and StaadPro, ensuring precise and efficient project execution across iron, gold, copper, uranium and lithium. His extensive experience makes him a valuable asset to any team.

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Peter Hedley

Principal Process Engineer

Peter is a professional chemical engineer and project practitioner. He holds degrees in mineral chemistry and chemical engineering, with a diploma in project management. With over 40 years of experience in the minerals and chemicals process industries, Peter brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise with him from diverse roles in process engineering and design, project engineering and management, study management, operations line management and contract consulting services for both brownfield and greenfield projects.

He has executed projects through all its different phases and led multi-disciplinary, cross-cultural teams for initiation and study phases of project delivery. His involvement has been as both the owner-operator and the engineering contractor, executing studies and projects within Australia and internationally.

Peter's expertise lies in critical minerals, specialty chemicals and complex chemical process plant, covering projects and studies with capital values from $50,000 up to $1.5b. Practical experience has been gained thorough 'hands-on' process plant operation over 20 years, including commissioning and start-up of various chemical and mineral process plants.

Kim Townsend

Principal Mechanical Engineer

Kim, a professional mechanical engineer with over 40 years of experience across design, construction, maintenance, operations, as well as project and engineering management, brings a strong, developed and highly proficient technical background that has depth and breadth across multiple commodities and industries.

He is very people-focused, results-oriented and prides himself on the ability to drill down to details when required.

Currently, Kim is leading the mechanical engineering group in a management role, overseeing the design input into the Kiniero power station detail design in Guinea Africa for Robex.

Leif Bradbrook

Principal EIC Engineer

Leif is an accomplished electrical engineer and project practitioner with over 20 years of experience in the mining and industrial sectors. His deep technical knowledge spans power systems, control systems and hazardous area compliance, complemented by expertise in detailed design, commissioning and project management.

Leif's expertise focuses on complex electrical systems within the mining and industrial domains. He also brings extensive experience in grid connection and rare earths projects to Delonix Solutions, contributing to the delivery of innovative and sustainable solutions for our clients. His practical insight and hands-on approach will enhance project outcomes and foster strong client relationships.

Currently working on the Jabal Sayid grid connection and Eneabba rare earths projects, Leif has a strong track record in delivering solutions for complex projects. His hands-on expertise in grid connection and rare earths ensures enhanced EIC solutions for clients, including optimised design and efficient project management, informed by his direct experience through all project phases.

"We are a strong contributor to making the world sustainable by powering minerals processing plants with renewable energy."

Philippe Vatin – Delonix Solutions Founding Director