The Peron Group is a high-level advisory business which provides front-end strategy and transaction advice for the implementation and delivery of major infrastructure assets and services. It predominantly operates in the public infrastructure space, servicing government clients, where it has gained a reputation for successfully bringing major projects to tendering markets within accelerated timeframes.
The company currently provides strategic advice on projects valued at over $6 billion and is engaged on projects such as Queensland’s Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme, Brisbane’s North-South Bypass Tunnel and Airport Link projects, and Victoria’s Goldfields Super-pipe and Bus Reform projects. It has also recently advised the New South Wales Government on its Royal North Shore Hospital Public-Private Partnership project.
Peron has this week been named the successful tenderer for the Metropolitan Rail (MR3) re-franchising programme Transaction Advisor role for the Victorian Government. In recent times, Peron has also worked for multilateral agencies on projects in Africa, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Peron has 26 staff based in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney.
Providing high-end advice and a partnership for the life of a project
“Acquiring Peron launches Coffey into the high-end, professional advisory space and positions us to be involved in the full lifecycle of a project, from concept to completion,” Coffey managing director Roger Olds said.
“In addition to our considerable experience managing the delivery of projects, we now have the expertise to provide advice on the front-end aspects of a project such as investment option analysis, commercial structuring, transaction arrangements and taking a project to the market.
“This acquisition also grants us access to projects across the full scope of infrastructure developments including economic, social and environmental projects. Coffey can now pursue opportunities we may not have been previously aware of and extend our reach into other areas of the infrastructure market, such as water, transport and power,” Roger said.
The Peron Group’s operations fall into three categories:
- economic infrastructure including roads, tunnels, bridges, public transport, energy, telecommunications, light rail and integrated ticketing
- social infrastructure, including prisons, health, aged care, social housing, urban renewal, regional development and education
- environmental infrastructure including water, wastewater reclamation, bio-solids and solid waste.
“We are looking to rapidly grow our high-end advisory service skills across the Coffey group. This expertise encourages strong, long-term relationships with our infrastructure clients from an early stage and the ability to partner with them to provide specialist skills for the life of the project,” Roger said.
Coffey recently entered the high-level advisory business with its launch of Balance, a part of Coffey Mining. Balance provides risk and strategic management advice to the mining industry.
Ben Dempsey, director of The Peron Group is looking forward to offering clients an expanded range of services beyond project set-up.
“In the past, we have not pursued involvement beyond the transaction phase, despite client requests to do so. With access to the full range of services provided by the Coffey group, we now have the skills and resources to expand our capabilities and offer specialist services during both the asset development and operational phases of a project.”
Positioned to capture a share of the projected $40 trillion infrastructure market
Managing director of The Peron Group, John McEvoy, will become chief operating officer of a new Coffey business, which will include the Peron Group, future acquisitions and organic growth in this strategic advisory space. He is excited about the new growth potential of the company.
“We intend to build on the established international network and global presence of Coffey, to capitalise on the infrastructure boom taking place worldwide,” John said.
“It is estimated that modernising and expanding the water, electricity and transportation systems of the cities of the world over the next 25 years will require around $40 trillion, according to a resilience report dated 17 April 2007.”*
“The expanded capability of the combined companies provides a strong platform to capture and expand our market share in infrastructure across the globe.”
* Doshi, V., Shulman, G. and Gabaldon, D. “Lights, Water, Motion”, Strategy and Business, Issue 46, Spring 2007, pp. 1-15.
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About Coffey
Coffey International Limited aspires to improve the lives of world communities by providing physical and social infrastructure solutions to business, government and development assistance agencies.
Coffey has a market capitalisation of over A$400 million. It employs approximately 2,400 people. Coffey has approximately 50 offices in Australia, with permanent offices in the UAE, Indonesia, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, the USA, the Philippines, South Africa, Ghana, Zambia, United Kingdom and New Zealand, and project offices spread throughout the world.
Coffey International Limited is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and is part of the S&P ASX 300 and small companies’ indices.
Visit www.coffey.com for more information.
About The Peron Group
The Peron Group is a high-level strategic advisory business which predominantly operates in the public infrastructure space, servicing government clients. It provides front end advice on a range of infrastructure asset and service transaction issues including investment justifications, regulatory reform, project governance, procurement and commercial structuring.
Visit www.perongroup.com.au for more information about The Peron Group.
Note to editors
Roger Olds is available for interview. To arrange an interview or for further information, please contact:
Josephine Marriage at Mendleson Communication on +61 3 9827 0422, 0408 366 378, josephine@mendleson.co.au or Diana Krause, Communications Manager, Coffey International Limited, on +61 3 9473 1405, 0420 959 942, diana_krause@coffey.com
