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The Stevens Group
The Stevens Group
The Stevens Group

Our Executive Team

The Stevens Group is led by Managing Director and Owner, John Stevens. John’s leadership and entrepreneurial skills, have enabled him to assemble a highly experienced team of qualified professionals, many of whom have been with the group for more than 20 years.

Our team of industry professionals include: Engineers, Project Managers, Architects, Town Planners, Property Sales, Asset Managers, Financial Controllers, Lawyers, Leasing and Marketing, Hoteliers, Residential Building Managers and Cost Estimators.

John Stevens

Founder and Chairman

John is the Founder and Chairman of the Stevens Group and the driving force behind the success of over 250 + development projects to date. John’s passion to embrace the industry, has seen him grow the company to specialise in projects across the commercial, retail, residential and retirement living sectors. With over 41 years at the helm, his passion and natural intuition for this industry are still as focused today, as it was in the beginning. He unites an experienced senior level management team, to strategically drive the company’s objectives in design, delivery and quality standards, to not only meet expectations but exceed them. John is fully immersed in all of the Stevens Group projects. John’s proven track record of bringing concepts for developments to life, has resulted in a number of National and State Awards being delivered to his projects including the Vintage Residential Golf Course Project, Glengara Retirement Village, Forresters Beach Retirement Village, National AHA Award for Headlands Hotel at Austinmer, and the recent 2021 Urban Development Institute of NSW for Excellence in NSW Regional & ACT Development category for Foreshore Lake Macquarie at Toronto. John is a previous long standing board member of Hunter Valley Wine Tourism Association in the Hunter Valley and is also the long term President of the Terrigal Trojan Rugby Club on the NSW Central Coast.

Brett Harrod

Managing Director

Brett is the Managing Director and responsible for the acquisition and management of new development projects as well as overseeing developments through to delivery. Throughout the development process Brett holds a key role in the ongoing management, consultancy and delivery of projects. Brett has an in-depth knowledge of property development from over 40 years’ experience in the industry.  He has been involved in the delivery of commercial, residential, retail and industrial property projects. Having started his career in Real Estate, Brett’s industry knowledge and experience is instrumental when it comes to delivering the best possible outcomes for both the Stevens Group and our clients.

Michael O'Brien

Chief Executive Officer

Michael leads the Stevens Group as CEO and is a qualified CPA accredited Accountant, having gained tertiary qualifications in Financial Administration, Accounting and Finance from the University of New England. He is responsible for overseeing all functions of the organisation, from marketing, development projects, financials and forecasting for the Stevens Group's diverse range of assets and brands. With a wealth of experience in the field of finance within the building, hospitality, real estate, construction and funeral services industries, Michael’s leadership combined with his considered approach, is credited to the group’s success.

Janine Jeffery

Executive Assistant and Office Manager

Janine is responsible for providing a high level executive support to John Stevens the Managing Director of Stevens Group. Her extensive experience, dedication and commitment enable her to adapt to a fast paced work environment with professionalism and accuracy. Having worked for the Stevens Group for over 20 years, Janine is highly regarded among her colleagues and clients and is the heart of the Stevens Group team.

Lin Armstrong

Planning Services Manager

Lin is a qualified town planner and holds the key position of Manager for Planning Services within the Group. Lin has over 25 years experience in both the public and private sectors having held senior positions in both Local and State Government. In her role with Stevens Group, she is responsible for taking projects from inception through to construction and negotiating the raft of approvals required in property development. Lin’s knowledge of the NSW planning approval process and legislation allows her to respond to the varying demands of regulatory authorities with expertise and professionalism. Lin is highly regarded within the planning industry and is a corporate member of the NSW UDIA.

Ben Johnson

Senior Development Manager

Ben Johnson is a qualified Civil Engineer with tertiary qualifications from the University of Queensland with over 20 years’ experience in the engineering and building industry. Ben is responsible for the management and delivery of projects including overseeing the Stevens Group hallmark site The Vintage in the Hunter Valley. Ben brings his technical understanding and experience, as well as his hardworking and meticulous approach to all aspects of his role with the Stevens Group.

Emma Sharp

Finance Manager

Emma works closely with the development team providing group cashflows and insightful reporting to enable business decisions.  As a qualified ACCA Accredited Accountant with over a decade of team management experience, Emma is responsible for group consolidation of financials and supporting the Finance and Operations Director in overseeing the group’s finance teams.  Having previously worked for two of Australia’s largest commercial real estate groups, Emma has gained a passion for continuous improvement taking the lead on information system and process improvements.

Jason Capuano

Development Director

As Development Director, Jason’s role is focused on acquisition and new site development. Jason works closely with all major fuel and fast food retailers to find new development site opportunities and also manages the end to end delivery of many of our residential apartment development projects.

Mackenzie Stevens

Development Manager

Mackenzie joined the Stevens Group development team in 2016 and has been involved with all aspects of development.  Mackenzie is responsible for both acquisition and the management and delivery of projects.  He is dedicated to his work and keen to take on projects of all asset classes to further his experience in the development industry.

Jason Crannage

Development Manager

With over 15 years in the property and construction industry, Jason’s knowledge and in-depth level of experience is widespread.  His expertise spans high-end residential, mixed-use and greenfield subdivision projects. Jason’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Business and Commerce - Property from the University of Western Sydney. At Stevens Group, Jason’s day-to-day focus is maintaining strong and collaborative relationships with all stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of every development.

Morgan Petherbridge

Project Manager

Morgan is a Project Manager with a Bachelor of Construction Management (Honours) from the University of Newcastle. With nearly 10 years’ experience in the construction industry, she has worked closely with project stakeholders to successfully deliver projects across a range of construction sectors, including residential subdivisions, tourism, education, industrial, multi-residential and commercial developments. Managing numerous multi-residential projects contributes to her detail orientated management style. She takes pride in the full life cycle of projects with the Stevens Group.

Josh Harrod

Development Manager - Real Estate

Since joining the Stevens Group in 2015, Josh has been involved in a number of our landmark commercial, industrial and residential developments.  His role as a Development Manager primarily focuses on site identification and acquisitions as well as managing relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.  Josh is a member of the Australian Property Institute and is passionate about continuing his professional development.

Ryan Riddell

Project Manager

Ryan is a Project Manager and Licenced Builder with a passion for construction.  He brings over 20 years of construction background in commercial, residential, retail and tourism industries with a wide range of experience including site management, construction and development management and client-side project management.  Ryan is dedicated to delivering quality outcomes and enjoys a hands-on approach to each project life cycle.

Corbin Bond

Project Manager

Corbin’s role as a Project Manager focuses on the delivery of many of our commercial projects including major fuel and fast-food retailers.  Corbin provides a high-level of expertise in project management and client-side construction management to deliver exceptional results.  His experience stems from a background in the QSR system delivering over 30 projects in this space as a Client-Side Project Manager and Superintendent in Sydney, Greater Sydney and regional NSW.  Corbin’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Construction Management and a Masters of Project Management in the Build Environment from the University of Newcastle.

Eliza Giles

Junior Project Manager

Eliza joined the Stevens Group in 2021 as a Cadet, gaining experience in subdivision developments. In her current role as a Junior Project Manager, she assists the development team with the coordination and delivery of multiple projects including Childcare Centres, Industrial Units, Commercial and Residential developments. Eliza graduated from the University of Newcastle in 2023 with a Bachelor of Construction Management (Honours). Eliza prides herself on attention to detail and maintaining a highly organised and professional approach in her work. She is dedicated to progressively expanding her knowledge and expertise across all aspects of Stevens Group developments.

Brendon Caffell

Cadet Project Manager

Brendon has recently joined Stevens Group as a new Cadet Project Manager.  During his cadetship he will learn the various avenues of our development business.  Brendon’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Design Architecture and a Master of Project Management at the University of Newcastle.  He has experience working for residential builders such as McDonald Jones and Clarendon Homes as an Estimator, respectively.  

Kelly Sentance

Assistant to Brett Harrod

Kelly worked in management roles within Local Government and Universities for 20+ years before joining the Stevens Group. Her experience in financial management, governance, town planning and project management assists her in responding efficiently and effectively to the fast-paced nature of the Development Group’s business. She demonstrates a positivity and level headedness when interacting with all stakeholders and her colleagues.

Charlie Granger

Assistant Project Manager

Charlie’s role as an Assistant Project Manager focuses on helping with the delivery of jobs in many of our commercial projects. With a Bachelor of Construction Management (Honours) from the University of Newcastle and 5 years hands on experience in the construction industry, he is well equipped to join the Stevens Group team. Charlie takes pride in his work ethic and attention to detail, he is excited to expand his expertise in all areas of the development industry.

Darren Nichols

Finance Consultant

Darren comes with a history of banking experience and expertise. He started his career working with a major Bank and after 15 years working in the Banking sector, specialising in property finance, Darren joined Stevens Group. With Darren’s experience in the Banking sector comes an invaluable insight into funding arrangements and structuring when discussing projects with prospective financers.

Wendy Eschler

Residential Sales Manager

Wendy is an experienced Marketing and Sales Manager and specializes in residential land subdivisions. She is dedicated to assisting buyers when securing residential land by utilising her detailed knowledge and experience in assessing the slope, orientation, and aspect of each block to help take advantage of the best design solutions possible. Wendy offers her clients expert design advice for their new home, based on over 15 years’ experience working with quality residential subdivision designs.

Kim Waterhouse

Marketing and Communications Manager

Kim’s experience in the Marketing and Communications industry has spanned over 20 years. Primarily working in Hotels, Tourism and Brand Agencies both within Australia and Overseas, her specialty areas focus on Digital Marketing and Innovative Brand Identity. She has worked in senior management roles for some of the world's leading hotels; including Leading Hotels of the World, Mirvac Hotels, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Hayman Island Resort and the Golden Door Resorts and Spas. With a degree in Marketing and in Communications, Kim believes the key to success is that we must stay ahead of our client’s needs and discover what they want before they do!

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