A Safe Pair Of Hands: Bevan Nicholson

Bevan Nicholson, CEO of Hendry Group, knows the value that professional and reliable compliance advice brings to the industry. For more than 30 years, through bushfires, floods and a global pandemic, Hendry has delivered knowledge-based, best-in-field compliance advice and been a safe pair of hands for its clients.

The company has navigated multiple legislation and code updates, led the industry in regulatory advice and ensured a risk-based approach to client compliance visibility. It has also ranked in the Australian Financial Review’s 100 Most Innovative Companies Awards and stayed on the pulse of best practices. Through it all, Nicholson says he’s proud that Hendry has "been here for businesses of all sizes and industries".

"Hendry has been a lighthouse to the industry despite the challenges and turbulence that the past few years have brought," he says. "We’ve both hired and grown a dynamic group of talented professionals who represent what we mean by a national team of local experts.

"Between us, we have hundreds of years of collective experience and we’re so proud that we’ve been able to support our clients in delivering that knowledge. We’re contributing to making their projects and assets compliant and safe."

"Our job is to make sure that you have minimal risks and maximal peace of mind. It goes beyond ticking boxes."

Nicholson is also excited to reveal the company’s key growth points since he first began piloting the company. The compliance leader has cultivated a 400 percent growth in its Emergency Planning division over the past four years, under the guidance of Sam Rigby.

Similarly, Hendry’s Shane Caller has pioneered and continues to expand its hazardous materials advisory capability. Nicholson is ensuring that uncompromising compliance continues to be a focus of its Essential Safety Measures team, with Mike Jones at the head.

"And of course, we also stick close to our founding roots and continue to offer one of the most experienced teams of unrestricted building surveyors in Australia under the direction of our General Manager, Paul Bailey," he adds.

Nicholson is also one of the brilliant minds behind the company’s ethos: ‘A Safe Pair of Hands’. When asked about it and what it represents, he explains that a safe pair of hands is a simple and concise way of expressing the company’s role as a holistic compliance partner.

"A safe pair of hands means compliance with national and state-based regulations. It means you’ve got experts who work with industry bodies to stay at the forefront of emerging legislative developments and apply best practices for the best safety outcomes," he says.

"A safe pair of hands puts the wellbeing of your people and your buildings first. Our job is to make sure that you have minimal risks and maximal peace of mind. It goes beyond ticking boxes. It’s ensuring your compliance solutions are fit for purpose, practical and designed to meet your real-world needs."

People, philosophy and the work

Nicholson reveals that Hendry’s dedicated and experienced team is the backbone of its success.

"We believe in investing in our team members and providing them with the tools and resources they need to exceed expectations – whether they’ve been with us for 20 years like Kylie Beckett, our Queensland Manager of Building Surveying, or whether they’re a cadet or a recent graduate," he attests.

"When we put our people first, we’re constantly bringing on and growing the best in the industry. Our team has decades of combined experience across multiple disciplines. They understand and have experience in managing complex compliance problems and have the knowledge base to deliver the right outcomes.

"We are our clients’ ‘safe pair of hands’ and we take that trust as a pillar of our business."

"I think that same experience lends itself to thinking critically about new and better ways we may be able to approach things."

Nicholson is committed to ensuring that people – both clients and employees – are at the heart of Hendry.

"Our team makes us the success we are today. They are our strength, our passion and our commitment to professional service delivery across the diversity of client compliance needs," he adds.

"Every client presents unique projects with their own risk and compliance profile. Our team ensures our response is equally customized and grounded in its legislative framework to deliver on those client needs.

"The fundamental part of delivering compliance solutions is trust. You trust that we will provide the intellectual knowledge and capital to protect your people and assets. We deliver on that. That’s our job. We are our clients’ ‘safe pair of hands’ and we take that trust as a pillar of our business."