IndustryEditorial DeskThu 22 Oct 26
The Urban Developer’s 2026 Urban Leader Award Winners Revealed
Australia’s property development industry has recognised its leaders across architecture, construction, finance, planning, development and community housing at The Urban Developer’s 2026 Urban Leader Awards.
The winners, spanning established developers, emerging leaders, consultants and government executives, were revealed at a gala event held at the Four Seasons, Sydney on October 22.
Now in its third year, the awards recognise the people doing exceptional work across development, planning, design, construction, finance and beyond.
The Urban Developer founder and chief executive Adam Di Marco said what had stood out about this year’s finalists and winners was “the extraordinary depth of talent, ambition and innovation across our industry”.
“From emerging leaders to established industry figures, they demonstrate the breadth of expertise and entrepreneurial spirit that continues to drive Australian property forward,” he said.
“This year’s winners represent the best of Australia’s property industry. They are not only achieving commercial success, but challenging conventional thinking, demonstrating exceptional leadership and making a meaningful contribution to the places and communities we create.
“Property development is an industry of enormous consequence. The decisions being made today about how and where we build, invest and innovate will influence the way Australians live, work and connect for generations to come.
“When we founded The Urban Developer, our ambition was to create a platform that celebrated the people, projects and ideas shaping our cities.
“The Urban Leader Awards are perhaps the purest expression of that vision, bringing our industry together to recognise excellence, inspire the next generation and celebrate the people moving us forward.”
Congratulations to all our winners.
Architecture & Design
[Joint Winners]
Joe Adsett
Joe Adsett Architects
Joe Adsett has spent three decades building expertise across architecture, development and construction. His practice is now extending beyond traditional architectural services, with Adsett bringing those disciplines together under one leadership model.
His work includes a $1 billion Queensland Government appointment at Northshore Hamilton, alongside more than 25 industry awards in the past two years.
Rafael Contreras and Monica Earl
Contreras Earl Architecture
Rafael Contreras and Monica Earl are building an architecture practice around technology, automation and artificial intelligence, using their CEA Methods to expand their team’s capabilities and direct more time towards design.
Their ambition is to evolve how architecture is practised, rather than simply grow the size of the business.
Community Leadership
Dan McLennan and Matt Berg
Local: Residential
When Dan McLennan and Matt Berg established Local in partnership with Macquarie Asset Management Real Estate in 2021, build-to-rent was still an emerging asset class in Australia.
Local has since created a model combining private capital, institutional ownership and affordable housing. Its operating platform, Storey, manages 90 affordable apartments across three Melbourne projects, housing key workers and moderate-income earners alongside private-market tenants.
Construction
Adrian Sicari
Ultra Building Company
Adrian Sicari has built Ultra Building Company around project delivery, technical expertise and long-term client relationships.
His approach emphasises communication, transparency and collaboration, helping the company secure repeat business and deliver projects for clients across the industry.
Developer of the Year
Fouad Deiri OAM
Deicorp
Fouad Deiri founded Deicorp in 1999, starting with a 21-townhouse project in Newtown before expanding into a major Sydney apartment developer and builder.
The business now employs about 200 people and has delivered 15,000 apartments across more than 40 Sydney suburbs. Deiri also established Deicorp Community in 2020 to support community initiatives.
Engineering
Kym Wilkinson
Wilkinson Shaw & Associates
Kym Wilkinson works both as an engineer for external developers and through Wilgrow, the group’s development arm.
That dual role gives her direct exposure to the commercial outcomes of engineering decisions, including which choices save money and which add costs. It also brings a development perspective to the technical detail of project design.
Finance
Clinton Arentz
Trilogy Funds
Clinton Arentz has led Trilogy Funds’ development finance business through an approach built around capital management, risk assessment and tailored lending structures.
The business provides funding for projects that may not fit conventional finance models, with Arentz’s approach focused on structuring deals around project requirements and longer-term outcomes.
Future Leader—Building and Consultancy
Marnie Woodhead and Shelby Clark
GPS Development Finance and Knox Funds
Marnie Woodhead and Shelby Clark have worked to broaden access to private credit and development finance.
Woodhead wrote more than $200 million in loans in the last financial year, while the pair developed Arkus, an investment fund launched in July 2025 with a $1 entry point and monthly withdrawal opportunities.
The fund is designed to make private credit accessible to investors who may otherwise face higher barriers to entry.
Future Leader—Property and Development
Gabriel Reggi and Vincent Reggi
Carmdev
Carmdev’s Gabriel and Vincent Reggi have brought design, branding and customer experience principles more commonly associated with premium residential projects into industrial development.
The pair also retain a portion of their completed assets, leasing and managing them beyond construction. That approach keeps them connected to the businesses occupying their properties and the long-term performance of their projects.
Government Leadership
Heather Browne
Economic Development Queensland
Heather Browne brings more than 30 years of experience across property, housing and infrastructure to her role as executive director of Housing Supply and Delivery at Economic Development Queensland.
Her work has focused on developing housing models, building organisational capability and coordinating government, industry and community partners to deliver projects at scale.
Legal
Rhett Oliver
Colin Biggers & Paisley
Rhett Oliver has more than 23 years of experience in property development law across Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania.
As national practice group leader of the Property & Development team at Colin Biggers & Paisley, he advises on development matters and participates in industry discussions on housing, planning and regulatory issues.
Marketing
Rob Gray
Graya
Rob Gray has helped build Graya’s brand across a pipeline of 16 projects valued at $4 billion.
His role begins well before projects reach the market, encompassing naming, positioning and early creative direction. Graya’s video content, including site walkthroughs and its Building Graya series, also gives audiences a view of project decisions and construction as work progresses.
Planning
Matthew King
Urban & Regional Planning Solutions (URPS)
Matthew King has helped grow URPS through a combination of planning expertise, commercial judgement and business development.
His approach centres on identifying opportunities, backing capable people and bringing the right stakeholders together to advance projects and develop the business.
Proptech
Nir Davison and Lucinda Hartley
Zeroo Home Loans
Nir Davison and Lucinda Hartley have brought their experience as entrepreneurs to Zeroo Home Loans, a business focused on making home ownership more accessible.
The pair’s approach centres on direct customer relationships and lending designed around borrowers who may have struggled to access traditional pathways into home ownership.
Real Estate
Walton Chu
HOME789
Walton Chu founded HOME789 around a technology-enabled Master-Agency System designed to give independent real estate businesses greater distribution capability.
The platform uses TEAMLINK’s patented technology and corporate auditing standards to connect agencies with projects and property opportunities. HOME789 has received national recognition through ABA100 awards for service, marketing and brand excellence.
Sustainability
Christopher and Nicholas Tyas
Cadre
Christopher and Nicholas Tyas approach development through a model that balances environmental impact, community outcomes and commercial viability.
Their approach considers energy use, materials and building lifespans alongside natural light, public space, flexible housing and shared experiences. They aim to deliver projects that remain commercially viable without relying on rebates, subsidies or environmental offsets.
Valuation & Advisory
Kevin Brogan
Herron Todd White
Kevin Brogan has more than 30 years of experience in property valuation across government, local government, private practice and industry leadership.
His work includes the Australian Banking & Finance Industry Residential Valuation Standing Instructions, which support consistency in residential valuations across the lending and valuation sectors.
Women’s Leadership—Design and Consultancy
Lisa-Maree Carrigan
GroupGSA
Lisa-Maree Carrigan has spent 25 years helping shape GroupGSA as both a design practice and a business.
Her work combines architectural leadership, commercial strategy and advocacy. She also places emphasis on developing the next generation of professionals and building a practice that can continue to grow beyond its current leadership.
Women’s Leadership—Property and Development
Riye Arai-Coupe
Bluebird Property
Riye Arai-Coupe founded Bluebird Property to increase housing opportunities and improve outcomes for Queensland communities.
Her work brings together government, industry, community housing providers and investors to address housing affordability and homelessness, with a focus on projects that deliver social impact alongside property development.
Young Developer of the Year—Mixed Use and Commercial
Rob and Andrew Gray
Graya
Over 15 years, Rob and Andrew Gray have expanded Graya from a single ute into an integrated property group spanning development and construction.
In the past year, the brothers secured six sites and advanced projects including James Place, The Pavilion, The Silo and Northshore Hamilton, working across design, construction and development.
Young Developer of the Year—Residential
Andrew Malouf
Spyre
Andrew Malouf has led Spyre’s expansion in South-East Queensland’s luxury apartment market since 2014.
His approach has focused on designing apartments for owner-occupiers rather than treating them primarily as investment products, with an emphasis on design, operational delivery and repeat purchasers.
Young Women’s Leadership (40 and under)
Avalon Nethery
Fortis
Avalon Nethery was Fortis’ first employee and has contributed across the business’s projects, operations, brand, sales and customer experience as the company expanded nationally.
While on maternity leave, she founded BORNE, a mother-focused postpartum hotel and wellness platform, extending her work into a new service offering for women after childbirth.
