Tom Dawes Buildings Market Lead – QLD
BNE
With over 35 years of experience, Tom is a highly accomplished structural design engineer and consultant. His career is marked by a range of diverse and complex building projects from hospitals and schools to commercial spaces, sports facilities, and airport terminals across Australia, the United States, Europe, and Asia.
Over the past 17 years, Tom has immersed himself in Queensland’s design consultancy sector, developing a deep understanding of its dynamics. Along the way, he has built strong connections with his team and established a trusted presence in the market.
Tom’s path into engineering was shaped early. With a natural aptitude for mathematics and physics, he grew up surrounded by construction projects through his father’s work as a commercial builder. He was also inspired by Sydney’s iconic infrastructure and the engineering ingenuity behind it; an influence that cemented his direction and made pursuing a career as a structural engineer feel less like a choice and more like a calling.
Throughout his career, Tom has thrived on taking on innovative projects. He cites his relocation to New York and his role in designing major airport developments in Germany as particularly formative periods. These opportunities also allowed him to manage and lead structural teams globally on large‑scale, city‑defining projects, broadening both his technical expertise and his people skills.
Based in Brisbane, Tom leads the growth of WGA’s Buildings Market in Queensland. In this role, he plays a pivotal part in strengthening WGA’s presence in the state—expanding technical capability, building trusted client relationships, and opening pathways to new project opportunities across Queensland.