Albert has over 30 years of experience in the crane and construction industry. As a passionate engineer, entrepreneur and crane enthusiast, Albert led the rapid expansion of Universal Cranes from a small pick and carry hire business to a leading national crane company. Albert’s vision has always been to combine the power of a national crane hire company with the passion and service levels of a family business. He has worked closely with the local shareholders of the Universal Cranes locations in the establishment of their businesses, and continues to provide ongoing mentoring and support. Albert is a dynamic leader and talented engineer who leads his national Universal Cranes team to provide innovative lift engineering and crane hire solutions.

A Chartered Accountant by trade with over 20 years’ experience, Oliver was appointed the Group Chief Executive Officer of Smithbridge Group, including Universal Cranes and sister companies Smithbridge Guam and Auckland Cranes in May 2020. Oliver has led the financial management of the Group since 2010 in the role of Chief Financial Officer and later Chief Operations Officer. As Group CEO Ollie is responsible for the financial and operational performance of the group, leading the business to achieve growth and sustainability in revenue and profit, driving operational efficiency, and role modelling the leadership behaviours to maintain a high performing, engaged culture. With over 10 years’ in the Smithbridge Group Oliver is well positioned to be a key leader to all facets of the group.

Dashelle has 15 years’ experience in strategy and growth, specialising in strategic planning, corporate communications, opportunity pipeline management, and business improvement. Dashelle co-founded a business-to-business strategy and communications agency with a niche in the resources and construction sector. In 2019 Dashelle joined the Smithbridge Group full time, managing business improvement, marketing, and commercial growth strategies to contribute to achieving sustainable profitability for the Group. As part of a long-term succession strategy, Dashelle has been an Advisory Board Member since 2015 for Smithbridge Group. She was a nominated as a Non-Executive Director for Auckland Cranes in December 2017 until an ownership restructure saw this board absorbed into the Smithbridge Group Advisory Board.

A Certified Practising Accountant with 15 years’ experience, Shane joined Smithbridge Group in March 2018 as Group Reporting Manager and quickly progressed to Group Financial Controller. Now, in his role as CFO, Shane brings a background in the financial management of labour intensive operations with a passion for fostering successful teams. With a focus on supporting the operational business with data-driven reporting, and efficient and user friendly technology, Shane is leading the transformation of Smithbridge Group’s financial management to support the ongoing governance journey.

With 20 years’ experience implementing operational and strategic risk management frameworks in the resources and construction sectors, Kevin brings a systematic approach to identifying and managing risk in complex businesses.  As a key member of the Leadership Group and working within diverse geographical and operational environments, Kevin’s demonstrated ability to leverage technology in the innovative design, development and integration of systems and processes, provides cohesive business solutions to balance current needs, future growth and promote a positive learning culture. Kevin has served as a Committee Member for Standards Australia for nearly 20 years, including the role of Chairman on the ME-025 Lifting Tackle Committee and Member of ME-005 Cranes Committee.

Sam Paakki is the Group Manager of Information Technology at Smithbridge Group, where he directs the strategic development, deployment, and security of IT Services. With over 25 years of IT management and cybersecurity expertise, Sam is adept at leading ICT modernisation and cloud adoption initiatives. Since joining Smithbridge Group in October 2023, he has played a pivotal role in the Connected Crew Program of work, enhancing operational efficiency and safety. Previously, Sam has significantly contributed to technological advancements at Seymour Whyte Constructions and Downer Group, where he managed large-scale IT projects that improved business processes and he improved both business and IT operational effectiveness. His academic credentials include a Bachelor of Information Technology from the University of Queensland, a Master of Information Technology and an MBA from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Sam is also a Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders ANZ, recognising his leadership experience in information technology management.

Sam’s strategic vision and extensive industry experience ensure that Smithbridge Group remains at the forefront of technological innovation, driving improvements in IT system useability, adoption, and operational excellence to maximise the effectiveness of Smithbridge Group’s investments in Information Technology.

Craig has been with the Smithbridge Group since 1997, building his career from the ground up. He began as an apprentice crane mechanic and went on to lead the maintenance team at Universal Cranes for 18 years. With a lifetime of hands-on experience in heavy equipment and crane maintenance, Craig stepped into the role of Group Manager, Equipment and Maintenance in 2024. He now oversees maintenance strategy and asset performance across all group operations, bringing deep industry knowledge and a practical approach to every challenge.

Bevan is a commercially focused senior Human Resources and Employee Relations professional, with a strong track record of driving improvements in business performance through innovative people strategies. In collaboration with others, he enjoys plotting a smart strategic course, then getting to work delivering sustainable change. He prides himself on his calm but determined approach, demonstrating the highest level of integrity & commitment in everything he does. Bevan started his career as an employment lawyer, and has held senior global People and Culture roles across media, mining and manufacturing. Working across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, his focus at Smithbridge Group is to continue to build our teams’ leadership capability and develop our high performing people to attract and retain the best talent in the industry.