Published 20 Aug 2008: Plenary Group opens in Adelaide

Plenary Group today announced the opening of its third Australian office in Adelaide.

A growing Australian infrastructure investor and operator that specialises in Public Private Partnerships (PPP), Plenary Group is looking to Adelaide for opportunities to build on its existing Australian and Canadian portfolios.

“Our approach has been to invest in a local presence where we are confident there is a potential pipeline of infrastructure projects, coupled with the highest quality local management teams.” Plenary Group, Principal, Mr John O’Rourke, said today.

“The establishment of an Adelaide office was a relatively easy decision; recognition of the growing infrastructure agenda of the State Government and the need for a local presence to ensure we can be as competitive as possible”, he said.

Plenary Group has secured the services of Executive Director, Ms Jenny Richter to head up its new Adelaide office. Ms Richter comes to Plenary Group after many successful years as a health planning professional, most recently as Director, Clinical Planning in the South Australian Department of Health’s major projects office,

"Social infrastructure is an important focus of Plenary Group’s business and we are encouraged by the strategic planning the South Australian Government is undertaking in this area to complement the massive expansion of economic activity”, Mr O’Rourke said.

Plenary Group completed the South Australian Police and Courts project on time and on budget in 2006 and continues to maintain the facilities. Plenary is also short listed by the South Australian Department of Education and Children’s Services to bid for the design, construction, financing, and ongoing maintenance of 6 schools.

Plenary Group is an active and engaged partner on PPP projects.

“We think the Plenary model of maintaining our own investment in projects over the long term ultimately leads to quality outcomes for Government and increases the value of infrastructure spending for the community”, Mr O’Rourke said.

Plenary Group has managed to achieve consistent growth in a highly competitive environment. The company currently has 10 PPP projects either completed or under construction across Australia and in Canada, where it has over C$1 billion in healthcare projects under development. Plenary is also short listed on a schools project in Singapore, its first foray into the Asian market.

The office will be officially launched tonight when Plenary Group Directors will be joined by guest speaker Hon Bob Hawke, Prime Minister of Australia, 1983 to 1991.