Benoit MidolGeneral Manager New Business - Transport
Benoit’s 18 years’ of engineering and leadership experience incorporates high levels of responsibility within major engineering and construction firms in New Zealand, France, Canada and the UK. He brings a unique blend of experience in business development, client relationship management, team leadership, estimating and project delivery. His European experience includes eleven years working in preconstruction and cost estimation for major construction projects valued up to $450M.
In early 2016, Benoit relocated to New Zealand joining Hawkins as Tender Manager, where he led the team to pursue new business opportunities and develop bid submissions for engineering and construction projects across New Zealand and the Pacific. Over this time he directed a number of successful bids including the $8M Tarewa Park Storage Tanks in Whangarei and the $35M Te Mato Vai Water Supply in Cook Islands. Following Hawkins’ acquisition by Downer, Benoit led key strategic opportunities like the $40m Trentham to Upper Hutt Rail Upgrade for Kiwirail, the $260m Downtown Infrastructure Development Programme for Auckland Transport, or major Downer wide initiatives like Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific, Auckland Transports Suppliers Panels or the overall Downer NZ rail Strategy.
In his current role as GM New Business, Benoit is responsible for mentoring and leading Downer’s Transport New Business team to secure projects across New Zealand and the Pacific, a $1.3Bn portfolio that includes maintenance as well as minor and major capital works in the Transport sector. With his collaborative approach, Benoit has developed strong relationships with all of Downer’s clients, including Waka Kotahi, Auckland Transport and KiwiRail, internal stakeholders and project partners, and is very well regarded across the industry for his ability to establish and nurture collaborative working relationships.
With his engineering background, Benoit understands how tendering decisions impact physical delivery, and he works effectively with senior leadership and project teams to recognise business and technical risks at an early stage, exploring opportunities to minimise risk and maximise value. As a member of Downer’s Senior Leadership Team Benoit has immediate access to resources and can readily facilitate resolution of any escalated issues.
