Ascent Advisory
Strategic clarity for complex projects.
Ascent is a boutique advisory firm that brings strategic clarity to complex property and construction projects.
We specialise in bridging the gap between development vision, construction execution and property portfolio strategies, offering deep expertise in project structuring and risk management, financial strategy, and strategic problem-solving support. Known for our practical values-driven approach and outcome-focused delivery, we’re the preferred alternative to traditional project management and advisory firms.
Our Service
Strategic Property and
Construction Advisory
Distressed Project
Recovery
Construction Risk and
Delivery Management
Ascent provides early-stage advisory support to help clients navigate the complexities of design and construction from concept through delivery to completion. We offer strategic advice on contract structuring, risk allocation, and dispute resolution, ensuring that key decisions made early-on align with project objectives. From the outset, we advise on systems that promote compliance and uphold quality, enabling clients to make informed decisions with confidence. With Ascent’s expertise, projects are well-positioned to meet expectations, minimise disputes, and progress toward successful outcomes.
Our Philosophy
Strategic Clarity and Outcome Focus
We deliver intelligent, structured solutions in complex environments, ensuring results take precedence over process.
Values-Driven Relationships
Our work is guided by passion, integrity, and contribution. We build long-term partnerships through advocacy and trusted engagement.
Expertise, Contribution and Collaboration
Operating with a lean highly skilled team that values precision, trust, and shared learning over scale or hierarchy.
Our Philosophy
Strategic Clarity and Outcome Focus
We deliver intelligent, structured solutions in complex environments, ensuring results take precedence over process.
Values-Driven Relationships
Our work is guided by passion, integrity, and contribution. We build long-term partnerships through advocacy and trusted engagement.
Expertise, Contribution and Collaboration
Operating with a lean highly skilled team that values precision, trust, and shared learning over scale or hierarchy.
Our People
Kellie Williams
Managing Director
Kellie Williams is a distinguished finance and construction executive with over 30 years of experience spanning banking, project finance, and large-scale property development, investment and construction. Her career is marked by a deep commitment to financial excellence, strategic leadership, and industry innovation.
Kellie began her professional journey in the banking sector, where she spent over a decade in senior roles across corporate and commercial banking. Her expertise in credit risk, structured finance, and client relationship management laid a strong foundation for her transition into the construction industry. During this time, she worked with major Australian financial institutions, advising on complex lending arrangements and supporting the growth of mid-to-large enterprises.
In 2003, Kellie joined Hutchinson Builders, Australia’s largest privately-owned construction firm, as Manager of Project Finance. Her banking acumen proved invaluable as she led financial solutions, structuring and risk management for some of the company’s most ambitious developments. Promoted to Director of Project Finance in 2010, Kellie oversaw the financial strategy for a national portfolio of commercial, residential, and infrastructure projects, ensuring robust governance, financial controls, and risk mitigation.
Her leadership was instrumental in Hutchies’ continued growth and resilience, particularly during periods of economic uncertainty. Kellie was known for her collaborative style, working closely with project teams, legal advisors, and external financiers to deliver outcomes that balanced innovation with financial discipline.
Kellie holds a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and completed the Company Directors Course at the Australian Institute of Company Directors in 2025. Kellie is also proudly a member of the Investment Committee for CVS Lane Capital Partners.
Kellie’s legacy from Hutchinson Builders is one of excellence and integrity, and is a respected voice in finance and construction, mentoring emerging leaders and advising on strategic initiatives across the sector.
Steve Pink
Principal Advisor
Steve is a highly experienced development manager who has controlled large projects from inception through to successful completion.
In carrying out this role he has been involved in all facets of the development process, from upfront land purchase negotiations, feasibility assessments and commercial evaluation, project establishment and financing through to contract negotiation, design and construction control, leasing and sale.
Over his career Steve has developed a vast skills base that has allowed him to adapt to the requirements of individual projects with a view to solving specific problems.
Steve has been involved in negotiations at all levels of the development process, from government departments through to major international tenants and financiers. Steve is confident and comfortable working with the highest level of corporate and government personnel, and has always succeeded in being able to get the best out of all the parties involved in a project.
Through his ability to work collaboratively with all levels of staff, Steve has been highly successful in carrying large scale projects from inception to completion.
Particular strengths that Steve brings to any project:
- A strong, confident personality that allows him to lead a team of professionals.
- A depth of experience that allows him to act decisively to ensure that a project keeps moving and achieves the required outcomes.
- Extensive experience in the commercial aspects of development and the creation and evaluation of strategies to secure or improve commercial outcomes.
- Extensive experience in negotiation including approvals and statutory requirements, acquisition, leasing and sales.
- Extensive experience in establishing project requirements and establishing teams to deliver the required outcomes including identification of specialist input.
- Problem resolution – flexibility to adapt to problems that arise and to manage these through to a satisfactory outcome.
Chris Stevenson
Principal Advisor
Chris Stevenson is a seasoned construction executive with over 35 years of experience spanning high-end residential, commercial, multi-residential, retail, hospitality, education, health, infrastructure, and mining sectors. His career is defined by a deep commitment to quality, strategic project delivery, and operational excellence.
As National Construction Manager at Hutchinson Builders, Australia’s largest privately owned construction company Chris played a pivotal role in leading major projects through robust management systems, team alignment, and value-driven building practices. His expertise covers the full lifecycle of construction—from funding and design to delivery and post-completion management—with a strong focus on risk mitigation and stakeholder satisfaction.
Chris has held diverse roles including Project Manager, Project Director, and National Construction Manager, contributing to hundreds of successful projects. He is widely respected for his ability to resolve complex challenges and recover distressed projects through a combination of technical acumen and strategic foresight.
His leadership extended beyond project delivery into business improvement, regulatory compliance, insurance and litigation support, and workforce development. He authored the Hutchinson Builders Quality Handbook, now regarded as an industry benchmark for compliance and quality assurance.
Chris holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Construction Management, a Graduate Certificate in Project Management, and is a licensed Builder, Supervisor, and Practitioner across five Australian states. He also served as an Adjunct Lecturer at Bond University, sharing his knowledge in Site Management and Contract Administration.
With a candid, collaborative approach and a reputation for clear, purposeful communication, Chris aligns seamlessly with Ascent’s mission to elevate project outcomes through strategic leadership, operational clarity, and stakeholder-centric solutions.
From Challenges to Clarity
Our Point of Difference
Boutique Specialisation in Complex Projects
Ascent is not a broad, one-size-fits-all advisory. We are purpose-built for complexity. Our work focuses exclusively on property and construction projects where stakes are high, challenges are layered, and clarity is hard to come by. From high-value portfolio strategies to distressed developments, we excel in the environments where others hesitate.
Our clients are never offered generic solutions. Instead, they receive targeted, considered strategies shaped by experience, precision, and a deep understanding of what drives successful outcomes in high-risk environments. It’s why our clients choose Ascent when certainty matters most.
Deep Multi-Disciplinary Expertise
We know that no complex project can be solved through a single lens. Our team draws on decades of hands-on experience across the full spectrum of development, construction, finance, and risk. We’ve been on every side of the table: shaping developments, steering delivery, structuring finance, and navigating contractual disputes.
This breadth of expertise allows us to see interdependencies clearly and anticipate challenges before they emerge. It’s not just technical knowledge; it’s the ability to connect the dots between financial strategy, delivery systems, and commercial outcomes. That’s where the real value lies.
For our clients, it means fewer blind spots, smarter decisions, and confidence that every facet of a project has been considered.
Lean Delivery Model and Outcome Focus
Our approach is deliberately lean: a small, highly skilled team that values precision over scale and agreed outcomes over process. Every engagement is led by a senior specialist who stay close to the detail, ensuring that insight and execution align from strategy through to delivery.
This model allows us to be agile, responsive, and unencumbered by layers of bureaucracy. We work side-by-side with clients, focused not on producing paperwork, but on delivering outcomes that move projects forward. With real-world experience guiding every decision, our clients gain both strategic foresight and practical confidence in execution.