Gerhana Waty

Director - Urban Design

Sandra Rigo

Director – Urban Planning

As a Director at Hansen Partnership, Sandra is a Town Planner with over 25 years of experience in statutory and strategic planning, across both the private and local government sectors in Melbourne and throughout Victoria.

Sandra’s experience encompasses all elements of the development approvals process from initial site choice, to a collaborative design process and finally navigating the statutory process to gain planning approval.

She regularly gives planning evidence at VCAT and enjoys the challenge of presenting and participating in a range of public forums including community consultations, stakeholder and council meetings.

Whilst focussed on statutory planning in recent years, Sandra’s experience extends to strategic planning projects, including built form reviews, urban character studies, structure plans and urban design framework plans. Her responsibilities in these projects include the coordination and conduct of community consultation programs and writing planning policies and controls.

Outside project work, Sandra is a strong supporter of women in the property industry with a particular focus on the professional development and mentoring of young planners. As the only female director for many years, Sandra has always been passionate about mentoring female staff, fostering their career development and opportunities to encourage the next generation of female directors

David Barnes

Director – Urban Planning

Hansen Partnership’s Director David Barnes has been a town planner since 1980. With an MBA to supplement his planning qualifications, David is both a strategic planning specialist and an experienced statutory planner.

As a statutory planner David has been involved in obtaining planning approvals for a wide range of projects including residential, retail, commercial, industrial, rural, tourism, entertainment, sports, recreation and community development projects.

He has extensive experience representing clients at planning appeals and panel hearings as both an advocate and as an expert witness.

As a strategic planner, David’s experience encompasses policy formulation and implementation; preparation of strategy plans; structure plans; urban design frameworks; development plans; planning schemes and amendments; community consultation; preparation of infrastructure funding strategies and development contributions plans as well as the preparation of commercial, industrial and residential market assessments.

In addition, David has experience in Asia preparing urban management plans; strategy plans; structure plans; master plans; planning and development controls; institutional strengthening programs and professional training programs.

Andrew Partos

Director - Landscape Architecture

Andrew Partos is an award-winning Landscape Architect, Urban Designer, and Architect with over 25 years of experience in the design and delivery of high-profile projects across Melbourne and beyond. He played a pivotal role in the creation of Melbourne’s iconic civic plaza, Federation Square, one of Australia’s most visited locations.

With a strong focus on sustainable development, Andrew has led some of Australia’s most innovative projects, including the Government Services Building and the Lonsdale Street redevelopment in Dandenong, as well as the Meridian productive landscape community in South Dandenong. His expertise extends internationally, with recent work on a sustainable mine village in Mozambique, which included a community outreach program, as well as cluster village projects in Taradale and Malmsbury in central Victoria.

Andrew’s approach to landscape architecture is rooted in a commitment to sustainable design, ensuring that each project not only enhances its surroundings but also contributes to the long-term well-being of its community. His diverse portfolio of work showcases his ability to deliver high-quality, innovative, and environmentally-conscious landscapes.

Andrew is the Vice President of the Victorian Division of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architecture (AILA).

Steve Schutt

Director – Landscape Architecture

Steve is a registered landscape architect with extensive experience both in Australia and internationally. He has worked on a wide range of projects across various sectors, including public domain design, residential landscapes, educational institutions, recreational facilities, natural and rehabilitated landscapes, commercial developments, and large-scale infrastructure projects.

His expertise spans the full spectrum of landscape architecture, from conceptual design and design development to documentation, contract administration, master planning, visual assessment, and community consultation. He also provides expert evidence to planning tribunals.

Steve has extensive experience managing multidisciplinary project teams. He has led the design and implementation of several major landscape projects, including the University of New South Wales Mall, Walsh Bay Redevelopment, Sydney Olympic Velodrome, Frankston CAD Urban Renewal, Langtree Mall Redevelopment in Mildura, Devonport Foreshore Redevelopment in Tasmania, and the award-winning Mackenzie Falls Gorge Trail.

As a director of Hansen Partnership, Steve applies his skills and experience across a range of projects, from landscape master planning to urban design studies and the detailed implementation of landscape designs in both urban and non-urban environments. His multidisciplinary expertise allows him to seamlessly integrate urban planning, urban design, and landscape architecture to deliver high-quality solutions.

Cameron Gentle

Director - Urban Planning

Cameron is an experienced Urban Planner in Melbourne, with extensive knowledge of the Victorian planning system gained through his work in both local government and the private sector since 1996. His expertise spans a wide range of urban and regional statutory and strategic planning matters, including medium and high-density residential development, large-scale commercial and industrial projects, subdivisions, planning scheme amendments, and VCAT processes.

Before joining Hansen, Cameron gained valuable insight into coastal planning, metropolitan green wedge policy, and regional planning issues while working in local government.

In the private sector, Cameron has contributed to a variety of projects for both public and private clients, including apartment and office towers in Docklands, development approvals for a school in Tasmania, a greenfield subdivision on Melbourne’s fringe, and strategic plans for metropolitan rail corridors.

Cameron combines his comprehensive understanding of the planning system with a practical, open-minded approach, ensuring that projects are delivered on time and meet the needs of all stakeholders.

Alastair Campbell

Director - Urban Design

Jane Keddie

Director - Urban Planning

Gary Wissenden

Director – Urban Planning

Gary is a town planner with over 25 years’ professional experience in public and private sector roles. His career has taken him to the United Kingdom as well as the Cities of Stonnington, Yarra and Glen Eira in metropolitan Melbourne, in addition to more than eight years in the private sector working across metropolitan, peri-urban, coastal and rural projects.

As a planner, Gary has managed a diverse range of statutory planning projects including mixed use and residential developments, commercial and retail projects, a range of hospitality and entertainment venues, education and institutional projects as well as telecommunications and infrastructure projects.

Much of Gary’s expertise lies in advocacy work. He regularly represents the public and private sector at VCAT and public meetings, providing professional and balanced advice.

In addition to his statutory planning work, Gary maintains a keen interest in strategic planning. He has worked on several land use strategies, with a focus on the coastal regions of Victoria. His strategic experience also extends to Hansen Partnership’s work in Vietnam.

Gary is an active member of Victoria’s planning industry bodies such as the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) and the Victoria Planning and Environmental Law Association (VPELA).

Damian Iles

Managing Director

Since late 2024, Damian has served as the Managing Director at Hansen, bringing over 28 years of professional experience as a town planner. His extensive career spans both the government and private sectors, with a focus on navigating the statutory approvals process for various land use and development applications. These include market housing, build-to-rent housing, student accommodation, independent and aged accommodation, co-housing, community living, multigenerational housing, and other alternative models. Damian has also delivered projects for early learning, child care centres, and a variety of education facilities across metropolitan and regional areas, alongside work in industrial, commercial, hospitality, retail, and recreational sectors.

Passionate about innovative medium and higher-density housing models, Damian is committed to socially responsible and sustainable development. His community-focused projects involve collaboration with organisations such as Nightingale Housing, Launch Housing, Aboriginal Housing Victoria, Housing Choices Australia, STREAT, The Uniting Church, and the Baptist Church, among many others. He strives to champion better-designed, more sustainable solutions for communities, cities, and towns.

Damian has a strong track record in preparing master plans for both public and private sectors, and has contributed to institutional development, planning scheme amendments, peer reviews, advice, and strategic planning. As a respected expert witness, he is known for his balanced approach and deep understanding of government regulation, property strategy, and the built environment. Damian’s advice is characterised by its frankness and commitment to achieving planning outcomes that deliver long-term, sustainable value.