Canberra consultancy Parbery makes latest expansion move to Queensland
Canberra-based public sector and business consultancy Parbery has taken the next step in its national expansion with a new base in Brisbane.
Founded in the ACT by co-CEOs Kylie Burnett and Nick Chapman in 2017 with a focus on the defence, government, for purpose, and small business sectors, Parbery’s move into Queensland follows its expansion to South Australia in 2024.
Leading the charge is Des Sengunlu, who joined the firm last year bringing two decades worth of public and private sector experience, with fellow principal consultant Aidan Bright and senior manager Sam Lemin also making the switch from Canberra in support.
“Expanding into Queensland is a deliberate and considered step in Parbery’s national growth strategy,” Chapman said. “We have long had strong connections to Queensland – through our people, our work, and our relationships – and formalising that presence reflects our confidence in the state and our commitment to delivering exceptional services across the country.”
Southeast Queensland continues to boom according to the latest ABS internal migration and employment data, and its new trio of Parbery arrivals will fan out across the region, providing coverage in Brisbane, Toowoomba, and the Sunshine Coast, although the consultancy says it has already had a working presence in the state for more than four years.
Described by Chapman as exactly the right person to lead the practice and build on that foundation and noted for strong stakeholder engagement, Sengunlu adds local expertise in delivering operational, strategic and highly-sensitive programs and projects, with a decade previously spent between global defence and security sector consultancies KBR and QinetiQ.
Bright and Lemin, both cost estimation and modelling professionals, have meanwhile been with Parbery for roughly five and four years, the former having been promoted to principal in 2024. Bright previously spent more than a decade between the health and veterans’ affairs departments, while Lemin came to the firm via the defence department after starting out at Ernst & Young.
Alongside costing and project & program management, Parbery’s other services include business advisory, strategy, performance improvement, change & transformation, and strategic communications, along with lines in financial advisory and assurance, grants, and procurement & contracts – delivered by a team of approximately 60 professionals, including seven partners.
