charl ras, BScUNISA

Profession:  Project Planning & Cost Control

Position in Firm: Director at Charl Ras & Co. Ltd

Years of Experience

(6 with Parsons Brinckerhoff; 7 with others)

Education

BSc Mechanical Engineering

Key Qualifications

Charl Ras is a Planning Manager with 13 years professional experience with a proven track record of success with high profile commercial organisations.  During his career Charl has acted on behalf of Clients, Lead Contractors and Sub-Contractors, in the Petrochemical, Building, Power, Marine and Railway Industries.  His duties have involved planning, programme, cost and risk management.

He has extensive experience in programme and project control roles, managing multidiscipline teams in projects ranging from large multi million pound single projects to multiple complex programmes of work across local and global geographical locations.  He has experienced knowledge of the complete project lifecycle, from project definition, through feasibility, scoping, set-up and bidding, to project operation and benefits realisation, including reporting, assurance and review to project close-out.

Charl has dealt with single projects, multiple projects, project portfolios and advanced programme management methodologies, experienced in consulting, contracting and subcontracting environments.

He is experienced in getting the very best return for clients on their asset portfolio.  Charl has worked with clients to prioritise and select the projects that most fit their business needs, whether these are asset replacements that mitigate a business risk, new builds to realise a business opportunity, or projects that will bring efficiencies to their business operations.

Charl regularly works on client sites to ensure the smooth delivery of projects and managing the project installation phase through to completion.  Charl work closely with his clients to improve programme performance and provide scope of works, schedule and risk contingency allocation.

Charl was actively involved in the successful delivery of the London Olympics 2012 National Grid 400 kV cable tunnel contract and has extensive programme experience in the tunnel and cable installation activities.

Specialities

• Planning and Programme Management
• Portfolio and Project Management
• Earned Value Analysis and Cost Management
• Risk Management and Monte Carlo Analysis (ARM)
• P3, P3e and P6 Primavera Project Planner
• Microsoft Project and Office Products
• Cost and Resource Loaded Programmes
• Change Control and Management
• Financial and Account Management (SAP & Oracle)

Previous Experience

UK:  Planning and Programme Manager, Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) (January 2009 – present)

• UK:  Planning, Programme and Finance, East West Interconnector Project: Responsibilities on the Interconnector Project include managing the budget and profit centers for PB (Parsons Brinckerhoff, Employer’s Representative), negotiate scope on behalf of end client, perform programme analysis, variations, monthly progress reporting, programme and risk management.
• Setting achievable baselines. Charl has successfully negotiated the projects baseline programme on behalf of the Employer in order to accurately monitor and report on both schedule and cost performance targets.  Charl has implemented a mechanism for verification and delivery of the financial milestone payments valued at €600M.  Charl is working with the Employer to implement an integrated Work Breakdown Structure approach for future contracts to provide detailed, accurate definitions of scope, schedule, estimates and risk assessments on which the client can confidently base his investment and contingency allocation decisions. 
• Reporting cost and schedule. Charl collates and report actual costs and scope completion as the project progresses.  The data used is consistent, highly accurate, gathered and processed quickly, and presented in high impact reports that form a clear, dependable basis for forecasting and management decision-making.  Charl regularly visits the project delivery teams in order to carry out programme analysis and lead planning meetings.
• Charl is responsible for the Employer’s Representative’s monthly progress report and reporting to Employer.  Charl is responsible for managing Parsons Brinkerhoff’s project budget and to provide his valuable experience identifying and dealing with contract variations.
• Managing risk, issue and change.  Charl provides assistance to the project delivery teams on site with swift and effective management of the changes.  He provides an integrated, proactive approach to risk and issue management reports designed to proactively manage change to cost, schedule or delivery.  Charl is responsible for updating the project risk schedules and to ensure any mitigation actions are proactively dealt with.  Charl is also responsible for managing Parsons Brinckerhoff’s project risk contingency budget and financial performance reporting.

UK:  Planning Manager, Parsons Brinckerhoff (June 2006 – Part time until June 2011)

• UK:  Planning, Programme and Finance, Lower Lea Valley Cable Tunnel (PLUG) London Olympics 2012:  Based in a Site Office, within the Power Networks Division providing scheduling analysis and project controls services to the client (National Grid) as part of the company's remit.  Charl was responsible for the analysis of subcontractor’s schedules, collating and reporting actual costs and scope completion.
• Planning and Scheduling Services.  Charl has fully coordinated the reporting and scheduling requirements for the removal of the existing overhead lines and delivery of the 400kV cable installation project to the required standard, on time and within budget by utilising Primavera P6 in conjunction with other planning tools, Tilos.  Charl was responsible for the National Grid programme integration, managing outage requirements, planning and analysis of subcontractor’s programmes.  Charl led monthly planning meetings with contractors.
• Quantified Schedule Risk Analysis.  Charl has implemented Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management system within PB.  Integration with existing internal systems for cost collation.  Setup and maintenance of the Enterprise Project Structure and the Work Breakdown Structure.  Charl assisted the main consultant with producing relevant planning and operational procedures for the entire contracts programme integration.
• Production of monthly progress reports and presentation against KPI’s, variance between planned and actual progress, results of earned value analysis, including cost performance and schedule performance indices.
• Relationship building with internal and external stakeholders ensuring that standards are maintained with stakeholders.  Attend and report on monthly progress achievements to the National Grid Board of Directors.
• Daily activities include planning and scheduling of installation of 400kV cable and construction of strategic head houses and substations on and around Olympic Park.

UK:  Planning Manager, Grantrail Ltd (August 2004 – June 2006)

• UK:  White City Development:  Based in a Site Office, providing planning and cost control support to the Project Manager and Site Team, development, approval and review of EPC contractor’s programmes, monitoring of actual progress against agreed programmes, review of contractor’s monthly progress reports, and review and analysis of claims and variations issued by the contractor over the course of the project.
• Prepared integrated and cost loaded programmes based on Owner/Client preference and report monthly, applying basic methods of working and resource constraints to the plan activities.
• Integrated SAP and Primavera for reporting progress and financial position internally and reviewed analysis of all potential schedule impacts, design changes and proposals.

• Analysis of all project programmes including critical path analysis, cost, resource and progress. Production of detailed schedules dependent on overall schedules.

• Regular monitoring of progress through production and interpretation of variance reports. Development of cost and scheduling reports via Primavera 3. Reporting of performance against KPI’s and results of earned value analysis in monthly progress update meetings.

• Close liaising with construction teams and internal stakeholder teams to ensure swift resolution of procurement and other issues, and to improve synergies. Led monthly meetings with project planning team to ensure accurate updates on progress.

UK:  Senior Planning Engineer, AMEC Group (June 2002 – August 2004)

• UK:  South Central Depot Improvement Works:  Provided planning support to the project manager and produced the overall project programme covering all aspects of the project from study, specification and tender adjudication, through financial close and construction and commissioning.
• Creation of high level management programmes using Primavera 3 planning software.  Supervision of regular reports prepared for Project Board and government to update on progress, including variance reporting against key milestones, value analysis, cost performance and schedule performance indices.
• Preparation and management of tender submissions for six train depot refurbishment contracts.
• Scope negotiation and management of installation contractors.
• Responsible for ensuring contractor performs his contractual responsibilities for install raised walkways across the six depots, supply and deliver pre-cast concrete walkways to site.
• Daily activities include planning and scheduling of installation and refurbishment of train maintenance depots, raised walkways, permanent track, and all associated cleaning facilities.

ZA:  Planning and Scheduling Engineer, Sasol (June 1998 – June 2001)

• Mechanical Engineer / Trainee Scheduler – SASOL 1, South Africa
• Responsible for initial implementation, maintenance and later upgrade of the plant maintenance system (MIMS) used by SASOL 2 & 3 plants
• Integration of planning software (Artemis 9000) and liaising with maintenance department in order to produce reports into MIMS and SAP.
• Extensive experience gained in oil and petrochemical plant operations and shutdown planning.
• Drafting technical drawings and instructions for manufacturing parts.
• Principle Scheduler for R400m Sasol 1 Shutdown project on gasification plant.
• Accountable for the developing works breakdown structures for company planning system Artemis 9000