List of top young hotshot Queensland developers revealed
From young businessmen with their own companies to rising stars responsible for more than $500 million worth of projects – here are the hotshot developers on the rise in Queensland.
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From young businessmen who kickstarted their own companies to rising stars responsible for projects which are changing Brisbane — the development scene in Queensland features hotshots who are already making their mark.
Queensland, and Brisbane especially, have gone through a development boom in recent years with the landscape of many areas around the state and southeast region undergoing major transformations.
Inner Brisbane suburbs, such as Woolloongabba and Kangaroo Point, have been taken over by luxury residential and retail developments, including the $1 billion South City Square.
While other areas around the region, including Brisbane’s bayside, have been revamped completely with residential towers as well as landmark projects such as the Wynnum Cinema and a $37 million townhouse community at Wynnum West taking the area to new heights.
And behind some of the city’s key projects are young developers who continue to show that age is just a number.
The list of young hotshot developers features people in their 40s and below.
QLD’S YOUNG HOTSHOT DEVELOPERS
MICHAEL NORMAN, 29 – FOUNDER ARCADIAN DEVELOPMENTS
One of the youngest of the developers on the list, Brisbane-based Michael Norman, founded Arcadian Developments and now has a development profile of more than $11 million worth of projects.
Mr Norman has became a talented businessman at a young age, after owning and then selling several companies, including a catering services company called Calvary, which serviced concerts for Australian music stars such as Keith Urban and Darryl Braithwaite.
This was before he started Arcadian, which recently completed Emerge – a $7.5 million boutique development of four side-by-side terrace homes in the waterside suburb of Caloundra on Queensland’s iconic Sunshine Coast.
It came three years after he finished his first project, Aspect — a $3.5 million eight-townhouse development in Capalaba.
“I am driven to create unique space that people can fill with their own memories,” he said. “Much the same way we remember the houses we grew up in over the years and celebrated Christmas and birthdays and more.
“My goal is to enhance those experiences by the built form around them.”
Being one of the younger developers on the scene, Mr Norman said his age did come with its challenges.
“However, one positive thing that has come from it is with every consultant or contractor that doesn’t want to work with me we get some that are very excited about working with Arcadian and the fresh approach we bring,” he said.
ROB & ANDREW GRAY, 32/35 – FOUNDERS OF GRAYA
Two brothers who started out flipping houses and are now developing high-end residential apartments.
Graya is a national award-winning construction, development, architecture firm based in Brisbane and the Gold Coast with their success not only showing in their projects but also with their social media following, boasting more than 144,000 Instagram followers.
Graya was founded by the brothers more than a decade ago and is a fully integrated design and construction company focusing on the luxury market.
Their long list of projects, include almost 40 developments across Queensland, including a 20-apartment and 19-apartment complexes at Palm Beach, a luxury mansion at Burleigh Heads and Hamilton and many more in the southeast region as well as in Cairns.
Graya’s most recent accolades include the Brisbane Housing and Construction Award 2022 for a Residential Building (high-rise more than three storeys) up to $20m for Maison at New Farm.
ADAM RAINBIRD, 31 – QLD MANAGER AT SARAZIN
With more than $700 million worth of projects either completed or on the way in the state, Adam Rainbird is definitely a young developer making his mark.
Mr Rainbird has extensive experience in the property and development industry, starting his journey in the commercial real estate sector with CBRE in the United States before working with Australian property leader, Sarazin.
Since relocating to Brisbane, Mr Rainbird has been involved in several high-profile residential project developments within southeast Queensland.
Those developments include having more than 800 apartments currently in the pipeline with more to come. He successfully sold and delivered the $120m Silk One project in Woolloongabba, which was completed in April 2022, and features 172 apartments, six commercial offices and two retail areas.
The former basketball player is also in charge of the development and delivery of the next two stages of the Silk precinct, which called Silk Lane, comprising of 315 apartments across two towers and a boutique retail laneway — a $300 million-plus project.
Mr Rainbird and Sarazin have also applied to council for additional height in these towers, which would increase the towers to 32 and 25 storeys and increase the project size to 385 apartments, with the addition of a world class STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics and music) education gallery.
The STEMM Gallery would be an Australian first.
Sarazin also acquired another site in Woolloongabba, where project Nuage has been approved, with two towers of 352 apartments worth more than $290 million.
JOE LICASTRO, 32 – SIGNATURE PROPERTY PARTNERS
Another youngster on the rise is Joseph Licastro from privately-owned Brisbane development company, Signature Property Partners.
Mr Licastro has helped create several major projects for Signature, a company which focuses on high-quality developments in premium locations.
As part of his portfolio, Mr Licastro has played a significant role in many properties around southeast Queensland, including in New Farm and three projects in Brisbane’s southside suburb of Coorparoo, on top of other major projects.
These developments include luxury units as well as high-end houses.
Mr Licastro first came into the development industry at a young age, inspired by both grandfathers, who had impressive track records in the Brisbane market.
FRANK LICASTRO, 33 – FOUNDER FRANK DEVELOPMENTS
Frank Licastro’s story started more than a decade ago when the founder and managing director of Frank Developments first started renovating and developing high-end luxury homes, a career inspired by his grandfather.
Frank Developments which is a privately-owned residential and commercial property development company with a long list of projects across southeast Queensland
The company’s 2023 portfolio, includes a collection of high-end, luxury multistorey residential and commercial developments located in Brisbane’s most sought-after suburbs.
Frank Developments’ projects include multistorey residential complexes in Teneriffe, New Farm and Northcliffe as well as other residential developments in suburbs such as Paddington.
They also have two commercial projects coming together at New Farm and Herston.
JUSTIN O’DONNELL, 40 – DIRECTOR AT CIELO GROUP
A man who initially started his career in development and wanted to go “under the radar” before deciding to have some more fun with the industry he’s always loved, now has more than $500 million worth of projects under his banner.
The 40-year-old has made his mark across southeast Queensland as the director of the Cielo Group, a business he established only a few years ago after some minor projects on his own.
Cielo Group is becoming a major player in the booming development scene likely to grow as major projects, such as one on Oxford St at Bulimba on the way.
He has also turned his sights to a luxury apartment complex at Bilinga Beach on the Gold Coast and a high-end development at Balmoral called Hyperlux.
“I was just doing little stuff on my own until I started Cielo a couple years ago and decided if I wanted to really have a crack in this area I needed to get my name out there,” Mr O’Donnell said.
“Ever since then it’s just kind of grown organically and we’ve gone from strength to strength.”
Mr O’Donnell said development was always an industry he loved and that he’d been involved in for decades.
GODFREY ESMONDE, 39 – HOLM DEVELOPMENTS
Another director from one of Queensland’s rising development companies; Godfrey Esmonde has led the charge for Holm Developments.
He started Holm Developments in 2018 and already has more than a decade worth of experience in the industry with the company now boasting projects all across the southeast region as well as northern New South Wales.
Some of Holm’s notable projects include a luxury $75-million, 47-apartment project at Casuarina, luxury homes at Hamilton, as well as other developments at Moffat Beach, Clayfield, Kingscliff and Ascot Row.
DAMIEN CAVALLUCCI – FOUNDER/MANAGING DIRECTOR AT CAVCORP
Having developed more than $500 million in his already illustrious but short career in the industry, Damien Cavallucci is another star on the scene.
Mr Cavallucci is the founder and managing director of award-winning development company, CavCorp, which also has a $1 billion development pipeline in Newstead.
He is another person on the list who has started his own development company at a young age, with CavCorp established in his early 20s, leading to an impressive amount of success in the years since.
On top of their incredible development pipeline in Newstead, which features several luxury residential and retail complexes, CavCorp is behind other major projects in the southeast.
The company’s profile also includes residential projects in Nundah, Teneriffe and a commercial precinct at Eagle Farm.
Their long list of awards most recently includes winning the 2020 Housing Industry Association Apartment of the Year for LeBain at Newstead.
“I am always thinking of breakthrough concepts which will evoke a genuine reaction,” Mr Cavallucci says on his website.
FEDERICO KEIL, 28 – DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AT CDL AUSTRALIA
Federico Keil has quickly climbed the ranks in his short but impressive career in property development.
After completing a Bachelor of Business, Real Estate and Development at the
University of Queensland in 2018, Mr Keil became a project co-ordinator for a previously ASX-listed investment firm in their residential development team, working across six retirement projects in southeast Queensland and assisting in the divestment of the portfolio to an offshore investor.
Now working for the globally-backed CDL Australia, Mr Keil oversees three Brisbane developments, including Brickworks Park, Treetops Kenmore, and a recent acquisition in Toowong, which have an estimated value of $450 million.
Brickworks Park is a wholly owned, masterplanned project at Alderley on the site of a historic brickworks, which will deliver 215 new homes and offer buyer resort-style amenities. Construction has now commenced.
Treetops Kenmore is a joint venture townhouse project with major national developer, Metro Property Development.
The project in Toowong is a significant residential development a prime location on High Street.
Mr Keil will help deliver 450 new properties across all three projects.
JOSEPH DEAN, 40 – ECHELON PROPERTY GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR
Specialising in the development of childcare centres, Joseph Dean from the Echelon Property Group has more than 15 projects either completed or underway in southeast Queensland.
His projects include the latest and flashiest centre to join the childcare boom on Brisbane’s bayside, with the $10 million development the first of its kind.
The Dean family, who have been a part of the bayside community for decades, were also behind a new childcare centre which recently opened on Stradbroke Ave in Wynnum.
Mr Dean said he was proud for his family to continue to contribute to the rise of Wynnum and Manly.
“There’s definitely not an oversupply of centres in the area despite new childcare venues popping up around the bayside and another one also being on the same street,” he said.
“We have done our research and it shows that there is a massive demand for supply for early learning and we look forward to offering something new to what is already being delivered on the bayside.”
DANIEL DAY, 34 – LENDLEASE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Lendlease development manager Daniel Day has established himself as a dynamic leader in the development industry.
Mr Day has been instrumental in the creation of Lendlease’s newest masterplanned community, Kinma Valley, which integrates rich cultural heritage with the thriving lifestyle of the Moreton Bay region to create a community, which aligns with Lendlease’s commitment to sustainability.
His leadership on the Kinma Valley project will be a game-changer for the area, creating a connected community to fit cohesively with the location and the needs of residents.
Recently awarded the UDIA Queensland 2022 Young Leader Award, Mr Day was recognised for his outstanding leadership in shaping the future direction of the development industry.
He is also part of the UDIA Queensland Moreton Bay Branch Committee, which considers local policy and the issues that matter for the Moreton Bay region.
As an advocate for indigenous rights, Mr Day’s development leadership at Kinma Valley has prioritised cultural heritage, with the First Nation traditional owners of the land, the Kabi Kabi people, heavily involved in the co-creation of the masterplan.
Mr Day has made other significant positive contributions to the industry, developing online safety processes and communication material that informs and educates the public, including environmental offsets and housing density.
ANDREW MALOUF, 36 - DIRECTOR AT SPYRE GROUP
Boasting more than a decade of experience, Andrew Malouf is the director of Spyre Group - an ultra-luxury property development company with more than $750 million worth of developments scross southeast Queensland.
The 36-year-old has a multi-faceted role, where he closely manages every Spyre project for its entire lifespan, from concept to completion.
During his successful career as a senior town planner, Mr Malouf developed a keen eye for identifying site development potential, which has enabled Spyre Group to acquire some of the most highly recognised and acclaimed a-grade sites across the region.
As the driving force behind Spyre’s vision and brand, Mr Malouf has ensured that Spyre Group is widely recognised as an industry leader, allowing the group to flourish rapidly on both a local and national stage.
Spyre Group’s long list of completed developments in southeast Queensland include Soko at West End, Zahra at New Farm, Maya at Kirra, Elysian at Broadbeach and Natura at Burleigh Heads .
Spyre also has four active projects such as Glasshouse at Burleigh Heads, Cala Dei at Coolangatta, Arc at Toowong and Basalt at Burleigh Heads along with three more in the pipeline.
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