Open Communication

Creativity & Collaboration

Quality & Consistency

Building Relationships

About us

Stronger together

Over 70 years ago we started shaking up the design and construction industry by doing something no one else was doing: listening.

From humble beginnings, Paynters has built a reputation on innovation and collaboration, delivering some of the very best design and construction solutions in Australia.

We strive unceasingly for excellence, and at the beating heart of that pursuit is our team. We know that we are only as strong as our culture and people. We pride ourselves on attracting and fostering the best talent in the industry. People who are committed to upholding our standards of quality and consistency, as well as constantly pushing forward every element of our business.

The Paynters way stands out from the crowd. We work together, work incredibly hard and get stuck right into whatever needs to be done to deliver the very best service to our clients. Our comprehensive end-to-end design and construction solution continues to deliver exceptional outcomes, but it’s through our people and our passion for collaboration that we’re able to exceed expectations.

Paynters is a proven leader in innovative project solutions, and we continue to shape the growth and development of Australia’s Community, Health, Aged Care, Education, Hospitality and Insurance sectors. If you’re looking for someone to partner with you instead of just providing a service, then we’d love to listen.

Our values

Our goal is to maintain a culture of innovation, trust, respect and good banter. We are one team, all strong, all different, all supportive. Here’s what we stand for:

We inspire curiosity and new ideas.

Creative thinking drives everything we do. We strive to push boundaries and think outside the box, ensuring high quality solutions and meaningful outcomes for all.

We recognise we are stronger together.

We foster relationships – be it with our project partners or fellow colleagues. We recognise success is driven by new ideas, diverse capabilities and a one team mentality.

Our people are our business.

People are the heart of Paynters. We advocate for our peers and celebrate each other’s success. We see our team members as family, and cherish our positive, uplifting culture.

We are committed to creating a better future.

The safety of our people and the wellbeing of the communities in which we work are paramount. We take pride in our delivery and are dedicated to leaving a legacy we are proud of.

We don’t just say, we do.

As a team, we do what is right and deliver what we promise. We are open, honest and communicate with mutual respect. We trust each other to get the job done.

Our culture➜

Our Board of Directors

With decades of expertise across the construction, engineering, finance, design and insurance sectors – the Paynters Board is well placed to lead our business to achieve its strategic goals.

Nigel Gardiner

Board Chair | Director

Nigel has over 35 years’ experience in the building industry, commencing his career as a Quantity Surveyor. Joining Paynters in early 1989 he worked his way up from Project Manager to Managing Director, now overseeing Paynters success as Chair of the Board. He has been instrumental in the growth and strategic direction of the Paynters Group of companies. Nigel has a Bachelor of Applied Science with Honours majoring in Quantity Surveying; he also has a Masters Degree in Project Management from the University of New South Wales.

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Brett Johnston

Managing Director

Brett has lived and breathed Paynters for an astonishing 25 years. He has progressed through the company ranks – starting with Paynters as a construction Cadet, gaining invaluable experience as Project Manager and General Manager – and now leading our front-end business strategy as our Managing Director. In his current role, Brett leads our client engagement efforts across all sectors, heavily involved in stakeholder management and securing new contracts. In addition to his success at Paynters, Brett is President of the Queensland Master Builders Association and long time participant on their Construction Committee.

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Chris Micale

CFO | Director

With over 20 years in Finance roles, Chris brings a modern skillset to the Paynters business that sees him head up the Finance and Systems parts of our organisation as CFO & Director. Prior to his commencement with the business in 2019, Chris has held senior roles for number of professional service firms and community organisations including Westpac, Allianz and UnitingCare Queensland before being offered a role at Paynters. Chris holds a Bachelor of Accounting and is a member of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ).

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James Aitken

Director

James has been with Paynters for 20 years and has ample experience in the construction industry. During his tenure, he has progressed through various roles in our business leading complex project and programme management for large institutional clients. As Director, James provides governance and strategic direction to the organisation, with a focus on our Insurance division. He has strong customer relationships by taking the time to understand their business processes, preferred approaches and outcomes.

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John McCafferty

Director

John has over 45 years’ experience in design, construction, and project management. He is a registered architect and has a Masters degree in Urban & Regional Planning. From an initial role as Design and Development Manager responsible for the delivery of Hospitality, Commercial and Industrial projects, over the last decade, John has turned focus to Paynters Community, Health & Aged Care sector, where he has led some tremendous strategic outcomes for our business. He has extensive experience in leading multi-disciplinary teams in complex project developments for private, not-for-profit and public sector clients. John is involved in a number of industry committees and associations in Property and Health & Aged Care sectors.

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Neil Southwell

Director

Neil has over 35 years’ experience in construction, 30 years of which has been with the Paynters team. Holding the role of Finance Director for 18 years, Neil now heads the strategic direction of our business as a member of the Board. Neil has contributed to the company’s growth by creating a culture of strong financial discipline. Neil’s skillset incorporates all aspects of financial management including internal systems, contractual negotiations, regulatory and statutory compliance, corporate governance, and IT. Neil holds a Bachelor of Business majoring in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration. He is also a member of the Governance Institute of Australia.

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Our Executive Leaders

Led by our Executive Leadership Team, our people are the core of what makes Paynters special. Where others have colleagues, we have a family. Individually strong, each of our team is valued for the role they play.