Oliver Barnes is a Managing Director of Secretariat. Secretariat specializes in providing independent expert advice on construction projects in the areas of programming/scheduling (delay and disruption) contract review, programme assessment, cost/damages, and productivity/inefficiency.

Mr. Barnes has over 27 years of experience in the construction industry engaged in projects and advising clients on matters involving claim preparation, delay, disruption, work front and productivity analyses. Through his circa 10 years of experience formerly as a site engineer, construction programmer/scheduler and subsequently 17 years as an expert delay analyst, Mr. Barnes has developed a comprehensive understanding of construction, scheduling and project controls. He has been engaged by multinational clients, joint ventures, and contractors on many significant domestic and international construction disputes such as the Solar Farms and HV/LV Electrical Installations in South Africa, LNG Storage Vessels and Port in Finland, Ras Lafan LNG Plateau Maintenance, Qatar, the Elefsina Refinery Upgrade, Greece, the SIDRA Hospital and the Downtown Doha City Development in Qatar. In the UK Mr. Barnes is retained by clients on multimillion pound developments including city redevelopments, Football stadia and Luxury Hotels all of which include significant infrastructure as well as mixed use and high-rise projects. Mr. Barnes has also been involved with several high-profile infrastructure and energy disputes related to solar, coal fired and nuclear power plants together with international electricity interconnectors between countries.

Mr. Barnes’s straight forward independent approach to difficult scheduling issues, is achieved by applying his knowledge of construction and a practical application to the matter at hand. He testifies frequently as an independent expert witness in, Europe under the following forums: ICC, and to a DAB in South Africa. He has also given written evidence in the Technology and Construction Court (TCC – London). Mr. Barnes has experience in the following sectors: oil and gas, power, nuclear, rail, highways/bridges/airports, hospitals, stadiums, high-rise commercial/residential, education, processing facilities, manufacturing facilities and Luxury Yacht building.

Who’s Who Legal recognizes Mr. Barnes in its Consulting Experts (2021), and it says Mr. Barnes “gains widespread recognition from sources who say he is – absolutely excellent and definitely deserves to be on the list” and of
Mr. Barnes in its Construction Expert Witnesses (2022), Peers and clients say: “Oliver’s practical knowledge and experience of working in the industry allows him to master complex issues”
“He offers clear and accessible advice with pragmatic recommendations”
“He has the ability to interface between legal, technical and commercial issues towards ensuring an accurate an sustained assessment”

Mr. Barnes has a degree in Building Management (Design & Construction) from the University of Northumbria. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building, a Member of the Academy of Experts and an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Education

• BSc Building Management (Design & Construction), Northumbria University, UK.

Professional associations

• Fellow of Chartered Institute of Building.
• Member of Academy of Experts
• Associate of the Chartered institute of Arbitrators