Commercial governance for construction and development decisions that cannot be undone.
IRB advises project owners, developers, government agencies, institutional investors, family offices, lenders and boards on the contract strategy, procurement and commercial decisions that shape construction, development and infrastructure projects — before risk becomes cost, applied through the IRB Commercial Governance Framework.
Commercial & Office Developments
Construction advisory across office development projects.
Residential & Mixed-Use Developments
Apartment, residential and mixed-use construction programmes.
Hospitality
5-star hotel development projects.
Education
Traditional and design-and-build education sector construction.
Industrial & Manufacturing
Industrial capital programmes and manufacturing facilities.
Cross-Sector Procurement Advisory
Contract and procurement advisory across Brunei, Dubai, Malaysia and Singapore.
Oil & Gas
Construction dispute avoidance and resolution on oil & gas capital projects.
Project Owners & Property Developers
An additional governance perspective on major commercial, contractual and procurement decisions.
Institutional Investors & Lenders
Independent review before construction capital is committed.
Boards & Government Agencies
An independent governance perspective alongside the project delivery team.
Family Offices & Industrial Capital
Direct investors and industrial asset owners without in-house construction expertise.
Tier 1 Contractors
Independent commercial review on major bids and higher-risk contract positions.
Commercial governance is the structured, independent testing of the commercial assumptions, contractual decisions, procurement choices, risk allocation and reporting that shape a project's financial and delivery outcomes.
It complements — and does not replace — quantity surveying, project management, commercial management, engineering, legal advice, contract administration and claims consultancy. Independent commercial governance is often less clearly defined than technical, cost or programme oversight; that is where risk can compound unseen.
Independence from the outcome under review
Subject to agreed appointment terms, conflict checks and disclosed limitations — IRB has no construction, engineering or trading interest in the outcome under review.
A professional fee, not a delivery incentive
Where scope can be clearly defined, IRB generally proposes a fixed professional fee, unconnected to a project's programme or cost outcome.
Independent Perspective
A view formed with no construction, engineering or trading interest in the outcome.
Executive Decision Support
Findings framed for the decision, not just the detail.
Commercial Risk Visibility
Exposure identified before it becomes cost.
Better Project Decisions
Judgement tested independently, before it is acted on.
Owen Hearty, FRICS, FSCSI
After more than two decades in quantity surveying, commercial management, contract strategy and dispute resolution, Owen Hearty established IRB around a clear proposition: important commercial decisions should be independently tested before they become irreversible commitments.
- Fellow, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS)
- Fellow, Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (FSCSI)
- Accredited Mediator, Brunei Darussalam Arbitration Centre (BDAC)
- Chartered Quantity Surveyor
- 20+ years advising major construction programmes
- Commercial Management & Contract Strategy
- Project Governance
Independent judgement matters most before a decision becomes a commitment.
Commercial Certainty is the confidence to act, because the relevant assumptions, risks and options have been independently examined. It does not mean eliminating project risk — it means improving the quality and transparency of the decision.
Independent due diligence before capital commits.
Getting procurement and requirements right.
The last independent check before signature.
Standing oversight through construction.
Early-stage governance before positions harden.
Standing assurance across a portfolio.
Can we commit?
Are the business case, commercial assumptions, delivery strategy and decision criteria sufficiently robust?
Can we appoint?
Are the route, tender process, bidder assessment and proposed terms aligned with the project's objectives?
Where are we exposed?
Are contractual obligations, risk allocation, change controls and commercial positions understood and actively managed?
Can we rely on the information?
Do reporting, forecasts, decisions and interventions give decision-makers an accurate view of performance and exposure?
The framework is applied through a defined engagement methodology, adapted to the project, decision and available evidence.
Successful projects rely on capable professional teams. IRB does not replace the quantity surveyor, project manager, commercial manager, lawyer, engineer or contractor. It provides an additional independent governance perspective at selected decision points.
Cost planning, procurement support, valuation, cost reporting, change management and commercial administration.
Testing selected commercial assumptions, procurement choices, risk positions and executive decisions where a separate governance view is wanted.
Coordinating scope, programme, interfaces, risk, stakeholders and overall project delivery.
An independent commercial perspective on major decisions, particularly where programme, contract and financial considerations intersect.
Legal advice on contract terms, risk allocation, entitlement and formal dispute processes.
A commercial, evidence-based perspective alongside legal advice, particularly at the point a contractual decision is being made.
Advising on entitlement, causation, delay, quantum, negotiation and formal dispute processes, often before and after disputes crystallise.
Earlier-stage governance intended to identify and address commercial exposure before positions become entrenched.
Planning, designing where applicable, constructing and delivering the works in accordance with contractual obligations.
Independent bid, contract and commercial risk review where IRB is expressly appointed for that purpose, or owner-side governance where IRB has no delivery interest.
Independent commercial governance, engaged directly by the owner, board, investor, lender or contractor.
The decision itself — its mandate, timing, independence and reporting line — under the Governance Framework above.
Illustrative previews of the kind of output an engagement produces — realistic structure, not drawn from any specific client project.
Bring us the decision you're about to make.
A confidential enquiry is the fastest way to find out whether independent governance changes it.