Team

Managing Director

Kris is the Managing Director of Assemble and is also Managing Director of Make Ventures, a property development and investment company. Originally trained as an engineer, Kris is an experienced property professional and, on the weekends, he can be found cycling around the bay – or swimming in it with his family.

Director, Portfolio

Matt is the Director, Portfolio at Assemble Communities and Co-director of Make Ventures, a property development and investment company. He is an experienced real estate executive, and more importantly – a gifted birthday cake baker for his two daughters. Matt’s experience includes asset, development and funds management across a range of sectors.

COO

Emma is our Chief Operating Officer. A passionate urbanist and cultural leader, Emma joined Assemble after five years at the helm of Open House Melbourne, a public architecture organisation that works to improve design literacy and appreciation for the value of good design in the built environment. Now a proud Melburnian - however, Jacinda Ardern and the flightless bird will always represent home.

Director, Development

Sam has over 15 years industry experience and has earned the reputation as a delivery focused construction professional. Most recently, Sam held the position as Managing Director of Probuild’s Western Australian and Victorian Business Units. Sam is passionate about making a positive difference in the property industry and achieves this through delivering the best outcomes for business, clients, partners and the teams he leads whilst ensuring a positive contribution to the broader community.

Director, Wellness

Sadie is a good girl. Her calming nature is often found around the office circling the legs of the Assemble team to garner pats and scratches. On weekends, when she's not at home, she enjoys meeting future residents. Her favourite winter pastime is acting as a foot warmer.

Head of Relationships

Justine joins Assemble as our Head of Relationships. With a keen interest in Property and Development, Justine has 8 years experience working in Residential Development Sales and Marketing bringing projects across Melbourne to market and achieving a high level of success through their campaigns. When she isn’t in the office, Justine is out and about walking the streets of Melbourne with her sausage dog Rufus or dining out at one of the local restaurants.

Head Chef

What Laura loves most in life is feeding people and sharing the joy of cooking. Laura joins us from Free to Feed, and is excited by Assemble's concept of community-focused living and dining. In her role as Head Chef, she is dedicated to making Assemble's food culture as sustainable as possible by using as much of the whole product as possible and cooking with local, in-season foods. At home, Laura loves to spend time with her family of four, including her wife, and their twin kittens (who essentially run the house).

Accountant

Emma graduated from the University of Tasmania with a Masters degree in Professional Accounting and is a Certified Practising Accountant in Melbourne. With more than 7 years experience in the Purpose-Built Student Accommodation sector, she is passionate about property management accounting. Originally from China, Emma now considers Australia her home. In her spare time, you may spot her at the zoo with her young daughter, or in vintage shops browsing stamps and coins.

Financial Controller

Carman joins Assemble as a Financial Controller with over 10 years in the property development industry as a finance professional. He brings a wealth of experience in all facets of accounting and finance and is skilled in financial management and financial modelling. Outside of work, he spends most of his time with his wife and two daughters, scouring the next child-friendly activity to do. Carman is also an avid supporter of Liverpool Football Club.  

Sous Chef

Jess’ passions lie in feeding people and educating them on how to be sustainably minded when cooking and eating, which makes her the perfect fit as Sous-Chef at Cassette. Jess has experience as a secondary school teacher and as a home economist behind the scenes on MasterChef Australia where she got to meet one of her idols, Gordon Ramsay. Jess’ love of food extends into her personal life, with her cat named after her favourite and most versatile vegetable – Potato.

Project Manager

Originally from Perth, Stephen moved across to Melbourne 4 years ago in Development Management role and successfully delivered two portfolios of multi-residential developments. Stephen is passionate about urban regeneration and excited to make a positive contribution to the future of housing in Australia. He enjoys spending time outdoors, trail running, in the ocean or experiencing the Melbourne culture with friends.

Neighbourhood Operations Manager

Having spent several years working in the purpose-built student accommodation sector, with a passion for connecting with people, Luke is our Neighbourhood Operations Manager. With an extensive background in customer service and people management, Luke is focused on building engaged teams and fostering a strong sense of community for our Assemble residents. Luke loves immersing himself in Melbourne’s culinary delights, feasting with friends on the weekend, down the coast with family, or relaxing at his local café.

Community Engagement Manager

Maddie joins the community team as the Community Engagement Manager after working on our publication Assemble Papers and her diverse background as a communications all-rounder. She’s worked across content production, design, and marketing, and has since expanded her skill set to encompass project management, community engagement and stakeholder management. You can find her walking her greyhound Jepito and tramping in Aotearoa New Zealand in her spare time.

Head of Operations

Nicola is our Head of Operations and has extensive experience in the Purpose-Built Student Accommodation sector, in both the UK and Australia. She is passionate about people and delivering an exceptional level of service to our residents, creating a unique approach in a traditional property management market. She is a lover of Melbourne’s culture, you will often find her out and about exploring the city.

Head of Urban Design

Andy is our Head of Urban Design, providing guidance on the visioning, briefing, and design of Assemble projects, from the neighbourhood scale down to the individual building. He is passionate about design advocacy both within the industry and the broader community and holds a number of roles including co-director of Melbourne Architours, leadership committee member for Resilient Melbourne, Melbourne School of Design, Contributing Guest Editor for Architecture Australia and writes regularly for a range of design industry publications.

Head of Place & Experience

Ingrid is the Head of Place & Experience at Assemble. An experienced designer with a background in retail strategy and sustainability,  she is responsible for creating our Assemble Spaces, ensuring they are meaningful places for Assemble residents and the broader neighbourhood. A keen skier, hiker and cook, Ingrid can be found in the mountains or by the coast and never far from a feast.

Manager, Portfolio

Niraj joins us after eight years in the property sector handling several joint ventures and delivering outstanding commercial success for some of Australia’s most recognisable assets. Specialising in feasibility studies and investment management, Niraj brings a wealth of financial acumen and leadership to the Assemble team.  Away from his desk, Niraj spends time with his young family and barracking for the LA Clippers.

Design and Planning Manager

Alannah is a qualified planner with experience in strategic and statutory planning. Her expertise includes assessing complex planning permits, facilitating community workshops and providing research assistance. In her spare time, Alannah can be found exploring the sites of Melbourne as she recently moved from Perth, Western Australia.

Head of Impact & Engagement

Maggie has a background in community engagement for the public, private, and NGO sectors as well as a Masters of Environment. She is passionate about sustainable development and purpose-led business models that enable us to reduce our carbon footprint and enhance community wellbeing. In her spare time, you can find her at a farmers market, on the yoga mat, or pottering in her garden with mixed results!

Creative Producer

Fraser joins us after leading the marketing and social media accounts for a Melbourne hospitality group. However, Fraser has a fantastically diverse career background which he brings to his role - studying a Bachelor of Law and Environmental science, working as a model in Europe, and now studying a Master of Urban Planning. In his spare time, Fraser loves playing tennis, finding new spots to eat and drink, and spending time at home in the Barossa Valley.

Project Manager

James joins Assemble as a Project Manager and holds a Bachelor of Design (Architecture) and a Bachelor of Construction Management (Honours). With experience on both the Contractor and Client-side of projects, James has spent the last 5 years as a Client-side Project Manager looking after all phases of a project from conception to completion in various sectors. He is excited to be involved in landmark developments and to lead by positive example. In his spare time, he enjoys playing tennis, seeing friends and hanging out with his neices and nephew.

Neighbourhood Experience Lead

Hailing from Melbourne’s high-end cocktail scene, Indra first learned of Assemble while studying for their Bachelor of Architecture. While their studies remain incomplete, they have carved out a niche interfacing between their passions for hospitality and affordable housing. In their spare time, Indra can be found sitting at The Everleigh drinking a Last Word, at Wild Life café doing cryptic crosswords, or absolutely nailing My Heart Will Go On at home on their recorder.

Project Director

Originally from the UK, Kevin has called Melbourne home for close to 20 years. Kevin has over 25 years’ experience in the Project Management and Residential Development Industry. He has completed an extensive portfolio of large-scale and complex projects. He practically enjoys the design and planning phase of a project where there is the highest opportunity to create the best outcomes. In his personal time, Kevin loves to live an active lifestyle with his young family and volunteers his time to a local Scout Group and a Cub Scout Leader.

Head of Brand

Sophie Rzepecky is our Head of Brand. With a diverse background and 8 years of experience in cultural and arts strategies, Sophie also holds a Master of Social Design from the Design Academy Eindhoven. Passionate about using design to strategically shift embedded systems, Sophie works across our organisation and portfolio to drive positive change in the development sector. She also edits Assemble Papers, broadcasting ideas for systemic change. On her off days, she loves attending live theatre and music across Melbourne.

Project Manager

As Project Manager at Assemble, Tim oversees the delivery of projects from tender through construction to handover. He is an experienced construction professional with a career spanning 12 years delivering high-end homes, multi-residential developments, commercial and retail spaces. In his spare time, Tim loves water and snow skiing and playing golf.

Project Accountant

Sara joins Assemble as a Project Accountant, after having spent over 4 years in public practice, focused on servicing property clients. Sara is a Certified Practising Accountant and is passionate about telling stories with numbers, and delivering insightful analytical results on project performance to assist in decision making. Away from her excel sheets, Sara enjoys exploring new eateries with her family and friends, and catching up on a good Netflix documentary.

Digital & Experience Manager, Operations

Sophie is passionate about all things digital with a masters in Marketing Communications. Sophie brings with her 6 years experience in digital marketing working in the film and health industries. In her free time, you can find Sophie on her rollerskates or catching up on the latest indie films at the cinema.

Manager, Investments

Rob is Manager of Investments at Assemble having joined with a wealth of experience across consultancy, valuation and acquisitions. He holds qualifications in environments, property, valuation and finance. Rob sits on the property committee for a CHP and occasionally delivers a guest lecture back at uni. He aims to live a low-impact life with his young family and enjoys exploring cities, suburbs and trying interesting wine. On days off, you’ll find Rob riding his bike, sailing in the bay, gardening and cooking.