The passing of Robert Parnell aged 78, on 19 December 2024 after a brief illness has both shocked and saddened many of our members in the ATS and the many friends and colleagues who knew him within the tunneling sector in Australia & New Zealand.
Robert was born in 1946 in Sydney, Australia. He studied mechanical engineering at Sydney University and later law at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra.
His work in waste water management lead him to working in the US for several years. Upon returning to Australia he completed his law degree and later moved to Perth, Western Australia. In the 80s he worked as in-house legal counsel in the oil and gas industry.
Having taken a brief diversion into blueberry farming, he soon returned to his engineering roots working for Tasman Tools. Through them he became acquainted with Herrenknecht, and his subsequent role at Herrenknecht satisfied both his engineering and legal backgrounds.
Robert was employed by Herrenknecht from 2001 until his retirement in 2016. He was engaged in the role of business development and sales within both the Australian and New Zealand markets. He played a fundamental role in orchestrating Herrenkenchts re-entry into Australia with Leighton Contractors, Baulderstone/Bilfinger Berger Joint Venture (LBB JV) successfully awarding Herrenknecht the sale of two large diameter TBM’s for Brisbane’s North South Bypass Tunnel, later named the Clem 7 Tunnel. Robert was instrumental to Herrenknecht’s success in supplying its TBM’s to the many subsequent Australian and New Zealand tunneling projects following Clem 7, between the years 2008-2016, which included Brisbane Airport Link, Bogong Hydro, Victorian Desalination Plant, Brisbane Legacy Way, Perth Airport Link and Waterview Connection in Auckland, New Zealand.
Robert is survived by his wife Jennie and his children Lyndon, Georgie and Blair.
