Jess Chen

She is a qualified civil engineer with a dual degree in finance, bringing a wealth of site experience as a project engineer across various multidisciplinary infrastructure projects.

Her expertise as a delay analyst is backed by substantial experience in handling time-related disputes, including claim preparation, adjudications, arbitration, and forensic delay analysis. Jess employs industry best practices and techniques that adhere to international standards across different jurisdictions.

Fluent in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin, Jess is trilingual, enhancing her ability to communicate effectively with diverse teams and clients.

Jess has extensive international experience working on projects across Asia Pacific and the Middle East with a proven aptitude to apply theoretical knowledge in a diverse range of construction environments.

Jess has developed her skills across a range of key industry sectors including healthcare, commercial buildings, rail, civil engineering, shipbuilding, power and energy, and onshore and offshore oil and gas processing plants.

Jess’ professional experience includes:

• Hospital Development, Hong Kong – Appointed as an independent programming expert in arbitration proceedings concerning a major healthcare construction project.
• Residential Development, Hong Kong –Served as delay expert for the main contractor (joint venture), independently assessing delays over a five-year construction period.
• FPSO, Brazil – Commission lead for an FPSO EPC contractor to prepare delay and cost claims for three separate FPSOs in relation to the extensive delay and disruption experienced arising from force majeure events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukraine war, and port congestions.
• Combined Cycle Power Plant, Australia – Lead assistant to the quantum expert responsible for productivity and disruption analysis that occurred after the termination of a major subcontractor.
• Integrated Chemicals Complex, the Middle East – Lead assistant to delay expert to provide an independent assessment of critical delays to the mixed feed cracker, which formed the basis of multiple downstream polyethylene trains’ loss-of-production claims.
• Commercial Building, Hong Kong – Appointed as the delay expert by the employer for an arbitration arising from an alteration and addition contract on a high-rise commercial tower in Causeway Bay.
• Jack-Up Drilling Rig, China – Lead assistant to delay expert on behalf of the shipbuilding company to provide an independent assessment of critical delays that occurred on vessel construction up to the date of buyer’s termination.
• Oil Field Development Project, the Middle East – Lead delay analyst for an international contractor to compile a detailed claim for an extension of time and additional costs in relation to the owner’s suspension order.
• Hospital, Australia – Appointed as the lead delay analyst by the builder to undertake forensic delay analysis and to develop the delay claim, which would form the statement of claim in an arbitration.
• LNG and LPG Cryogenic Tanks, Australia – Lead assistant to delay expert on behalf of one of the JV partners to complete critical path analysis for arbitration proceedings.
• Natural Gas Processing Facilities, Qatar – Appointed as the senior delay analyst for a Japanese contractor to provide delay analysis support for amicable settlement negotiations between contractor and employer. Jess continued to be engaged by the contractor to work alongside the delay expert and counsel to produce an independent expert opinion and advice on the success rate of arbitration.
• CBD Light Rail, Australia – Appointed as the senior delay analyst by the DCJV to provide support for alternative dispute negotiations between contractors and the owner by carrying out an independent delay analysis using an ad-hoc methodology which is a combination of retrospective and prospective analysis while taking cognisance of zero-cost mitigation measures by the contractors.
• Ammonia Fertilizer Plant, Algeria – Appointed by the EPC contractor to provide expert assistance to identify causes of delays and assess the validity of claims submitted by its subcontractors based on various delay events. Delay events include terrorist attacks, tank collapses, lack of nitrogen supply, and ammonia/urea price fluctuations.
• LNG Jetty and Ship Loading Facility, Australia – Lead assistant to the delay and disruption expert appointed on behalf of the main contractor responsible for the design and construction of an LNG loading jetty, constructed by a combination of jack-up barge, crane barge, and cantilever bridge.
• Coal Terminal Ship Loading Facility, Australia – Lead assistant to the Delay expert appointed to complete delay and disruption analysis on behalf of the main contractor for offshore plant and infrastructure including 1.8km approach jetty, wharf, berthing and mooring dolphins, ship access platforms, jetty conveyor and transfer towers.
• Coal Terminal, Australia – Lead assistant to the delay and disruption expert appointed on behalf of the main contractor responsible for construction of coal export terminal facilities including jetty, wharf, ship-loader, conveyor systems, platform and dolphins.
• Gas Plant Project, Oman – Delay analyst to provide claims consulting services for EPC of a Gas Processing Plant. Responsible for delay analysis of a contractor-submitted claim, including contractual review, analysis of baseline, progress, and as-built programs.