Andrew Gauci: Drawn to the Bigger Picture
“I enjoy being across how things connect,” says Andrew Gauci – not just within individual projects, but across sectors, systems and people. That mindset has shaped a 25-year career spanning rail, bridges, water, energy and the built environment.
Now, as TSA Riley’s new General Manager, Infrastructure Victoria, Andrew is focused on bringing his experience, along with thriving project teams, to deliver value for our clients.
Smaller Projects, Big Learning Curve
Andrew didn’t grow up with a narrow view of engineering – and he’s made sure his career hasn’t followed one either.
He studied civil engineering in Melbourne, completing his final year in the US before returning home to start work. His early roles were with design consultancies, where the scale of projects was very different to what we see today. “Back then, the projects were smaller in scale and less complex than the projects we deal with today,” he says. “But that meant you had to do everything. You were the one talking to the client, writing the proposal, winning the work, delivering it, doing the design, managing and coordinating it.”
It was high exposure, early – and it gave Andrew a foundation that stuck. Over the years, he’s worked across water, energy and the built environment, including a 2-year stint in the UK. He has helped deliver infrastructure for water supply, energy substations, hospitals, universities and commercial developments. But despite the breadth, it was rail that kept pulling him back.
“Even when I first started, rail wasn’t something they really taught at university – not as part of the civil engineering degree, anyway,” he says. “I just landed in it through my first grad role. But there’s been strong investment in rail across the regions I’ve worked in – that’s where the work’s been, and where the need’s been.”
Still, he’s never been one to stay in a single lane. “Any opportunity I’ve had to do something different or learn something new, I’ve taken it,” he says. That mindset led him into senior roles across rail, bridges, maritime and transport structures – while staying close to adjacent sectors like roads and broader transport.
It’s also what brought him to TSA Riley. “My role now lets me work across a broad remit,” he says. “In Melbourne, rail and road are the biggest parts of what we do – but there’s huge opportunity to grow in sectors that have traditionally been harder to access.”
Before the Big Build: Laying Foundations for Lasting Value
More than a decade ago, Andrew helped lay the foundations for what would become one of Victoria’s most successful engineering technical advisory engagements – the AJM joint venture. It supported what evolved into one of the state’s most ambitious transport infrastructure programmes: the Victorian rail infrastructure agenda, including Melbourne Airport Rail, Regional Rail Revival, Geelong Fast Rail and more.
That experience shaped how he now approaches growth, strategy and value. “For clients, I understand how long-term programmes evolve – and how to deliver value beyond what’s on paper at day one,” he says.
Why TSA Riley: Shared Pressure, Mutual Respect
For Andrew, joining TSA Riley wasn’t just a career move – it was about people, purpose and potential.
He’d worked with Robin Reed, now TSA Riley’s Managing Director for Australia, years earlier on the major Victorian rail infrastructure program. “I was on the AJM joint venture, working on the Melbourne Metro and Melbourne Airport Rail projects from the outset,” Andrew says. “Robin joined the team part way through, but even with so many moving parts, he was someone I came to respect very quickly.”
That early partnership shaped how Andrew thought about leadership: Robin was steady under pressure, focused on outcomes, and created the right conditions for teams to thrive. “He was very good at his job, a competitive consultant. And I like to think I held my own too,” he says. “We were both there to get the best result – for the program, and for our teams.”
When the opportunity at TSA Riley came up, the alignment – with Robin, and with the business – made the decision feel right. “I’ve spent much of my career in large, global design consultancies,” Andrew says. “But what appealed to me here was the ability to be across a wide part of the business, to have influence, and to help shape how we grow.”
Supporting the Core and Scaling with Purpose
At TSA Riley, Andrew is looking ahead. “There’s a huge opportunity for our clients in asset optimisation and lifecycle thinking,” he says. “If we can extend the life of our assets or get more value through better planning and optimisation, that’s a win.”
That includes getting delivery models right. “There’s still friction between stakeholders when it comes to requirements, risk and commercial strategy – but early alignment between clients, advisors and contractors can unlock better results.”
Sustainability is also part of that equation – not only environmental, but also social and financial. “As an industry, we need to think more holistically – about why we’re building, who benefits, and how we get the most long-term value.”
That’s where he sees TSA Riley playing a pivotal role – a partner with cross-sector experience and teams who’ve delivered on major programmes. “We know what good looks like. That puts us in a strong position to help our clients – beyond individual projects, toward better performance across the whole pipeline.”
Great Teams Don’t Happen by Accident
For Andrew, success starts with people and continues with deliberate investment in their development. His approach is grounded, long-term, and deeply practical. “If someone’s got the right attitude, a good foundation, and they’re well supported, they can use their skills more holistically, cross-skill and move between sectors - bringing that experience to our clients,” he says. “I’ve supported highly specialised rail signalling engineers transition from rail to energy markets and have a great positive impact – and others shift from buildings to bridges to water. If you build a strong base, those transitions are possible.”
That belief in cross-skilling sits at the heart of Andrew’s leadership. It’s not just about giving people opportunities – it’s a deliberate strategy for resilience and scale. “It gives our people room to stretch, which keeps them engaged and evolving,” he says. “And it helps us deliver for clients. If you can’t source capability locally, but you can tap into it from another part of the business, that’s a great outcome for everyone.”
Bringing Respect Home
Andrew lives in Melbourne with his wife and 2 sons. Weekends are a blur of swimming squads, refereeing soccer, and road trips with other families. He’s got a running joke about a future career pivot: “I’ve always said I might end up a swimming teacher,” he grins. “Or coaching kids' sport. I love that stuff.”
At home, his wife keeps him grounded – and occasionally quieter. “She stuck a Post-it on my desk that says, ‘I’ll lower my voice on calls,’” he laughs. “Fair enough. I do get a bit loud.”
But perhaps his biggest achievement is how they’re raising their boys. “We’ve worked hard to create a respectful environment at home,” he says. “Hopefully they carry that into the world as they grow up. It’s something we are really proud of.”
