The
Sequana
Story.

Sequana’s founders, Mike Walsh and Frank Fisseler, first crossed paths in 2008 during a pivotal moment in the water sector. Mike was leading the Recycled Water Business Case at DSE Capital Projects Division, while Frank held the role of Executive Director and Deputy Project Director for the Victorian Desalination Project, a monumental $3.6 billion capex mega PPP project.

Mike’s expertise as Project Director for the Complex Business Case led to his eventual transition to the Victorian Desalination Project team, where he assumed the role of Technical and Engineering Director, overseeing engineering, design, construction, and commissioning for one of the world’s largest desalination projects.

During their time together on this groundbreaking water project, Mike and Frank forged a strong bond, united by their shared vision and complementing strengths. Their collaboration was marked by a blend of professionalism and a quirky sense of humour, setting the foundation for what would become Sequana.

Mike and Frank proved to be an unbeatable combination, with the skills and know-how to turn even a lame duck into a turbocharged Tesla X.

Mike became the special advisor to the former Victorian Water Minister, Lisa Neville, on the Connections Project, and developed a paper recommending new Governance and a plan for a whole reset of the project.

Creating Success

As Mike and Frank reflect on their journey together, they see it as a story of collaborative success. Their partnership was about leveraging their strengths to achieve remarkable outcomes.

Mike’s role as a special advisor to the former Water Minister, Lisa Neville, brought strategic insights and a deep understanding of governance dynamics and what went wrong on this job and brought already a set of detailed solutions for the myriad of issues. Simultaneously, Frank’s expertise as an experienced Project Director added operational excellence and hands-on management to the project.

Their collaboration was marked by mutual respect, shared vision, and a commitment to innovation and the attitude to do what it takes to get the job done. Together, they navigated a myriad of challenges, developed robust plans including the reset delivery plan, and executed them with clear precision, resulting in the successful delivery of the project on time and within budget.

Their story is a testament to the power of collaboration and the impact of combining diverse skills to achieve extraordinary results.