About
Ben Robinson PhD
Land economist & urban researcher
Ben has extensive experience in the finance and property industries. Across his career he has held senior management and analytical roles in the corporate and institutional property finance divisions of major Australian banks, as well as consultancy and advisory roles for major Australian land owners, developers and institutions. That gives him an intimate knowledge of the specific capital and feasibility requirements of investor and developer clients alike.
Whilst working with Probico, Ben has delivered strategic solutions on behalf of clients across site analysis, market analysis, legal frameworks, highest and best use, program creation, program delivery, valuation, proprietary feasibility software (Estate Master) and project finance. Major clients have included the State Government of Victoria, large church organisations, not-for-profit organisations and private development entities.
His doctoral research was in land economics and risk-based investment pricing for viability, in the field of Built Environment. With that research base and practical experience across property finance, feasibility and market analysis, Ben combines academic rigour with commercial judgement — advice that is independent, transparent about its assumptions, and clear about what to do next.
He works with developers, investors, landowners, government agencies and their advisers on projects from single sites to whole growth corridors.
“Good decisions about land start with good evidence.”
Outside work
In his spare time Ben enjoys “watching” sport, keeping active, guest lecturing, researching innovative land use topics and keeping up with family life.
Doctoral research
PhD research in the field of Built Environment: land economics and risk-based investment pricing for viability — how investors price risk, and what that means for whether a project is worth building.
Industry practice
Senior management and analytical roles in corporate and institutional property finance, then consultancy and advisory work for major land owners, developers and institutions.
Writing & speaking
Guest lecturing, ongoing research into innovative land use topics, and commentary on land and property markets written for decision-makers rather than specialists.
Background
Finance on one side of the table, feasibility on the other.
Ben's experience spans the industries that decide what gets built: the banks that fund it, the owners and developers who commission it, and the research that explains why land behaves the way it does.
Property finance
Senior management and analytical roles in the corporate and institutional property finance divisions of major Australian banks — so the capital test on a project is familiar from the inside, not from the outside.
Consultancy & advisory
Advisory roles for major Australian land owners, developers and institutions, with intimate knowledge of the specific capital and feasibility requirements of investor and developer clients alike.
Delivery for clients
Strategic solutions delivered on behalf of clients — from site and market analysis through to program creation, program delivery and project finance.
Work delivered
Strategic solutions, end to end
Whilst working with Probico, Ben has delivered strategic solutions on behalf of clients across the full life of a land or property opportunity.
- Site analysis
- Market analysis
- Legal frameworks
- Highest and best use
- Program creation
- Program delivery
- Valuation
- Proprietary feasibility software (Estate Master)
- Project finance
Major clients
- State Government of Victoria
- Large church organisations
- Not-for-profit organisations
- Private development entities
Qualifications
Post-nominals
Ben holds the degrees of Bachelor of Business (Management and Finance), a Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance, Master of Commerce and Master of Business (Property), and has completed his doctoral research in the field of Built Environment.
- PhD (Built Environment)
- Doctoral research in the field of Built Environment
- MBus (Property)
- Master of Business (Property)
- MCom (Finance)
- Master of Commerce (Finance)
- GradCertAppFin
- Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance
- BBus (Mgt, Fin)
- Bachelor of Business (Management and Finance)