George Taft

George Taft is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and a Managing Director at Secretariat where he specializes in providing independent expert advice on construction projects in the area of quantum analysis including assessments of productivity/inefficiency, prolongation, escalation, final account evaluation and a range of other damages impacts.

He has over 29 years of experience in the construction industry advising clients on issues involving contract administration, commercial management, claim preparation, delay, cost, disruption, and productivity analyses. Mr. Taft’s capability and reputation have become recognized in the UK and internationally as is evident by the frequency of appointments as a quantum expert on a wide range of major construction disputes. He has often acted as a party-appointed expert but has also been engaged as an Independent Assessor by Tribunals during International Arbitrations or by Dispute Boards.

Mr. Taft has been engaged on some of the world’s largest and most high-profile projects such as the Panama Canal Expansion. He has given evidence (including ‘witness conferencing’) during dispute proceedings and has been cross-examined on numerous occasions in both Arbitration in several countries and in Litigation in the English High Court. Mr. Taft’s experience as a practitioner from different parts of the industry, whilst working for both Contractors and Employers, has enabled him to provide valuable insights when acting as a quantum expert or when advising on the resolution or avoidance of disputes.

He has also regularly acted as Expert Advisor and as Independent Auditor on behalf of banks supporting investment on programs such as the Chernobyl New Safe Confinement Project.

Mr. Taft has experience of project delivery and dispute resolution under many forms of construction contract including the Engineering Construction Contract (NEC), various FIDIC forms, ICE, JCT and other bespoke forms of Contract. The range of construction projects on which Mr. Taft has experience include most aspects of building projects and civil engineering including rail, airports, many types of power generation, major piling, dewatering, tunneling, concrete and steel structures together with large scale earthworks and off-shore/marine works.

Who’s Who Legal lists Mr. Taft as a ‘Thought Leader’ (Construction 2019) and is highlighted by commentators as an expert who “provides high-quality quantum work across a wide range of fields”. Who’s Who Legal ‘Quantum & Delay 2019’ also records that peers “highly recommend” Mr. Taft for his considerable experience working on numerous types of construction matters involving building projects as well as civil engineering projects; and ‘Construction Expert Witnesses 2020’ states he is “well respected” by peers who dub him an “excellent expert with lots of experience”.