About Samuel K. Bentil
Samuel Bentil is Senior Director of Construction Disputes & Advisory (Delay & Quantum) at Ankura Consulting Group. He is also the author of the upcoming book Avoid Construction Disputes: 10 Principles to Collaborate Effectively to Achieve On-Time and On-Budget Project Objectives.
With 16 years of experience in the construction industry, Samuel has worked as a project planner and disputes and forensic claims consultant. He has investigated the causes of delay and cost-overrun disputes in over a hundred projects, providing him with a firsthand and deep understanding of the underlying causes and adverse effects of delays, cost overruns, and disputes on all stakeholders, including investors, owners, contractors, employees, and the host community in construction. Samuel strongly and passionately advocates for the early implementation of dispute avoidance strategies on construction projects.Samuel has a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from the Bob Gaglardi School of Business & Economics at Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia, Canada. He is also a certified Professional Project Management Professional (PMP) and Risk Management Professional (RMP) from the Project Management Institute (PMI US).
Samuel has experience working on projects of various sizes, including small, medium, and large-scale international construction projects across multiple sectors including buildings, commercial, public, and industrial sectors. The largest project he worked on was an LNG facility with a budget of $15 billion. In this role, he successfully assisted the client in avoiding multiple disputes with the main contractor during the project's construction phase.Besides his professional work, Samuel is also a minister of the Gospel and shares the message of the Gospel of the kingdom of God through his ministry, Revelation by Grace Ministries. My wife Elizabeth and I teach worshipful messianic dancing in public parks in the Fraser Valley during the summer, promoting community and spiritual well-being.
"The construction industry is indeed in crisis, but it doesn't have to stay that way."
My journey to becoming a peacemaker in the construction industry, helping clients avoid and resolve contractual disputes, is not coincidental.
Growing up as the fifth of seven children and the younger of two boys, I always admired my father's career as a Mechanical Engineer serving in the Engineering Corps of Ghana’s Military. He served as a UN peacekeeper on numerous tours in conflict zones around the world, including Lebanon, Kuwait, and Sudan.
After completing my undergraduate degree, I aspired to follow in my father’s footsteps by joining the Army and traveling the world.
However, fate had other plans for me. Instead of attending military academy, I found myself working in the gold mining industry as an engineer, constructing new mines and expanding existing ones.
Now, as a construction claims and disputes consultant, I assist clients in resolving contentious disputes, bringing my career full circle. While I may not be a peacekeeper in war zones like my father, I play a pivotal role in the construction industry, which shapes the fabric of our society and economy.
I am deeply passionate about seeing projects completed on time and within budget, with the owner and contractor working harmoniously as one team.
My commitment to fostering collaboration and resolving disputes helps ensure the successful completion of projects, contributing to a stronger, more resilient industry.
Beyond my professional work, I am also a minister of the Gospel, sharing the message of the Kingdom of God through my ministry, Revelation by Grace Ministries. My wife Elizabeth and I teach worshipful messianic dancing in public parks in the Fraser Valley during the summer, promoting community and spiritual well-being.
"The solutions are within reach—it's time we start using them."My book, Avoid Construction Disputes - 10 Principles to Collaborate Effectively to Achieve On-Time and On-Budget Project Objectives, draws on my extensive field experience.
My mission is to help others avoid disputes before they arise, ensuring smoother project execution and fostering peaceful resolutions.
