What are your main duties as MD?
My main role is to create and maintain an environment where talented people do their best work. The company, while managed by me, runs because of all the people who work for and are in it. This means I have to create the direction that aligns with group strategy while ensuring our clients feel the difference that a committed, capable team makes on their projects.
You were appointed to this position about a year ago. What are the biggest lessons you have learnt since your appointment?
With a company of our size and complexity, it is truly the sum of all its parts. In addition, agility and pace continue to be daily lessons. One must be able to respond to any situation with agility and speed.
What do you think makes you good at what you do?
I don’t think one year in the seat entitles that claim; I am still learning and growing in this role. It helps to be a product of success from within the group, having been with the company since 2009 and understanding the commercial and contractual engine of the construction industry deeply. It is my hope to repeat the success of recognising talent from within like those who cleared the path for me.
What are the main challenges facing your industry at present?
- Limited work, though indicators are there for a turn in the market;
- Cash flow constraints — the lifeline of our industry;
- Low margins, which limit our ability to plough back to the business and the industry as a whole; and
- Skills shortages — our industry professionals remain attractive to international companies that we simply cannot compete with.
Our industry, in its current state, is forcing people to work harder than ever just to stay sustainable. This means diversifying our income streams rather than relying solely on the tender market.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
I wanted to be in the arts, but my parents weren’t having any of it. Though now, looking back, I think the artistic flair may have assisted me in my career.
What do you look for when recruiting for your team?
I look for strength of character, with the backing of appropriate skill.
What is the best career advice you have ever received?
Nothing is a straight line. Everything, everywhere, is always moving. Adapt.
Business Times
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