The managing director for the firm in the North-west on the importance of working hard and being inquisitive – but also on striking the right work/life balance
Why did you choose construction as a career?
I didn’t! If I’m being honest, I think I would have been dismissive of construction early in my career. I just wanted to join a successful business, in a buoyant sector, where I could learn and develop – and one that gave me opportunities to progress.
That is exactly how I would now describe the construction industry, having been lucky enough to find my way in to it, but it certainly was not on my radar back then.
What has been the biggest challenge of your career to date?
Being responsible for procurement, supply chain, HR and communications in a construction business, deemed by the government as essential for the economy and hence required to continue operating during covid-19 lockdowns, was quite challenging; not just for me but for everyone in our business, not least our project teams who had to manage the practical implications of keeping sites open.
If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be?
I would make it more representative of society and the communities in which we live and work. The industry has a real challenge to attract a more diverse talent pool – not just diversity in a traditional sense, but also diversity of thought. We need people from different backgrounds, with different perspectives and different ideas, and people who would not necessarily see construction as a career for them.
Which famous building do you wish you had worked on?
The 2012 Olympic stadium. I know people who did and they found it very rewarding and felt huge pride at the success of the Games.
What single piece of advice would you give to someone starting out in your profession?
Be inquisitive, get close to good people and take every opportunity you can. The construction industry offers a wealth of opportunity for people to learn, try new things, develop new skills and have fun along the way.
What is it like being you (and doing your job)?
Fun, challenging, exciting and (at times) exhausting… but always interesting, which is what I like most about my job. I am privileged to lead the north-west region within Morgan Sindall Construction. We are a successful business with a strong presence regionally, and from what I hear from our customers and our supply chain partners, they really value the way we work openly and collaboratively.
Do you have a life philosophy?
Make time for fun and family. I love my job and, for the most part, have really enjoyed my past roles. So I have put a lot of time and energy into work. But it is important in trying to attract a more diverse range of people into our industry to be able to offer them flexibility and recognise the value of making time for fun and family.
What do you think your best quality is?
I am quite resilient, which I think has helped, but I would say that my most useful quality is being inquisitive, always interested in “why?” – something I hope helps the team when we are trying to improve the way we do things or unpick a problem. Asking the right questions is important. I’m no expert in most of the things I have responsibility for, which is why I have a fantastic team around me who are.
Name three things that you like
Family time (and holidays), food (and beer/wine), football (and golf/cricket/tennis).
Early bird or night owl?
Both! I have an early start in the week so try and get to bed at a reasonable time, but if I am back home as opposed to staying up in Manchester, then we tend to eat dinner late, and the evening is my time to catch up with the family. I try and get back once a week to play football, which finishes at 9pm, so dinner and family chat is a bit later still.
What is your favourite food?
Sushi and east Asian cuisine. I used to travel to Japan, China and South Korea earlier in my career and always loved the food. My second favourite is a steak, cooked medium-rare.
What would your superpower be?
Time travel.
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