This year's IWIED theme is #EngineeringIntelligence. How do you think you show #EngineeringExcellence in your work?
I see ICT engineering as the invisible thread that helps every part of a building work together seamlessly. For me, engineering excellence comes from listening, collaborating and bringing people together, across MEP teams, specialists and clients, to create designs that genuinely work for the people using them. The best IT design is rarely noticed, but poor design is immediately felt. Delivering resilient, efficient and low-carbon solutions that balance performance, space and cost is what engineering intelligence means to me.
So much has changed in the 50 years since Cundall was founded. What changes would you like to see in the next 50 years, and how do you think we'll get there?
I hope Cundall keeps the same vibrant and supportive culture that makes people genuinely enjoy coming to work. In the next 50 years, I would love to see us become even more globally connected and collaborative, while still celebrating local cultures and individuality. I also hope our industry focuses more on the quality of life buildings create, more than on speed and cost. We are shaping how people live, work and feel every day, hopefully with an ice-cream machine beside every water tap.
What’s a myth about your role that you’d love to bust?
That we fix laptops! We are definitely the “other IT team”! People often see IT engineering as a mysterious black box, when actually it is incredibly collaborative and closely shaped by client needs and building systems. Good IT design should feel simple and seamless, but that simplicity comes from careful coordination, technical understanding and strong QA processes. Please still let us do the design though, we have seen what happens otherwise!
What’s one experience or milestone in your career that shaped who you are today?
A defining moment in my career was realising that I did not need to fit in to succeed. Early on, it is easy to follow established ways of working, even when they do not feel right. Over time, I found the confidence to question, speak up and lead with authenticity. That shift strengthened the trust I build with colleagues and clients, and showed me that integrity, hard work and staying true to your values create lasting impact.