Articles

Describe SHW in three words…
Collaborative, versatile, proactive

 

Tell us about your career at SHW

I’ve been working at SHW for just under two years, leading the London surveying team for the last nine months. There’s been a lot happening in that period, coming out of Covid, adapting to new ways of working and bringing in new team members. It’s a challenging time to be a surveyor particularly with the issues around fire safety and energy performance but also one of great opportunity.

 

Pinnacle of your career to date?

 

Being asked to head up the London BCD team for SHW.

What was your dream job as a child?

Something to do with music production.

 

If you hadn’t been a surveyor what was your plan B?

 

Surveying was plan B - but I’m glad it worked out this way!

 

Favourite building?

 

I loved seeing the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, the Gaudi façade was amazing. I also found out just how scared of heights I am 100m up the spiral staircase!

 

Best decision you have ever made?

 

That would be when I proposed to my wife.

 

Greatest achievement?

 

My two boys.

 

Best advice you have ever been given?

 

Very early on in my career I made an error on a flat refurb so the design didn’t meet building regulations. I Told one of the senior surveyors and he sat me down, told me not to panic and we figured out a plan of action. That conversation always springs to mind whenever something comes up, as there is always a way round a problem.

 

Who do you most admire in the industry?

 

Hard to pick a single person, but my advice to any surveyor is pay attention to how your colleagues / seniors work, pick out their strengths and implement them in the way you do things.

 

First album you ever bought?

 

Metallica – Black album (I’m not counting the late 80’s Wombles Christmas album that was also on heavy rotation)

 

First car?

 

Austin rover metro, was my gran’s and had been left in our driveway to rust for several years. I did it up (i.e covered the rust in black hammerite and watched my dad do stuff to the engine) and got it back on the road. The engine stalled when the revs dropped below 1000 so I could never take my foot off the accelerator!

 

Dream car?

 

The Mercedes One looks pretty tasty

Favourite way to relax?

A night in with a bottle of red, steak and then a little electric guitar practice… possibly involving the aforementioned Metallica album

 

If you had a dinner party and could invite three famous people (dead or alive), who would they be and why?

 

Neil Armstrong

Paul McCartney

Slash

 

Best restaurant you have been to?

 

Pollen Street Social

 

Best book you have read?

 

I Really enjoyed Sapiens and then Homo Deus. First book is a really interesting overview on how the human race got to where we are second book is about where we’re all headed – scary reading!

 

Three things to do before you retire?

 

With 2 small children I’m just hoping there’ll be a time when I:

 

1. No longer have to change nappies

2. Can have a lie in past 7:30am

3. Can play some golf!