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Irish Chamber

2022 Finalist - Damian Ennis

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Consultation
Irish Australian Business Awards Peoples Choice 2022
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I have a career path that makes little sense in first look (and arguably even less with further inspection!).  I am an Architecturally trained professional, who works independently for Construction companies, on mega projects (>$2B). I am also studying for an MBA (part time). Moving into Infrastructure just in time for the current wave of projects has allowed me to work on close to $50B worth of projects.

I have never been drawn to the path most followed, I like to see where problems exist, and find the most efficient / collaborative way to solve them (irrespective of how it usually solved). Rather than the typical approach of “what’s the typical next step”, I work back from the problems that repeat themselves. I remember my first boss starting a project with the statement, “let’s only make new mistakes” - it made little sense to me as a graduate, but I now think of it most weeks.

I am always drawn to the ‘gaps between the silos’, the areas where tensions arise, when the deadline is in sight. Construction has historically hired and promoted the same people (including personality type), and therefore makes the same mistakes. I get in trouble for pointing out the issues in our industries, but I am a firm believer that, the first step to solving a problem, is acknowledging that there is one.

We have some of the best problem solvers of any industry, and I plan to be in the industry, when the 18th century cushiness model of (a) build a prototype, and (b) sell it - embraces the strengths of digital engineering, modularisation, diversity of workforce (at all levels), data analytics, etc.

As the industry furthest behind on innovation / productivity improvements - we are in a position where there are huge wins to be had. I look forward to being in the generation who pushes us into the current day!

 

 

 

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