At University I learnt how to be self-sufficient and that creativity is one of the most important attributes that an engineer can have. I learnt also that theory can easily overtake common sense and how to pause and take stock of what's happening and how to trust your instincts.
Memories of Greenwich
I looked for a photo of me cycling or one of the other sports that I love. It's something that I have done since being a teenager when I cycled for a club in Dulwich. At Greenwich I was introduced to sailing which has also been a lifelong passion. The Thames Polytechnic sailing club is where I learnt to sail. We took part in races against many of the Polytechnics in the south of England. One fond memory (not so at the time) was when we put two dinghies on one trailer and had 16 of us in the Polytechnic transit van returning from Portsmouth. One of the trailer tyres caught fire and although we had a spare, we could not remove the wheel. It was wet and dark as well. 16 students sleeping in a transit van overnight is not very convivial but at least we had managed to drive the transit van to a pub car park!
I still miss the opportunities that we had in the laboratories to experiment and the field trips that we undertook. Some of the lecturers were little older than us and a couple I am still in touch with.
Life after Greenwich
I graduated with a first-class honours (an achievement given my poor academic school record) and joined R Travers Morgan & Partners who were consulting Civil & Structural Engineers. I joined a small team that specialised in work in the Midlands and soon became self-sufficient and ran my own projects. I became a Chartered Structural Engineer at 25 and a Civil Engineer the following year. After 6 years I moved to Perega where I have stayed helping to build the organisation from twenty or so to its current size that works across the UK. I was made a partner at the age of 34 and have recently stepped down as Managing Director to concentrate on training and mentoring staff. I have been fortunate to be able to design many important buildings and to be at the forefront of the industry's approach to sustainable development.
I have done a lot of work outside my role at Perega. I have been involved with the Institution of Structural Engineers throughout my career and in 2014 was fortunate to be its Global President. I have chaired a number of bodies, the most interesting being the Joint Board of Moderators, which accredits most of the UK civil engineering degrees including the ones offered at Greenwich. I have lectured widely both in the UK and overseas and hold the post of visiting professor at two universities. Sport has remained an important part of my life. As well as cycling and sailing I have played squash ever since I left university and am a keen walker. Sport and fitness is so important (now more so than ever) in keeping well and active.
