Director of renewables and marine development, Royal HaskoningDHV
Why did you become an environment/sustainability professional?
I grew up on the Isle of Wight in an area of outstanding natural beauty and spent my youth exploring the beaches, cliffs, woods and downs. I have always felt that we need to conserve, manage and provide responsible stewardship over our natural environment.
What was your first environment/sustainability job?
As a park warden in Robin Hill Countryside Park, which is now famous as the home for the annual music festival, Bestival. I spent the year after my A Levels maintaining paths, fencing and forestry.
How did you get your first role?
After my BSc, I stayed at the University of Kent to do a master’s in environmental law and policy. This training helped secure my first professional role as an environmental consultant at Amec.
How did you progress your environment/sustainability career?
In addition to working hard, I have always sought professional accreditation to validate and demonstrate my competence. I decided to join IEMA as the leading institute for EIA practitioners, starting with the Associate exam, then a registered auditor, Full member (MIEMA), registered EIA practitioner, Chartered environmentalist and a principal EIA practitioner. I am now chair of the impact assessment steering group as well as a member of IEMA’s strategic advisory board.
What does your role involve?
I lead a team of environmental professionals.
How has your role changed over the past few years?
My team has grown and the sectors under my leadership have increased. I am responsible for 40 staff in seven offices, with more than 80 live projects, from Oman to the Orkneys. This requires portfolio project management and systems management.
What’s the best part of your work?
It is very rewarding to receive positive feedback from clients when they recognise the skill, effort and dedication our teams provide. Likewise, when you successfully deliver a major project or win a major commission there is a tremendous team spirit of collective achievement.
What’s the hardest part of your job?
Unreasonable or poorly judged or informed decisions by stakeholders, government agencies, civil servants, clients, staff or occasionally by your own company. “The best laid plans” and “no plan survives contact with the enemy” are phrases that leap to mind. Major projects are often decided by how you deal with the inevitable adversity, problems and mishaps that occur along the way.
What was the last event you attended?
A European commission conference looking at 30 years of the EIA Directive. I contributed to workshops on how to implement the new directive.
What did you bring back to your job?
A good understanding of how the directive might be implemented in different EU countries.
What is/are the most important skill(s) for your role and why?
Communication. More specifically understanding and communicating a problem, explaining the potential solutions, recommending and justifying one, then convincing the client/customer/decision maker (internal or external) to pay for or authorise implementation. In my role it is often about building a business case.
Where do you see the environment/sustainability profession going?
I still see a role for specialists and niche skills such as ecology and social impact assessment. However, the underlying megatrends are the developing world, digital economy and low-carbon economy. The rising population, urbanisation, industrialisation and modernisation of the developing world will require a huge number of environmental professionals. The move to a digital economy will require consultants to embrace web-based EIAs, remote data collection by drones and satellites. The transition to a low-carbon economy will require consultants and environmentalists to tackle and adapt to the rapid changes required, such as smart meters and grids.
Where would like to be in five years’ time?
In a position to make a positive difference to the conservation, sustainable management and stewardship of our environment.
What advice would you give to someone entering the profession?
Be enthusiastic, work hard, look to add value/improve systems or processes. Take ownership of your tasks, no matter how small or trivial. Treat people with respect, learn from others, and have fun.
How do you use IEMA’s environmental skills map?
I give guest lectures on careers in consultancy at universities. I always include a slide on the IEMA skills map as it illustrates the breadth of experience and skills required.
Career file
Qualifications:
BSc, LLM environmental law and policy, MIEMA, CEnv, PEIA, EA, MIoD
Career history:
2012 to now: director of renewables and marine development, Royal HaskoningDHV
2010 to 2012: technical director: EIA, Royal HaskoningDHV
2008 to 2010: senior environmental consultant, Royal Haskoning
2007 to 2008: senior project coordinator, Environment Agency
2004 to 2007: environmental consultant, Amec
1999 to 2000: park warden, Robin Hill Countryside Park