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Agrisystems had just won a large Department for International Development funded post conflict management program in Sierra Leone and this proved to be a challenge worthy of a change.
What is your role at Cardno?
I am the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Cardno Agrisystems, an international development branch of Cardno. Cardno Agrisystems’ headquarters is in Aylesbury and we also have an office in Nairobi, Kenya.
How long have you been with Cardno?
About a year and a half as Agrisystems was acquired in October 2006, however I joined Agrisystems in 2001.
How did you find the transition from working for a company which was acquired?
Less difficult than many people might imagine, but that is probably because Cardno represents a grouping of companies targeted on strategic grounds for their ability to provide services to a broader market. Cardno Agrisystems has complementary skills to the rest of the Cardno group.
Describe a typical day at Cardno.
There is no such thing as a typical day. I still come to work every morning for the variety and constant change, no day is like another. Every study and project we manage has its own unique set of commercial and technical challenges and every opportunity we bid for must be considered on its distinctive merits.
What is the most enjoyable aspect of your job?
I like winning and I really enjoy launching a new project. I have been travelling the globe for over 30 years which is one part of my work I never tire of. I also enjoy editing reports, negotiating agreements and preparing financial spreadsheets.
What is the most challenging aspect of your work?
One of the greatest challenges is to keep the balance between winning projects and delivering them to ensure there is always a full pipeline of potential opportunities. The international development business is like any business, success today doesn’t guarantee success tomorrow.
What projects have you worked on?
The project that gave me the most satisfaction was the Carbon Sequestration Project in Brazil. We were invited to identify a carbon offset project (for 6 million tonnes of carbon a year). We launched a project at Ilha de Bananal in Tocantins state. The aim was to allow an island on the edge of the Amazon rainforest to revert back to its former pristine state. Of our current portfolio the irrigation projects in Afghanistan are proving to be the most challenging.
What makes Cardno a great place to work?
The strength of the corporate vision and the support we received during the critical re-branding exercise. Who can forget that fantastic yacht race around Sydney Harbour at Cardno’s managers' conference?
What does the future of Cardno hold for you?
Cardno offers a culture where the delivery of quality products and services has the same priority as the attainment of commercial success. I want to be part of that. |