Our next senior team spotlight series features Paul Lavin, who is an Associate Director in Cost Management for our North American region.
Paul joined Soben in August and is a Chartered Quantity Surveyor with over 26 years of experience working across multiple sectors. That experience has allowed him to ply his trade in Ireland, Australia, and more recently, the US.
Paul gives an insight into his role in a fast-growing organisation and shares his predictions for the construction industry and aspirations for the future of the business.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Not dissimilar to some of my colleagues, it involves getting the kids off to school and attempting to maximise and make the most efficient use of my time while they remain there.
What first attracted you to the construction industry?
Technical drawing and woodwork were two of my favourite subjects at school, and as a result, I applied for construction-related courses. I started with a construction studies course at Sligo IT before focusing on construction economics and, ultimately, quantity surveying.
What are your predictions for the construction industry over the next 12-18 months?
Earlier this year, there were some small but positive signs that the supply chain and inflationary impacts of the coronavirus global pandemic were beginning to subside. Then on Thursday 24th February, Russia invaded Ukraine, and as the war continued, the effect on the worldwide economy was devastating.
A humanitarian crisis coupled with energy and food price inflation and other ancillary knock-on effects is making a prediction for the next 12-18 months a tricky proposition. The demand for data has never been greater, and some construction industry sectors will remain strong. However, supply chain and escalation will continue to impact the industry.
What are your goals for Soben in that time?
To keep my clients happy and get up to speed with both the systems and processes as soon as possible.
What career advice would you give your younger self?
Thankfully the question is specific to ‘career’. I would have precious little to say to my younger self, as I wouldn’t change a thing. Having a quantity surveying qualification is like having a passport to anywhere in the world.
I have worked in some great cities and for some great companies and have met some amazingly talented people across multiple countries and multiple sectors. The only thing I would suggest is to concentrate on getting chartered earlier in your career and practice mentoring people while working from home because you never know what the future holds.
To discover more about our professional services across North America, please contact us.
