I joined MDA Consulting as a non-executive director in April 2017. Prior to this I had
spent 12 years working client side in project and development management. When the
opportunity to join MDA as a non-exec arose it was an easy choice for me to make.
Somebody once told me that when joining the board of any company, first make sure
you undertake the necessary due diligence, and then make sure you like the people!
Of course, it’s never quite as simple as that but I believe the sentiment behind this
advice is sound. When I met with the board I found that we had very similar values and
beliefs in how a business should be run and yes, I liked the people! So what have I
found out since I joined?
The business clearly has a long and successful history and consequently enjoys a
well-respected reputation. The senior management team is made up of a number of
experienced construction professionals and following some recent promotions has an
excellent blend of youth and experience, which bodes well for both the present and
the future. Everyone that I have met across the business has a very positive “can-do
attitude.” It is not a hierarchical structure and consequently there is a shared sense of
responsibility throughout the company. Two aspects that I hadn’t been aware of before
joining but have impressed me since is the sector coverage we offer and the business
development and marketing approach. To be able to offer the level of cost consultancy
and project management experience in so many varied sectors, helps us stand out from
the crowd. There are one or two sectors where we are not as strong as we would like
and through our excellent business development and marketing team, we are tackling
that. I have always believed that business development is the responsibility of everyone
in the organisation. Whilst key people are tasked with spearheading the process,
everyone needs to understand the impact their work has on both winning new business
and ensuring that all of our existing clients feel valued and thoroughly appreciated. I
was pleased to discover that this was a view shared by all at MDA.
I think that we are currently in one of the most difficult times for decades to make any
accurate predictions regarding forecasting how the economy will perform. Construction
faces a number of challenges, not least the skills shortage across all disciplines. The
high level of uncertainty around Brexit, means both consumers and investors do not
have the level of confidence to be able to plan too far ahead. Conversely, interest rates
remain low and employment rates are at their highest for forty years. There are so many
conflicting factors in both the UK and global markets that I think a number of expert
economic forecasters will again be caught out. After all, isn’t an economist an expert
who will know tomorrow why the things he predicted yesterday didn’t happen today? It’s
a challenging time, but we continue to see plenty of opportunities ahead.
In January 2018, I was fortunate enough to be appointed non-executive Chairman. It
is a very interesting time for MDA and we have some exciting and ambitious plans for
sustainable growth over the coming years. I consider myself privileged to be helping
the board and everyone involved with MDA to achieve our goals, and yes, I still like the
people!
Nigel Grice, Non-Executive Chairman
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
