5 minutes with

5 minutes with … Tony Wells at Merit
The firm’s founder and CEO would change ‘pretty much everything’ about the industry and sees a huge opportunity to innovate and transform construction’s archaic ways of working
5 minutes with … Paul Staley at Wise Living
The BTR housing provider’s managing director on rising to challenges, embracing opportunities and doing your best, while not being overly competitive
5 minutes with … Richard Farrey at Silverstone Building Consultancy
The firm’s lead director on building his business, the importance of a can-do attitude and why the best buildings are in the North-east
5 minutes with … Rebecca Hartshorn at Sisk
The firm’s national framework director on the need for greater industry collaboration, juggling her career and motherhood, her favourite roast dinner and her dislike of blocky concrete buildings
5 minutes with … Priya Shah at Linesight
The global consultancy’s associate director on her transition from the nuclear sector, her training scheme for chemical engineers and the need for digital transformation
5 minutes with … Michael O’Shea at Gowling WLG
The partner in the law firm’s construction team believes the tendering process needs to change and urges new recruits to read books rather than websites. He is a fan of The Smiths and wine gums
5 minutes with … Chris Jones at 10 Design
The firm’s managing principal (Europe and Middle East) considers the need to work collaboratively, the impact of the pandemic, why he went to art college – and his secret skill learnt while funding his studies
5 minutes with … Ashwin Halaria at Symmetrys
The firm’s associate director on the incident that made him want to be an engineer, the vital importance of material reuse and why his mother will always be his role model
5 minutes with … Jonathon Bentley at Bentley
The firm’s managing director on the challenges of building his business, the importance of seeing every angle and why he has the ball from the men’s Euro 2021 final.
5 minutes with … Jack Newton at RSHP
The firm’s associate partner on struggling with dyslexia at school, increasing diversity in the profession, working under Graham Stirk and Ivan Harbour and watching his children playing with his Lego
5 minutes with … Charlene Shum at Platform
The project executive on the industry’s blame culture, the importance of collaboration and why it is vital to care about those smallest details