Tell me about yourself and your current role. 

I'm Dec. I joined Macro just over two years ago after running my own company throughout the pandemic. With 13 years of experience in technical Facilities Management (FM), mobilising new contracts was something I was very familiar with. The opportunity to join Macro and work alongside a team to maintain critical UK infrastructure was the perfect challenge for me.

Describe a typical day in your work life. 

I oversee a team of eight Facility Coordinators for a leading healthcare property developer in the UK. We've been managing a complex mobilisation across over 600 buildings, including understanding, consolidating, tendering, and remobilising every service line on the estate while handling around 7,500 reactive tasks per year. A typical day involves helping as many people as possible across the team, the client, and suppliers to keep everything running smoothly.

Who have been your strongest influences in life? 

My mum has been my strongest influence. She is compassionate at all times, even when it would be beyond reasonable for her not to be and taught me to treat people as you wish to be treated.

What led you to your current career path? 

Chance, I guess. I enjoy problem-solving, puzzles, fixing things, and understanding how things work - all skills that are quite useful in the world of FM.

What has been the biggest challenge for you to get where you are today? 

Having a huge climbing accident at 28, spending six months in bed, nine months out of work, undergoing multiple operations, needing to learn how to walk again, and having what was left of my 20s cut short.

If you had a chance, what would you do differently? 

Nothing (cop-out answer, I know). Mistakes are an opportunity to learn and grow. If you undo the mistake, you undo the lesson, and to never fail is to not have tried.

What are the most important life lessons you’ve learned? 

"I’ve not failed 1,000 times; I’ve successfully discovered 1,000 ways how not to do it." Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you deal with it - it’s all about perspective.

Share with me something about yourself that you want to improve. 

I'm a terrible cook. My brother is an excellent cook. One day, that scale will tip the other way, but that day is a long, long time away.

What do you want to do next? 

Grow - whether it's knowledge, skills, experience, or as a person. The goal is to be better, and as long as it’s something that excites and challenges me, then I’m on the right track (SMART Targets everywhere hate this approach).

What do you like about Macro? 

I was nervous when I joined that everything would be quite commercial and full of red tape. I can honestly say that nervousness was entirely misplaced. I can come to work, be myself, be supported, be listened to, be pushed, be challenged, and be surrounded by people who only want the best for you. It has been the most enjoyable and rewarding two years of my career, and I look forward to many more years.

What do you enjoy most about your current role at Macro? 

My team helps deliver critical services to hundreds of NHS-used buildings across the UK. That’s incredibly rewarding, and I’m so proud of their fervour in delivering our contract. Working with a team as passionate as they are drives me to maintain that level too.

What has been your proudest achievement at Macro so far? 

The journey I've had with our client has been incredible. I've learned so much and am proud of where we started and where we are today. I will always look back on the last few years with immense pride.

What motivates you every day? 

The people around me - everyone is battling something. You don’t always see it, but they put in the effort and get the best out of each day, and that’s inspiring to watch.

What skills do you need to be good at your job? 

Thinking outside the box, not taking things personally, and being able to thrive when the universe insists that your day should fall apart.

What are you most proud of accomplishing? 

This is a difficult question to answer because I'm proud of different things for different reasons. I do photography as a hobby, specialising in festivals and live performances. Recently, I was asked to photograph Vengaboys at the AO Arena in Manchester. Growing up watching my favourite bands in this arena, it was surreal to be on stage photographing it all. Being reached out to for that was pretty special and standing on stage while 10,000 people sing and confetti cannons go off around you was incredible - a real pinch-me moment.