Personal Journey and Motivation
What inspired you to join FPC, and what stood out to you during the hiring process?
After graduating from the University of Auckland with a civil and structural engineering degree, I spent five years working as a consulting structural engineer across projects including fire stations, housing developments, and specialist engineering input for public art installations. While I enjoyed my time consulting, I became increasingly interested in the how of construction rather than just the what.
A lot of design conversations happen in offices, discussing construction in abstract terms. I wanted to be closer to site and understand how decisions actually play out in the real world, how they affect sequencing, interfaces between trades, and ultimately whether something goes together smoothly.
When I decided to explore contracting, FPC was the first recommendation I received, and it was from my old man. I reached out, and before long I was sitting down with Jason Allport talking openly about design, construction, and how FPC operates as a true design and build contractor. What stood out was the emphasis on accountability and delivery, and the recognition that buildings are not defined by individual systems in isolation, but by how they perform together.
Before I knew it, I had joined FPC as a Design Coordinator, starting on the Olam Dryer 1 project.
Can you share a bit about your career path and how it led you to your current role at FPC?
I’ve been with FPC for four years. I spent my first year and a half as a Design Coordinator, a role that was very site‑focused. Coming from a consulting background, FPC deliberately put me into new surroundings and made sure I was on site gaining hands‑on experience throughout the build.
During that time, I worked closely with subcontractors, installation teams, and FPC’s trusted design partners, reviewing shop drawings, assisting with remedial solutions, supporting temporary works, and resolving issues as they arose.
It was a steep learning curve, but it gave me a strong understanding of how design decisions affect construction. After that project, I transitioned into a more upstream design management role, where I became more involved in shaping design decisions earlier in the process – when changes are still flexible and outcomes are still being influenced.
Culture and Values
How would you describe the culture at FPC in three words?
Unpretentious, straight‑up, and grounded.
What’s something unique about working at FPC that you haven’t experienced elsewhere?
The openness between design and construction teams is a big difference. Unlike environments where teams operate in silos, there is constant dialogue across disciplines. Ideas are tested early with honest, practical feedback from the people who will ultimately build them.
Designers are never isolated at FPC. If I’m unsure about something, I can pick up the phone and speak directly with the delivery team, subcontractors, or design partners and get immediate, real-world input. That level of collaboration makes a significant difference.
Team and Collaboration
What’s your favourite thing about your team or the people you work with?
The mix of backgrounds in the design team is a real strength.
We’ve got structural and electrical engineers, site managers, surveyors – people with really different experiences and skill sets. Being able to tap into the knowledge base of people who had delivered multiple FPC projects before is invaluable. There is a lot of experience in that network, and people are genuinely keen to share what has worked and what has not.
There’s also a great culture where you can openly say you don’t know something. That makes a big difference and helps everyone learn and work better together.
Growth, Development and Innovation
How has FPC supported your professional growth or personal development?
I meet regularly with my line manager, and those conversations are focused on my goals. When I mentioned I wanted to pursue my PMP certification, the support was immediate.
What is particularly good is that the support goes beyond approval. I will get messages with resources, suggestions, and shared learnings, and in this case, we are even studying toward the PMP certification at the same time.
What opportunities have you had to learn new skills or take on new challenges here?
FPC has a real “ask and you shall receive” culture. If you show interest in something, the team will genuinely try to give you exposure to it.
Coming from a structural background, I’ve been deliberately given more opportunities to work alongside services like HVAC and electrical, which has been a great way to broaden my skills and understanding how systems interact to get the whole building working.
How does FPC encourage innovation across the company?
Innovation at FPC is encouraged in a practical, hands-on way. On one of my first projects, I noticed the way precast elements were being tracked was manual, so I put together some new, more efficient, tracking tools for the design team. The response was positive – people gave feedback, suggested improvements, and started using the system.
We also have quarterly design meetings where teams openly share lessons learned, including what didn’t go to plan and how it was resolved. That openness reflects a culture that recognises construction is complex, and continuous improvement comes from understanding how systems behave in practice.
Impact and Fulfilment
What part of your work at FPC makes you feel most proud or fulfilled?
One of the most satisfying moments is seeing decisions made during design translate cleanly into construction – standing on site months later, watching everything fit during installation.
Being involved from concept through to completion is incredibly rewarding. I will never get sick of watching precast panels slot perfectly over starter bars.
If someone were considering joining FPC, what would you want them to know?
Don’t be afraid to give it a go. You’ll always have a team backing you up. Asking questions and trying new things is encouraged, and support is always there when you need it.