Interview with Darron Littlehales, Goodmarriott & Hurshouse - Managing Director designate
What do you do?
I currently am responsible for ensuring we have sufficient business to meet our budget (this year circa £30m) with the correct mix of customers and across the various sectors. I also have an operational role where an element of the secured work is completed by one of our project groups that I am responsible for. I have a commercial role also reviewing all projects and ensuring that they are on course from a budget and program perspective.
How did you get into building services?
After a year at 6th form college I took an apprenticeship as an electrician with Goodmarriott and Hursthouse and once qualified continued my career progression into the office as a trainee engineer. An apprenticeship at GandH covers all aspects of the electrical industry so ensures both a good overall understanding and provides a solid base to build a career on.
What is the best thing about your job?
Developing good strong relationships with our customers and the mutual respect that exists.
What’s been the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you at work?
It’s a long story but I arrived 7 hours late for my first Imtech senior management programme in Amsterdam and then had to explain to all my new colleagues about the three airports and four planes I endured to get there!
What’s the worst thing about your job?
Time away from my family. One of the values that runs throughout our business is to do exactly what we say we will. This is a simple value and a key feature of our success but often means long hours and time away from home to ensure we maintain our promise.
What would you be doing if you weren’t doing this job?
Teach/coach young people and help them maximise their potential. I have had an association with a local youth club since I was 10 years old and have coached in a voluntary capacity for the last 20 years because I get a great deal of satisfaction from it.
How are you coping with the transition to Managing Director?
As ever its demanding on time but we have been strategically making changes to our management structure over the last 5 years ensuring we have structure and accountability to accommodate the planned growth. Trevor Hursthouse has been very influential during my career as one would expect after 24 years and he wont be disappearing he’ll be a good sounding board for the future. I’m up for the challenge and am confident that with the support of the staff we’ll go on to become even stronger.
You were personally involved with the project at new Arsenal Emirates Stadium – what do you think made this such a success?
That’s easy before our appointment significant time and effort went in by Sir Robert McAlpine and ourselves ensuring that the bid for the works in hand was the right value. All parties genuinely believed that the value was competitive but correct. Through the thorough checking and vetting regime, Sir Robert McAlpine satisfied themselves that we had sufficient strength, depth and expertise to complete the works and deal with any issues that would unveil themselves through the construction phase. Finally, I’m biased obviously but those managers, engineers and supervisors who executed the works were undoubtedly amongst the best in the industry.
What’s your favourite tipple?
Pint of bitter, usually a John Smiths.