Trailblazing Women of the Construction Industry to Follow in 2022

Adapting to New Norms New Trends in the Job Market

Trailblazing

Women

Impact of Digitalization The Search Around Data-Driven Branding

of the

construction follow Industryinto 2022

Founder CEO

Concord® Project Technologies Inc

Olf Hamd

Building the Most Valuable Consulting Brand in the Capital Projects Industry VOL-04 | ISSUE-13 | 2022

www.insightssuccess.com

Editor’s Desk Productive Construction in Line with Environmental Norms

D

ue to the pace of the spread of information on the internet, clients are aware of the rapidly changing markets in every industry and settle for no less.

The case is no different for the construction industry, where there have been revolutionary changes in the past few years.

The growing expectations of clients have led to innovative, tailored products for homes, worksites, commercial buildings, and more. Women have been at the helm of fulfilling these expectations by bringing structures with modularized, specific, and optimized parameters with security and health objectives. 2022 promises to be a year that belongs to the trailblazing construction industry women who vow to deliver results better than the rest.

New possibilities have sprung up in the construction industry with the adoption of modern hardware and software technologies to ramp up designs. The advancement of augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR), drones, robotics, and additive printing, has paved the way for modernized construction techniques.

Professionals maximize technology to make work precise, intricate, and efficient. Having tools at their disposal makes work easy to do, and the margin of error is comparatively less. AR/VR has enabled designers and engineers to imagine and work on models before they come to life, and that is why they have a greater understanding of what they are working on. Clients also have the option to view their homes or offices virtually and take a tour to know the best features and disadvantages according to needs. This is a win-win situation for everyone, and timely upgrades promise to make it even better.

The emergence of start-ups has increased the ratio of value delivering companies and firms. New market opportunities induced by tech trends force the competition to level up and introduce something new to stay relevant. It is known that start-ups are the center of innovation and fast implementation in the real estate industry. When a company

tries doing something new, others are forced to follow suit because clients choose the best service, lowest price, and best value. One thousand two hundred start-ups have been founded in real estate and construction working since 2010 and have received over US$19.4 billion in funding. The huge influx of money and talent has familiarized the industry with creative and efficient work.

Digitalization has made it possible to lessen the impact of construction projects and align with governments increasing their C02 and energy efficiency regulations. Architects and engineers today are environmentally conscious and work, keeping in mind the philosophy of minimalization. Concept homes like minimal cottages and net-zero carbon impact offices are increasingly gaining popularity.

With the huge demand for environmentally friendly homes, companies are forced to build more on these concepts. An industry that cares for the environment as much as it cares for profit is on the route to success and growth and the construction industry has shown this belief repeatedly.

This edition of “Trailblazing Women of the Construction Industry to Follow in 2022” has stories of impactful women who dared to believe.

Do read the amazing profiles put together by our inhouse editorial team.

Raunak

Raunak Mhetre

raunak.mhetre@insightssuccess.com

08

C O V E R S TO RY

Olf Hamd

Building the Most Valuable Consulting Brand in the Capital Projects Industry

C O N T E N T S A RT I C L E S

20

Adapting to New Norms New Trends in the Job Market

Impact of Digitalization The Search Around Data-Driven Branding

Debbie Flevotomou

22

32

16

Think Nature with Architecture

Bringing Brands to Life

Simone de Gale

30

Jenny Haag

Crafting Architecture that Connects to Nature

Delivering Designs to Create a Better World with a Sense of Responsibility

26 Valeria Segovia

Editor-in-Chief Pooja M Bansal Managing Editor Anish Miller

Executive Editor Raunak Mhetre

Assistant Editors Jenny Fernandes Sourabh More

Visualizer

Art & Design Director

Associate Designer

David King

Sonia Raizada

Shyam Sonawane

Senior Sales Manager

Business Development Manager

Kshitij S

Peter Collins, Mayur

Marketing Manager

Sales Executives David, Martin

John Matthew Technical Head

Business Development Executives

Jacob Smile

Steve, Joe, Prathamesh

Technical Specialist Aditya

Digital Marketing Manager Marry D'Souza

SME-SMO Executive Atul Dhoran

Research Analyst Frank Adams

Circulation Manager Robert Brown

Database Management Stella Andrew

Technology Consultant David Stokes

sales@insightssuccess.com April, 2022

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Trailblazing

Women

of the

construction INDUSTRY

to follow in 2022 Featured Person

Company Name

Brief

Antonietta Roy Founder

Construction Advocacy Professionals capyourbudget.com

Designing out of the box, based on a deep understanding of each project’s budget and key objectives, Construction Advocacy Professionals bring each project to life efficiently and effectively.

Carley Hill President and CEO

CAHill TECH, Inc cahilltech.com

CAHill TECH is a leader in heavy construction skill-sharing, using modern & proven methods.

Debbie Flevotomou CEO/ Founder

Debbie Flevotomou Architects debbieflevotomou.com

Designing projects at any scale, from a sea-front masterplan in Tripoli, to a single house extension with interior design in Central London, my philosophy is that design should be innovative, inspiring and value for money.

Jaimine Johnson Director of Commercial DRK and Company Realty drk-realty.com Operations, Leasing, and Sales Realtor

Donald R. Kenney & Company Realty is a full-service commercial real estate company.

Jenny Haag Founder and President

RISE Design Build Integration risedbi.com

Rise is a full-service management company

Olfa Hamdi Founder and CEO

Concord Project Technologies tconglobal.com

The Team Concord™ platform is the first cloud-based platform purpose-built for capital project teams.

Pae Natwilai Founder and CEO

Trik gettrik.com

Trik is an automated software platform that digitises site asset records in three dimensions.

Simone de Gale Founder and CEO

Simone De Gale Architects simonedegale.com

Simone De Gale Architects signature style creates timeless architecture and celebrates classical forms interlaced with innovative structures

Valeria Segovia Principal and Design Director

Gensler gensler.com

Gensler is a global architecture, design, and planning firm with 50 locations across Asia, Europe, Australia, the Middle East, and the Americas.

Donna Sultan President and CEO

KEO International Consultants keoic.com

KEO is a creative enterprise, where innovation is a way of life.

Olfa Hamdi Founder CEO

Concord® Project Technologies Inc

Olf Hamd

Building the Most Valuable Consulting Brand in the Capital Projects Industry

Tailored training designed to empower your people. From Predictability Thinking™ and Advanced Work Packaging to digital project delivery and project management, our in-person and virtual programs lay the foundation for change.

C O V E R

S T O R Y

Trailblazing Women of the construc on industry to follow in 2022

E

mbarking on a professional journey as a researcher and auditor of large construction projects to founding Concord® Project Technologies Inc, realizing the loopholes in the construction industry to achieve predictable delivery, Olfa Hamdi brought a crucial change to the capital projects industry.

Understanding various factors that impact predictability to help companies attain their project goals on time and onbudget delivery, Olfa implements her expertise by putting together a proprietary support system with a platform that drives her vision. After she co-invented Advanced Work Packaging (AWP), the method became an industry Best Practice across industrial construction. As the CEO, Olfa envisions Concord® as the premier company that supports clients with the knowledge and tools they need to deliver on time and budget, ensuring predictable outcomes.

Mitigating Stagnancy The quote goes, "A smooth sea never makes a skilled sailor." Olfa knew that it wouldn't be an easy path, which is why she faced every challenge with a smile that spread eye to eye. She began the entrepreneurial ride in the market filled with renowned companies offering numerous services. What made Olfa's particular approach stand out in the industry was the Advanced Work Packaging methodology she invented at the University of Texas,

Concord® is a global market innovator in capital project predictability services, technology and training.

Austin. This methodology resulted in Concord® having ExxonMobil and Shell as their client from day one, expanding its clientele worldwide gradually, becoming the most valuable consulting business in the capital projects.

Olfa expressed that starting the company with a global purpose; she came across one of the primary challenges of traveling to international markets. When the COVID hit the surface, travel restrictions were imposed globally, giving Olfa the chance to invest in Concord's certification, training, and consulting services, using online learning management systems and cloud platforms.

Concord® continued growing exponentially, reaching thousands of professionals throughout the industry leveraging technology, and to Olfa's surprise, the industry was way more open to using technology and delivering projects virtually.

Talking about the crucial obstacles of construction and its related industries, Olfa asserts, "Any type of construction project has an excess amount of waste. There is so much unpredictability that our industry has gotten used to and started accepting the fact that projects can be finished late.

We got used to having a lot of change orders having many claims. Everybody accepts that.” “"With Concord, I came to the market and said, 'Enough with this waste.' We want to believe that we could achieve on-time and on-budget delivery systematically, avoiding late and over-budget projects," clarifies Olfa.”

Olfa continues, "This is applicable to infrastructure projects, which are funded by the taxpayers; and equally applicable to private projects, for which the shareholders pay. We're saying predictability is good for business, and we need to know and make that happen. So, initially, the was a little bit of resistance. However, with awareness, as Concord® produces its publication called Velocity, which drives our industry's thinking and debate, conveying thought leadership and innovation articles, every week. So, that we can move the market, empowering professionals to deliver on-time and on-budget systematically.”

Predictability Delivered™ Olfa accumulated extensive experience in her early career as an auditor of multi-billion dollar capital project and researcher that led her to found Advanced Work Packaging

nobody's doing that in the industry. My vision for the company is to create the most valuable construction services consultant services company in the industry.”

The Stronger Roots Concord® is on a mission to become the premier partner to the energy and industrial construction project companies to deliver predictability, with a vision that every client gets their project delivered on time and budget.

Olfa describes that Concord® is driven by three key aspects and is the core of its culture: predictability, knowledge, and empowerment.

Institute as a nonprofit research organization, exploring the market around the industry getting it ready for change. She noticed that several renowned consulting businesses didn't have accountability for the outcome as service providers.

She states that like every other stakeholder in a project, these service providers charge hourly rates and large contracts for massive construction projects.

Olfa expresses, "What they deliver doesn't necessarily correlate with an outcome of on time and on budget delivery. I realized that there is a niche in our industry if we can create a consulting company and a training and certification company that provides: one, it provides the education and certification on predictability and works packaging and good planning, basically, and project management.”

Olfa brought transformative shifts bringing a set of services driven by predictability and outcomes, providing a new intellectual property. It was essential for her with Concord® to drive innovation, a new IP, providing high-quality services. She shares, "When we work with an owner or a construction company, we're saying, 'I am your partner in helping you achieve that goal. I'm not going to let you go until we achieve that goal.' That drives me. I realized

Predictability: Concord® believes the future belongs to capital project organizations that master predictable project delivery and predictable outcomes.

Knowledge: Valuing data-driven, fact-based decisionmaking practices supported by thoughtful, deliberate knowledge acquisition and management.

Empowerment: It believes that a capital project organization's strongest asset is its people, and it invests in people.

Trustworthy Technology Concord® is utilizing the best technology available in learning management systems, enabling professionals in the

the capital project stakeholders to operate collaboratively in a flat, technology-driven transparent environment.

Eliminate all of these layers of transactions and contracts and lack of interoperability that creates a lot of miscommunications, which ends up hindering predictability. Ultimately, that's the vision. What we do through advanced work packaging and through predictability thinking™, what Concord® does is that we empower and help shape the stage-gate system and the project delivery system of these large projects, large construction companies as well, small and large so that they can streamline and monitor the risk and control the risk in a way that drives predictability.”

construction industry around the globe, provide access to its training with videos and test interacting with instructors at any time. With Concord Academy and the certification program on AWP, individuals receive the same quality knowledge and care universally.

Concord® makes the most out of the available solutions to build a strong network for its consultants, making it more flexible for the professionals updating with technological advancement.

Olfa mentions that the construction industry misses few marks and does not have space for intelligence, project management, and decision-making. She notes, "A lot of our data is manual, and it's not collected automatically. Our industry doesn't leverage technology very well, especially collaboration and non-engineering information. Concord® is working on solving that issue as a part of our most innovative projects that we're looking to change with the industry in the next few years.”

Waving the Magic Wand!

Elaborating on the desired changes in the construction industry, Olfa shares, "If I had a magic wand, I would get

"Concord® believes that predictability is notjust a goal; it's a behavior. The same way when you say, "We are a safe company, and safety is our goal." But we are a safe company. We are safe in the way we execute our construction projects. We need to become predictable companies and predictable construction projects. So, it has to become a behavior. The behavior starts from the fact that everybody within the project team communicates transparently, in an integrated way, and then issues, when

Concord® is dedicated to helping capital project organizations deliver predictable, profitable projects and programs.

they arise, they're not hidden. They are brought to the surface so that everybody including leadership resolves them on time. So, if I had a magic wand, I would have all projects operate in a common digital environment that flattens the collaboration makes it transparent and powered through artificial intelligence to help support decision making and close the knowledge and experience gap we struggle with in our industry. We could start developing intelligent project management and project decisionmaking," explains Olfa.

Expected Changes Concord® is trying to change the industry, producing knowledge, communicating, and democratizing the projects among industry professionals. Olfa wants a hierarchy of a significant construction project company or a construction company, needing them to access knowledge easily, in a fast way, in a renewable way, and in a sustainable way.

Concord® is availing its project management certifications and AWP certifications, widely used by the major multibillion-dollar organizations, making it easy to adapt.

Olfa wants to certify 25,000 professionals by 2025 in advanced work packaging, her predictability program. She envisions that by 2025, Concord® would have a substantial impact worth 25$ billion worth of capital projects by providing the services.

Predicting the Future Olfa aims to lead Concord® with quality, knowledge, innovation, integrity, high-quality services, predictable results, and empowerment as a trusted brand. She envisions Concorde KSA in Saudi Arabia. She notes, "We're looking at Concord France, Concord KSA, Concord Netherlands, Concord South Korea, Concord South Africa. We're working on transforming Concord into a global brand that can impact local construction markets in these major hubs of construction worldwide, of course. That's my goal and vision for where I want the company to be. And maybe one of those days, we'll see Concord go IPO.” Concord® is on a solid path to becoming the most valuable capital project consulting and training brand in the world.

Sharing the Lessons Olfa wishes to see the industry born with the fiber and DNA of the capital market. She advises aspiring entrepreneurs to go for it. "Take a chance. Our industry needs it. And we have a great large industry, and the market is big, so we need more of those companies," Olfa concludes.

Trailblazing Women of the Construction Industry to Follow in 2022.

E

Think Nature with Architecture

ntrepreneurs lead from the front, making the most of every opportunity. With rising sanctions on the construction industry, it is interesting to watch business leaders paving the way for sustainable architecture with THINK NATURE design concepts. Meet Debbie Flevotomou, Founder and CEO of Debbie Flevotomou Architects (DFA), a multi-award-winning architect, celebrated speaker, prolific artist, founder of London Berkeley Developments and London Ballet Theatre. Kruger Crowne represents her as a public speaker.

Starting from Debbie's flat in Battersea, the company moved to Westminster and Mayfair, with satellite offices in the US and Greece, totaling six offices worldwide through its partnerships. DFA has been operating internationally with diverse projects in Europe, the US, the Middle East, and North Africa. In cooperation with David Morley Architects and Parker Lloyd Group, the partnership boasts over 80 staff, 93% award-winning projects, and an impressive portfolio of schemes in all sectors.

As a resolute leader who is resilient and passionate about the THINK NATURE initiative, Debbie left no stone unturned, winning 66 national and international awards in the last five years.

Starting as a sole practitioner, Debbie quickly broke through into the large commercial segment, and even more impressively, entered the international business stage- a Greek female architect succeeding in the Middle East and North Africa, where, against all odds, she won 5 large-scale projects in Libya, with her boundary-pushing, bold, authentic designs. Inspired by visionaries like Zaha Hadid and Frank O'Gehry, THINK NATURE architecture has earned Debbie the endearing nickname “the blond Zaha.”

At DFA, Debbie incorporates THINK NATURE design concepts into place-making and architecture. DFA designs original and bold buildings which are inspiring and iconic, people and nature-centric, with sustainability in their core, creating landmarks of all schemes .

Sculpting a Strong Foundation Debbie Flevotomou, a Greek female architect, founded DFA in 2012 with no financial backing, one non-British employee with no industry connections, and zero clients.

Two years later, the company employed a team of 20, working on large-scale international projects, the biggest of which was a 5km long mixed-use seafront development in Tripoli, Libya.

Walking the Road Not Taken

Debbie's passion for nature-centric architecture drove her to leave behind a promising career at Foster+Partners , and start her own practice to change the world stage of architecture.

She is on a mission to inspire a move away from modernism design to iconic, nature and people-centric designs that bring people close to nature and improve their whole wellbeing. This led Debbie to start the THINK

April 2022 | 16 | www.insightssuccess.com

Debbie Flevotomou Founder and CEO

Debbie Flevotomou Architects

NATURE movement, which she talks passionately about when traveling worldwide to speak to audiences about architecture. THINK NATURE design is so distinctive that it is recognized as one of Debbie's creations and sets the company apart from competition, providing an authentic USP, even against big established names.

Standing on the Test of Time Debbie mentions, "The biggest challenge in changing the world of architecture is affecting the client's decision to go for the extraordinary, the authentic, the unique, the novel. “ She founded DFA from her flat. The business reached success within a couple of years (a team of 20 worked on five large projects in Libya).

When political unrest started in Libya, with the assassination of the US ambassador in Tripoli, a key client was taken hostage, and all projects stopped. This meant that the team had to be released at very short notice. However, everyone chose to remain on call on a contract basis because of their loyalty to the THINK NATURE vision.

Most company owners would have given up at that point, but Debbie remained firm in her vision of success.

Moving ahead with resilience, DFA recovered (with no financial backing), producing healthy profits out of projects in the UK and abroad. However, when the pandemic hit, all projects were abruptly halted. Despite the repeated challenges, the core team continued to work on bids resulting in a healthy cadence of new projects of everincreasing scale.

An Unrelenting Attitude

The Competitive Edge!

In addition to her role as the lead architect at DFA, Debbie is also the Artistic Director of London Ballet Theatre, Chair of LBD, and a very active artist. She has been recognized with 66 international awards, and her work has been featured in The Times, BBC, London Evening Standard, London & New York Build. She has lent her expertise to many projects and has judged an art competition on the BBC. As an inspirational public speaker, she talks passionately about architecture with a difference. She has enthralled audiences from New York to Casablanca, communicating her passion for THINK NATURE design bringing her unique perspective to students and professionals.

Debbie's latest awards include the Women in Architecture Awards for Best Female Architect of the Year 2021, Business Elite's 40 Under 40, 2020,Most Influential Woman in Architecture 2019,and Most Innovative Architect of the Year 2018. With 66 international influential conference appearances, Debbie's unique style of engaging audiences and achieving everyone's participation has earned her many repeated speaking invitations, from Cancun to Monte Carlo.

Amongst Debbie's many professional achievements, she was elected as the Chairperson and Counsellor of the Royal Institute of British Architecture. During her RIBA tenure, Debbie promoted architecture and good design to local communities, supported architects in their work, and successfully lobbied local councils on architectural issues (e.g., Battersea Power Station).

Throughout the pandemic when all projects stopped, Debbie took time to focus on personal development through a British Library Business Strategy course. She re-mapped the future trajectory of DFA, letting go of low-yield work and focusing on schemes that would have optimum impact on showcasing and promoting THINK NATURE. Accepting the hurdles, Debbie not only continued to nurture existing business relationships but also formed alliances and new partnerships with David Morley Architects and Parker Lloyds Group. The new organizational structure has put DFA and the team a key player amongst architectural practices in the UK.

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e h t n i s d n e r T New

T

his season, America's Job market is in full bloom, aiming for higher grounds as the pandemic subsides and employees return to their everyday jobs. Many companies are offering perks for employees to return to the office while the Work from Home (WFH) segment continues gaining traction. The traditional American employee gave an average of 8 years to one single corporation. The sentiment back then was to be loyal to a single company while working hard and giving their best.

This form of working had been helping employees for years to scale up their careers while gaining profits for their parent organization.

Enter the millennials who are newbies in the job market, and the situation changed drastically. The concept of career loyalty is slowly taking form into a new term called jobhopping. Changing jobs is becoming a new norm in today's world, where most people believe that employees who have worked at a company for more than five years may not be compatible to work anywhere else.

Most employees, particularly millennials, believe that staying with a business for more than two to three years is career restricting. Although job-hopping is now popular in most industries, some people, such as engineers, tend to

focus on shifting positions only when they have acquired the necessary abilities to advance. Less than half of baby boomers plan to stay with their companies for more than three years.

Millennials are known for their professional dedication, need for constant change, and challenging situations; they are highly educated, outgoing, and varied, and many aspire to be famous. Most are career-oriented and are willing to change jobs at regular intervals for more growth, better opportunities, and better appraisals. In contrast, this gives rise to the question of why employees are finding it difficult to stay glued to their company chairs for a particularly long time. One of the main reasons is the lack of employee engagement.

The lack of employee engagement in US offices has been in the spotlight for an extended time. Estimates show that about 87% of employees are inactively engaged at work.

This gives the impression that only 13% of employees are actively willing to do their jobs and perform them to the best of their abilities.

Employee engagement is an arduous, expensive, and timeconsuming process that demands active participation from

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Adapting to New Norms

management in most firms. There are numerous programs and ideas for increasing employee engagement. However, it may be time for businesses to ask employees what they want from their employers and what it would take to retain them and boost their productivity and performance to new heights. Employers can also urge employees to gladly share their thoughts and ideas on how to improve their workplace.

This will help in employee engagement and enhance the workplace's culture. The input from everyone makes the environment an engaging and sporty one.

There are ways to retain employees and make the workplace a hub for idea sharing and brainstorming.

Various consultants and thought leaders have produced extensive work around employee retention and gladly share their data. Seeking help from these companies to have flexible workplaces and clearly defined opportunities to develop employee careers is considered a great step to start retaining employees. The new generation of employees wants better authentic and hyper-relevant communications to employees.

engagement, retention, productivity, and performance are respected and developed. Nevertheless, talking about it with no or little action continues to send a strong message to employees that their boss has more important things to do than listen and take action on their suggestions for improved retention.

The top elements that increase work loyalty include spending time creating connections and establishing goaloriented initiatives for team members to participate in.

Acquiring top talent that sticks with the organization is critical to the profit margin and keeps revenue in the company going upwards. All these efforts reap benefits for employees and companies together in the long run. The shift in the working ways of employees has changed the job market in the United States and will continue to do so. It is crucial that the transition is smooth for corporations and employees both as the industry enters a new era of Job Hopping.

It is far more effective when this communication is presented across several channels that best reach their employees. Most suggestions for improving employee

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Trailblazing Women of the Construction Industry to Follow in 2022

Bringing Brands to Life

W

ith a unique perspective across multiple platforms, Jenny Haag spent almost 20 years in the construction and sports industry across various sectors, bringing brands to life and developing her knowledge and expertise with her venture, RISE Design Build Integration.

As the Founder and the President, Jenny is known to address clients' issues and elevate brands through built environments and experiences. With a background in many aspects of custom fabrication and construction projects, RISE brings an unmatched background and skillset to its clients and projects.

Filling Gap for Teams and Contractors While working for the Minnesota Vikings, Jenny was responsible for several design and construction projects for US Bank Stadium and the teams' headquarters and training facility, Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center. She managed everything from branding, artwork, signage, sponsor integration, FF&E to wayfinding.

After working in a construction trailer in their field office for the headquarters and training facility, Jenny then realized there was a niche in the sports construction world. They were often touring teams, team owners, and executives through their facilities, looking to learn anything and everything they could.

Jenny says, "When a team finds themselves building a new venue or renovating a current one, it can be overwhelming.

Often teams do not have the internal resources to manage all that comes with these types of projects. With my knowledge and expertise in these types of projects, I decided to launch RISE and help fill that gap for teams and even contractors."

RISE is a full-service management company providing design and branding integration into custom fabrication and construction projects.

In the last few years, it has been incredibly rewarding for Jenny to work with the Las Vegas Raiders, Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers, and Minnesota Vikings, bringing their iconic brands to life in their new and existing venues.

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Jenny Haag

Founder and President

RISE Design Build Integration

Having Unparalleled Experience Jenny started RISE in 2018 to expand her work into sports, events, real estate, and construction industries. She has unparalleled experience in the world of sports venues and properties, working across a wide range of disciplines.

Jenny's incredible knowledge, work ethic, and relationship building are what separates RISE from the rest. Her ability and insight to work across multiple platforms give her a unique knowledge of all things in the design, build, and integration process.

Providing Confidence and Trusted Partnership for Clients Jenny and her teams' mission at RISE is to provide confidence and a trusted partnership for their clients. They bring a different perspective and expertise by being on the team side and knowing their clients' challenges. Their goal is to serve as a co-pilot for their clients and help make their visions a reality.

Collaborating for a Greater Cause Having worked with several different teams and different contractors, Jenny has found that her niche resonates with many people. She is often referred to as an owner's rep for design. There can often be a disconnect between contractors and different scopes of work. Jenny's role is to make sure all parties are on the same page and are all at the table collaborating to ensure clients' brand presence is weaved throughout a venue.

Having Virtual Options to Connect with the World The biggest thing everyone at RISE has learned in the last few years is how interconnected the world can be through the use of technology. They have found ways to review site conditions, meet with vendors, review materials, etc., virtually in construction. Jenny says, "The world has shifted to think outside the box of how to access each other and information. We travel all over the country for many projects, but it has helped tremendously having virtual options to connect with clients, contractors, and partners."

Incorporating Local Community into Projects Jenny would like to see the industry continue to push the envelope working with more diverse contractors, vendors, and artists and finding local in-market resources. Almost all

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RISE clients are looking for ways to incorporate their local community into their projects. It is a way for owners to build a sense of community with their real estate and construction projects which can sometimes be challenging due to tax increases for local taxpayers. Jenny says, "When you have local community members walk through a new facility and feel a part of it, it's a win for everyone."

Proactively Looking for Alternative Resources Jenny says that one current challenge in the fabrication and construction industry is the supply chain and sourcing of materials. She thinks RISE needs to get more creative in how it designs and specific materials for its projects. There are several great domestic resources for products that it should be looking to use. It often uses the same manufacturers and vendors, and Jenny thinks RISE needs to be proactive in looking for alternative resources.

Continuing Doing Great Work and Building Partnerships Jenny says, "We feel lucky to have started this journey four years ago not knowing exactly where the path would take us, and we continue to live that mantra today. We are blessed to work with some of the best in the sports and construction industries and feel humbled daily. We plan to continue to do great work and build lifelong partnerships with those we work with and forge new relationships producing the best work we can."

Trusting Ourselves and Choosing Encouraging Association Jenny advises aspiring entrepreneurs in the construction sector to believe in themselves first and foremost. She asks them to surround themselves with people who believe in them and support them. Jenny often has people ask her how she knew she wanted to start a business and how she made the leap. She says, "There isn't a magic answer other than I believed in myself and had a very supportive network that encouraged me, was willing to help me, and continues to support me."

Jenny concludes by saying, life is short so take the leap…

It's worth it!"

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Simone de Gale

Founder, and Chief Executive

Simone de Gale Architects

Trailblazing Women of the Construction Industry to Follow in 2022

Crafting Architecture that Connects to Nature

F

rom the brilliant mind of Simone de Gale, an architecture company is redefining the rules of modern architecture by staying true to its roots nature. She started her venture, Simone de Gale Architects, to fulfil her vision of providing top-quality architecture backed by sustainable and cost-effective designs. The company is built to deliver best-in-class design services while caring about the environment.

Each project we gain is part of our path to becoming an organization that delivers world-class design services at different scales, following a company ethos to develop rules of design that follow the principle of rhythm, pattern, and repetition in the form and function of a design proposition.

This embodies new construction techniques such as modular construction, sustainability, and top-quality construction informed by cost-effective propositions.

As the Chief Executive, Simone is sculpting the company in innovative methods of building structures by introducing new techniques to keep the designs qualitative. She is on a mission to take her company to the next level, creating massive employment opportunities for many people and empowering them to nurture themselves.

We at Insights Success had the opportunity to get to know Simone de Gale, her passion, organization, and views about the architectural world.

Below are the highlights of the interview: Brief our audience about your journey as a business leader until your current position at Simone de Gale.

What challenges did you have to overcome to reach where you are today?

The vision is not ever ours; it is always yours.

I started my company at the end of 2009 when I completed my part 2 studies in architecture. The journey has been very simple, nurture and grow and create some fantastic work.

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to secure interesting, profitable projects. We have been awarded numerous awards for our design skills and also for our business acumen. Our style is really focused on the new emerging technologies and practices which allow construction projects to improve embodied carbon and the sustainability lifecycle of the project. We have projects in Central London and Internationally, and we have excellent communication tools which allow us to work with client teams effectively and efficiently all across the world. We have the ambition to grow to a large corporation, and this ambition drives our motivation and project acquisition, as well as our business model. The organization is very focused.

Undeniably, technology is playing a significant role in almost every sector. How are you leveraging technological advancements to make your solutions resourceful?

Tell us something more about SGA, its mission and vision.

We work from a set of theoretical and mathematical principles, developing our projects into an exploration of rhythm, pattern, and repetition of form and material.

Our innovative use of these classical rules of Architecture informs direction, distance, and use of space. We embody an ethos connecting directly to the original architect, nature.

Our style has developed over a number of years, with our most prominent projects translating into a master plan in Tbilisi, Georgia, which we are working with Georgian politicians and their largest distribution firm, the Omega Group. Our Spherical Art Gallery evolved into a next-gen Patented Materials Processing Technique, strengthening construction, and manufacturing materials, working with the Ministry of Defence UK and top universities.

Enlighten us on how you have made an impact in the Architect niche through your expertise in the market.

We have been able to make such a great impact with our business as it is a 100% black Caribbean and woman-led organization. Many women and persons from different ethnic backgrounds are inspired by our portfolio and ability

We are working on refining our technology policy each year as technology develops. We have excellent communication tools and ways of sharing design information and documents with clientele and within the design team. This means that technology advancements are very important to us, and acknowledging new developments is key to continuing to improve and provide better solutions to our clientele. There is a technology that runs our practice and technology which can be embedded into our projects. We are always working to inform our clientele of the latest developments and provide recommendations, design insight, and specifications for our clientele.

If given a chance, what change would you like to bring in the Interior industry?

The interior industry is one which is very important to our work. We have an interior design department, and is it a strong arm in terms of revenue income stream, and in addition, it is an extension of our design style within architecture projects. Very often, we will start an architecture project with a client and then be commissioned to complete fit-out interior design projects as an extension of the original commission. I would like to bring more holistic and sustainable practices to interiors. We procure sustainable and locally resourced materials as much as we can, which improves quality and reduces transportation emissions. It also feeds into the narrative of investing in the local economy by purchasing from local suppliers. I would like to see these practises more often in Interior design projects.

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What, according to you, could be the next big change in the Masterplan industry? How is SGA preparing to be a part of that change?

The next big change in masterplan design in the public realm – more and more interesting public spaces are being designed and brought into key parts of masterplan projects.

It is integral to continue to understand how and why people use space and how this can inform a masterplan design.

Perhaps the public realm will become the centre or core of a successful masterplan, in how people inhabit space that belongs to no one and is shared by everyone.

Where do you envision yourself to be in the long run and what are your future goals for SGA? My future goal is to continue to grow the business until we have several hundred employees. I love designing, I love business, but the best part of this lifestyle is providing jobs for people. For me to be empowered to nurture design talent and watch people grow within my organization is extremely satisfying. At the time of starting my organization, I did not really think about this aspect, but the moment I made my first hire, I have cherished the experience to an extent it has become the best part of the job.

What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs who aspire to venture into the Innovation sector?

My advice for budding entrepreneurs is to just do it. There is never the perfect time to start a business or to have a perfect product or service, but the moment you start, you will learn, grow, challenge, and become better, and the journey will open up many interesting and welcome surprises on just what it is to be an innovator.

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ith the emergence of industry 4.0, technological trends are advancing at lightning speed. Despite the company's size or industry, tech advancements are rapidly shaping a blueprint of how we will do business in the future. According to Mckinsey, technological progress will exceed the preceding years, and that's where data-driven branding will shape the future in the coming years. Here the question arises what technological trends do executives and companies need to be aware of? The answer to this question is below in this article.

Increasing Curiosity with Tech Branding these days is primarily done through data, where the data is sorted, managed, and organized. You think of some product and search for it on the internet; it follows you everywhere. This is basically due to the increasing number of Internet-connected devices, which will reach 21 billion by 2025. Every second, 127 devices get connected to the internet for the first time. The internet is advancing rapidly with increased network agility and the ability to deploy, automate, and secure use cases. The potential lies in leveraging branding to automate various business processes.

AI allows computers to harness huge amounts of data and cognitive artifacts to fill the gap between the digital and physical worlds. In this competitive world, the key to successful branding lies in how we can stay afloat and navigate our organization through a massive pool of unstructured data.

Effective Branding Management Each company is a data company; it is only unstructured data that needs to be used to create value in the market. In 2020, a massive amount of data was created and replicated; more people worked and learned from home, so there was a higher data growth rate than predicted.

Managing data might be a problem here, but the IT department can analyze it quickly and effectively.

Companies now realize the power of branding with data and have grown their significance across the markets. The most effective management of structuring data relies primarily on the ability to implement these building blocks: The right data for branding, at the right time, to the right location, in the right format.

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Impact of Digitalization

In establishing an efficient branding database from a data management strategy, the first step is to identify the right data because “all branding data is not created equal.” By asking the following questions, you can demonstrate the importance of branding with data to manage it efficiently and effectively: 1. Is it a critical asset that the company can profit from data by processing it promptly to increase revenue, reduce costs, and improve customer satisfaction?

2. Is it critical from a regulatory perspective?

3. Is it critical from an IP perspective?

Finding the right data for branding is only a part of the solution; there are many other tools to determine the right data. You have to find a holistic unstructured data management platform to deliver all the building blocks.

Dynamic data branding can help you to stay above and can dramatically impact your company's ability to: • Be agile to meet the competition • Make data-driven decisions for the right branding • Maximize the returns on your branding • Fine-tune your branding to ensure the efficient processing of data • Properly align branding costs with efficient data processing requirements

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Ensure that you are meeting branding regulatory requirements

Conclusion The answer to all this is to keep building curiosity for the customers with the data-driven tools; that is where people will feel connected with the brand. The growing influence of technological tools can be used to reach people globally.

Throughout the foreseeable future, the technology and digitalization of services will continue to act as a primary driver of marketing, branding, and promoting the products and services. There will be some gap still remaining between the physical and digital world for leaders. And that is where they will pitch to work together among teams, management, and the clients.

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Valeria Segovia

Design Director and Principal

Gensler

Valeria Segovia

Trailblazing Women of the construction industry to follow in 2022

Delivering Designs to Create a Better World with a Sense of Responsibility

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onfronting the challenges in the world by utilizing design excellence can help people create a better world. When Valeria Segovia felt an enormous sense of responsibility to set a precedent, she felt a need to show other younger women that anything is possible, fueling her thoughts to think that whatever she achieves is for them.

One of Valeria's core values as an architect and person is the importance of happiness and joy, and it all comes together when her partners, teams, clients have a good time in the process and a the end of a project.

As a Design Director and Principal at Gensler, Valeria leverages her 17 years of experience to lead project teams to deliver design excellence for clients by adopting a forward-thinking and holistic approach.

Embracing Different Cultures and Celebrating Diversity Valeria was born in a highly urban context within a polarized socioeconomic landscape of incredibly colorful Mexico; filled with rich culture, strong heritage, and a strong sense of community. The city shaped the way she navigated her career. However, she left Mexico to study in Italy and London, embracing different cultures and celebrating diversity.

Challenges started appearing as Valeria attained leadership positions.

Numerous times, she was the only one with an accent in the room or the lone female voice with professional developers, designers, and engineers.

Guided by determined optimism, we believe the power of design can spark positive change and create a future that promotes equity, resilience, and wellbeing for everyone.

In her experience, the more senior the environment, the less diverse it became. As a Mexican woman, she had to double up her confidence to reassure others that she could do the task.

Valeria had a solid support base at Gensler. She felt like her voice was heard, her opinion counted, and her point of view was critical, making her feel accountable and responsible to ensure that others feel the same way.

Incredible Inspiring Ethos Gensler's ethos is incredibly inspiring, and it prioritizes people, the Gensler family, its clients, and communities.

Gensler delivers designs to create a better world and has publicly expressed its commitment to Climate action. There is no way back; it has created a roadmap to transform Gensler’s portfolio to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 and is imagining how it can build cities without solely relying on offsetting for carbon neutrality.

Valeria believes, "We cannot be building the new problems of tomorrow; we must constantly evaluate what we are doing and the impact it has on the environment."

Focusing on Design Excellence Since day one, Valeria has focused her career on design excellence; she has three essential words: context, process, and people. She asserts, "Design is all around us; everywhere you look, there is design; what makes it count is its context and how context interacts with design. Context can be many things; geographical, historical, political, economic, and more." Valeria believes that an essential aspect of good design is its relevance which is dictated by its relationship with its context.

Valeria thinks that a good design is a product of a rigorous process that is clinical and measured on the one hand but visceral and intuitive on the other hand. The process should always be reflected in some way in the outcome. She says, "It takes time to build buildings, and even more in London, so it is important to make sure that there is joy in the process and the outcome."

Helping Designers Bridge Workflows Valeria says that technology is significant for the design and construction industry at all levels and not only throughout the design and construction but for the life of the building.

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Gensler has developed platforms to help designers bridge workflows and disciplines better. Technology is an integral part of the project process. It needs to stay on the cutting edge to allow for self-learning and adaptation not only for efficiency but to create design innovation. There are now incredible computational tools that enable Gensler to test environmental conditions and other aspects as part of the design process and not as an afterthought.

Valeria says, "There is much discussion about the Meta Verse; it is so impressive what can be designed in the virtual world and to see that there is a different way to create not only experiences but other aspects of a person's lifestyle."

Bringing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to Everything Valeria says, "We have seen the entire world change, adapt, and flex in such a drastic way in the last couple of years.

We are starting to realize that this is an opportunity like no other to disrupt the way we live, work, design, and interact with people."

Gensler is fully committed to bringing diversity, equity, and inclusion to everything it does and making sure all voices are at the table, and affecting meaningful change.

Addressing Critical Issues of the World Valeria sees herself in a world where there is no ego, where everyone's voice counts, and everyone's needs are addressed. She says, "As designers, we can resolve some issues by creating a design process that is inclusive and collaborative, where all projects are purpose-driven and where we prioritize the most critical issues of the world."

Valeria likes to be surrounded by leaders who lead with compassion and co-workers who care for each other and the world. She sees herself in an industry where research and data are shared between practices and disciplines with a common goal and no hidden agendas.

Prioritizing Human Needs And Utilizing Technology Valeria asks entrepreneurs to work as an integrated design team with architects, service designers, and brand designers to shape experiences collaboratively. She asks them to seek diversity of the team in crafting the experience - not only diversity of expertise but the diversity of lived experiences different backgrounds, ages, life roles, histories.

Valeria continues her advice, "What's most important is to start with the needs/intent of the space NOT the medium by which those needs are addressed. Technology solutions don't have to be obviously "digital" in this day and ages. We should consider how data can be leveraged to drive value.

Valeria asks entrepreneurs to seek answers to intelligent questions. It can also become a stimulus for discussion. It can provide personalized experiences and empower service people. She thinks it is best to consider human needs first and what technologies might best support them.

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