Rob MacDonald is the regional director at MEC Consulting Group which operates nationwide from offices in Birmingham, Brighton and Leicester.
IN ONE SENTENCE, WHAT DOES YOUR COMPANY DO? MEC is a multi-disciplinary technical consultancy delivering engineering and environmental services to housebuilders, developers, landowners, planning consultants and architects for residential and commercial development.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN YOUR CURRENT JOB? I joined MEC in December 2023 to re-establish the firm’s Birmingham office, which opened on Temple Street in the city centre in April 2024.
GIVE A SUMMARY OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE: I’ve always worked in construction; I like problem solving and knowing how things work so Civil Engineering was the obvious choice for my degree. After graduating from Coventry University, I joined the management trainee programme at Taylor Wimpey and this began my career in housebuilding. I’ve since spent two decades in the sector, including roles at Cala Group, Wain Homes and Hayfield before joining MEC.
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR CAREER HIGHLIGHTS? One development I’m particularly proud of is Long Marston Airfield. This designated garden village was set to create 3,500 homes and I was project director for the Cala development of 400 homes. I led the site through planning, delivered all the earthworks infrastructure, roads and sewers, managed contractors, set budgets, designed the sales centre & showhome complex, all through Covid. It was one of the most complex projects at a complex time. It’s now almost entirely built and it’s so rewarding when I drive past and know I delivered the development.
My other career highlights are where I’ve built teams. At Wain Homes, I set up the new West Midlands region. In two years, I’d grown the team from three to 20, delivered four successful planning applications and had three live sites. I’m pleased to say I’ve led similar growth for MEC Birmingham. We started with two of us and a year later, have a team of 10 working across four disciplines. If I stop and think, these are both “I did this” moments.
HOW MANY EMAILS DO YOU TEND TO GET IN A DAY, AND HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU HAVE TO READ THEM? I receive upwards of 50 emails per day and I use my inbox as my to do list. I limit the amount I want to manage at any one time and once they’re actioned, they get filed. I’m quite disciplined about this because if it builds, it becomes too chaotic.
HOW DO YOU GET THE BEST OUT OF YOUR STAFF? I aim to empower. I trust my team to manage their own time and get the work done. It’s more about a quality output than insisting on a 9-5 routine.
I also try to create a culture of excellence. When you get that pat on the back from a client, it’s rewarding. This means people are proud of the work they present. If you have this culture, I find staff feel more engaged and are willing to go the extra mile. I learnt this from Roger Northam, my MD at Taylor Wimpey. He worked hard to create an inclusive environment; he was fair when he had to be ‘the boss’ and this management style bred success.
HOW DO YOU HOPE YOUR COLLEAGUES WOULD DESCRIBE YOU? I think they’d say I’m outgoing and easy to talk to. I’m quite an intuitive person; I pick up on body language and can understand people easily. I know when to push, when to listen and when to offer support, and this has helped me make connections as well as become a good judge of character.
IF YOU COULD GO BACK AND GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF ADVICE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Try not to be so cocky! I was 17 when I started in housebuilding, I’d never set foot in an office before, it was all completely unfamiliar. Yet in one of my first meetings with the MD, he asked me where I saw my career going. Without thinking, I said: “I want to be in your chair!" The room fell silent. In my defence, I was ambitious and wanted to impress but this wasn’t the time. Looking back, I’d tell that 17-year-old to be a bit more reserved, less headstrong and realise he has a lot to learn. Although I’d probably still do it again!
ANY PARTICULAR FAUX PAS OR EMBARRASSING MOMENTS IN YOUR CAREER YOU WOULD PREFER TO FORGET? Aside from the above, another embarrassing moment was when the Cala team entered the Palace to Palace bike ride. I’d just started with the company and thought this would be a good way to get to know people.
The plan was to drive down the night before and get a coach to the start line at 6.30am. I was really sensible, I had an early night, no drinks and set two alarms to make sure I wouldn’t be late. To ensure I had a good night’s sleep, I took a Nytol. This was a mistake. It knocked me out. I woke up at 6.45am and ended up being 50 minutes late for the coach. Everyone was waiting, including Cala’s CEO. They didn’t believe my story and that walk of shame down the bus is something I’d rather forget!
PET HATES? Laziness drives me insane. Making excuses is another one, especially if it’s to avoid responsibility. I strongly believe in being accountable for your actions.
HOW DO YOU RELAX AWAY FROM WORK? I like watching films, going to the gym and the football (I’m a Birmingham City fan) plus going out for food and drinks (undoing all my gym work!). I’m lucky to have a really sociable family - we enjoy being together, including on holiday.
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS SPECIAL ABOUT THE BIRMINGHAM BUSINESS COMMUNITY? It’s extremely diverse. There’s a multitude of clients we can work with and new businesses appearing all the time. This influx of growth is very noticeable, particularly where we are in the city centre, and I think this, along with the HS2 link, is changing the stature of Birmingham. Plus, it has a vibrant after-work culture that’s useful for networking.
YOU CAN TAKE ONE BOOK, ONE FILM AND ONE CD ONTO A DESERT ISLAND – WHAT WOULD THEY BE? For the book, I’d take Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Hurari. One film I could watch again and again is Interstellar. And Joshua Tree by U2 for the album.
WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE TO EAT FOR YOUR LAST SUPPER? This is so difficult because I’m a foodie! It’s definitely a takeaway, so either a pizza, kebab or Five Guys. Probably a Five Guys with large Cajun chips and a milkshake.
