SUMMARY

The UK construction industry is changing fast – shaped by new technology, shifting markets and the growing demand for skilled people who can lead with confidence.

In Episode 76 of the Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast, two senior industry figures tell Visiting Honorary Professor Mike Sassi what it really takes to build a successful career in construction.

Jonathan Suckling, Director at VolkerWessels UK, and Garry Julyan, Commercial MD at TClarke Contracting, both graduated from NTU in 1994.

Since then, they’ve helped deliver projects ranging from viaducts on High Speed 2 to London landmarks like The Shard.

Back in Nottingham to meet today’s students, they reflect on lessons learned across 30 years of building, bidding, negotiating and leading high-performing teams.

LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS from Jonathan Suckling and Garry Julyan

Early career networks become long-term professional assets

GJ: “All roads lead back [to NTU] … you meet people along the way, and it opens conversation. It always helps.”

Leadership means listening, delegating and trusting others

GJ: “You have to delegate and trust in the individuals who work for you. If you can’t trust others… you’ve got a limited capability to expand.”

Soft skills matter as much as technical skills

JS: “Technical skills will get you so far… but if you want to be a director of a big organisation, without people skills it’s very, very hard to succeed.”

Authenticity stands out – especially in an AI-driven world

JS: “My advice [to young managers and leaders] is, be creative, be yourself… if you want to make a difference, stand out.”

Resilience is often built through crisis leadership

GJ: “Covid was sudden… you had to act decisively, to protect the business. You had to [learn to] make decisions you didn’t like to make.”

Create a culture where people aren’t afraid to speak up

JS: “If there’s a problem… people need to shout out early, because they feel safe to do so. If they don’t… that’s when you can lose millions of pounds.”

Long-term relationships strengthen careers and leadership

JS: “When you stay in a business a long time… the relationships you form really help you… they give you the best chance of getting to the top.”

Embrace technology – but not blindly

JS: “Use tech, but don’t rely on it… What you get our is only as good as what you put in. You’ve got to use your wider experience to make the final call.”

Self-reflection is essential for continuous improvement

GJ: “Be positive, be inquisitive… and above all else be critical and analyse your performance… If you can assess how you performed, you will get better and become more successful.”

RELATED LINKS

If you enjoyed this episode of the Business Leaders’ Podcast with Jonathan Suckling and Garry Julyan, listen to previous shows with…

• The MD of Via East Midlands and Arc Partnership Dan Maher

• Managing Director at Morgan Sindall Sean Bowles

• Dubai-based developer Louise Rodrigues

• Construction round table with Class of ’84 NTU engineering grads Chris Evans, Colin Collier and Neil Gibson…

Leadership roundtable – Why soft skills matter in the construction industry