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Mott MacDonald has been a leader in infrastructure and consultancy for years. How do you envision the next phase of growth, particularly in South Asia, and what role does innovation play in this?
India needs well-designed, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, which supports its growing urban population and its position as a leading provider of goods and services to the global economy.
We have an enviable track record working with clients to deliver procurement and delivery models. As we continue to grow our South Asia business, we will be drawing on our existing experience and adding skills as we keep up with modern technological advances. This will enable us to cater to a wider range of clients, which are growing themselves and need additional support.
We help clients to push the boundaries when it comes to sustainability and sustainable outcomes, whether this is through social value, energy efficiency or enhancing the life of an asset. We are a leader in carbon management and can advise organisations on how to reduce the whole-life carbon of an asset from the initial design and construction, through its operational life to decommissioning.
Technology and innovation will also be critical in the next phase of growth. Automation, artificial intelligence (AI) and data management will all have a major role to play in optimising the design and planning of infrastructure projects.
What has been your approach to managing Mott MacDonald's Global Delivery Services, and how does this global function contribute to the company’s overall success?
We have around 1000 people working in our Global Design Centre, 750 of these are in India and this number continues to grow. This team has a vast range of design, engineering and digital expertise and they work globally as part of an integrated project team.
My approach has been to focus on our PRIDE (progress, respect, integrity, drive, excellence) values and bringing the best out of all our colleagues. We are constantly thinking about improving technically and digitally, and how we can innovate to drive efficiency into what we do. As a result, we are being called upon not just to support projects but to lead them too.
Last year our Global Delivery Centre contributed to 518 projects for clients across the world. We are contributing to a range of projects including HS2 in the UK, sewerage and water schemes in the UK and an airport in New Zealand. Our Digital Hub is seen as a centre of excellence and has over 120 colleagues working on digital solutions that enhance Mott MacDonald’s capability globally.
For instance, a recent project in the UK put machine learning at the heart of an application for surveying the many thousands of trees that flank roads and railways being attacked by a fungus and causing a significant loss of trees. We helped develop a system where vehicle-mounted cameras recorded information and then we trained AI to identify unhealthy trees, mapping and digitally tagging them for felling. The process is many times faster than traditional surveys reliant on human observation; it is also more accurate and much safer.
Sustainability is a critical focus for Mott MacDonald. Could you share some initiatives or projects that have had a notable impact on environmental sustainability, especially in the South Asia region?
We have been supporting the development of sustainable transport infrastructure in India for the past 13 years – reducing air pollution, fuel consumption and road congestion and enhancing the lives of people who live there. For example, we piloted the first 'intelligent’ transport system in the city of Mysore – using GPS to provide real-time information about bus services to passengers and bus operators. More reliable buses led to less private car use. We have also created non-motorised zones in five pilot cities and developed the first public bike sharing scheme in Mysore in 2012 – another first.
We advise our clients on how to improve resource and energy efficiency, helping to recover costs, reduce emissions and meet climate goals. One of our renewable energy success stories is a major urban water treatment facility, serving more than 1M people, which is powered entirely by biogas generated during water sanitation.
As a company, Mott MacDonald is committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2040 and we were one of the first companies to have our net-zero target validated by the Science Based Targets initiative.
Digital innovation is revolutionizing the infrastructure sector. How is Mott MacDonald integrating cutting-edge technology like AI, data analytics, and digital twins into its global operations?
Digital innovation is having a transformative impact on the infrastructure sector. Automating repetitive tasks creates opportunities for massive time and cost savings in the design of airports, metros, hospitals and other vital infrastructure. It gives designers and engineers time back to be creative.
In India, our global design centre is at the forefront if this. We are using AI to enhance project delivery and operational efficiency, optimise design processes and identify potential risks before they materialise. This proactive approach helps reduce costs and ensures the longevity and safety of the infrastructure we develop. Client requests for Digital Twins are increasing – we provide support to develop them for maintenance or carbon identification during construction.
Our use of data analytics allows us to harness vast amounts of data generated by our projects. We are gaining valuable insights that drive decision-making, improve project outcomes, and enhance client satisfaction. Being able to monitor real-time performance, track progress and make informed adjustments ensures that our projects meet the highest standards of quality and efficiency.
Our commitment to digital innovation is supported by a collaborative global network of experts so we can be sure that we are applying global best practices and leveraging the latest technological advancements across all our operations.
How do you balance Mott MacDonald's global strategy with local needs in markets like South Asia? Could you provide an example of a project where local adaptation was crucial to its success?
Well-designed, sustainable, inclusive infrastructure projects start with an understanding of the local context. Through our team of multi-disciplinary experts, we explore critical questions to intricate challenges, ensuring there are far-reaching social outcomes in everything we do.
What are the local climate challenges? If we are working in an area of water scarcity, then water recycling should be integrated into the project. What does the local workforce look like? If we want local people to benefit through better jobs then how can we fill skills gaps? These are the kinds of questions that our global experts and local teams work together to answer every day. In our industry work, we are addressing inclusive design to meet local needs. We prioritize equitable access to facilities in our design thinking and that not only benefits the client but potentially the untapped female workforce in the area.
With talent being a critical asset, especially in South Asia, how do you approach talent development and ensure Mott MacDonald attracts and retains top professionals in the region?
India has an unrivaled talent pool that provides employers with a fantastic opportunity. To attract and retain talent you need to have a multi-faceted approach that talks to different people at different stages of their career. At Mott MacDonald we have a single approach across the whole of India where we aim to get the right balance between reward, training, career progression and project experience. Monetary reward is always a key factor, but so is being recognised by your colleagues for something you have done, working on exciting and challenging projects and gaining new skills and capability.
Having opportunities to take the next step in your development is also really important, for example, joining as a graduate and progressing to leading a team and talking directly to our clients. We also have special initiatives to attract great talent into workstreams, such as our career returners programme, which has drawn a number of colleagues back to work after a gap in their CVs.
You spend a lot of time at work and so we try to make everyone feel part of a larger team through Employee Engagement Teams who organise initiatives and inclusive events for staff in each location. A happy, engaged and vibrant workplace allows for growth, creativity and collaboration at work and creates a social network of employees that, in turn, helps with retention.
Our business is full of brilliant people from diverse backgrounds and we encourage them to share knowledge, mentoring colleagues and helping them achieve their potential. At Mott MacDonald, we are an employee-owned business and our people and communities are an integral driver of everything we do.
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