Entries by Steven Pease
Why cool Scandinavia is one of Europe’s hottest data centre markets
To mark the launch of MiCiM Nordic, we explored what makes the Scandinavian region so attractive for data centre investment.
To mark the launch of MiCiM Nordic, we explored what makes the Scandinavian region so attractive for data centre investment.
Operations Manager (MEP)
“Although an out of the box thinker, I still consider myself primarily a strategist as opposed to a tactician and favour a collaborative Project Management approach with a focus on early engagement of all key stakeholders to identify and resolve any potential problems before they become actual problems.”
Steve is an experienced and motivated manager of multi-discipline and diverse projects across a wide range of industry sectors with demonstrable success in the delivery of technically complex and innovative applications particularly within scientific research and mission critical sectors.
Steve is a big supporter of early commissionability, prefabrication and modularisation strategies to de-risk project delivery and provide better clarity and certainty of cost and programme requirements. Steve is always looking for new and innovative technologies and approaches to further support the success of the project.
Aside from work Steve has two lovely, amazingly talented and equally demanding young children who keep him on his toes and most of their down time is spent together. Steve is an occasional golfer and culinary experimentalist (both with varying degrees of success) and keen endurance motorsport and international rugby fan.
Construction Project Manager
“I aim to achieve client/customer satisfaction, by bringing a calm approach to a construction project team to deliver quality projects, safely and on time, bringing together and using the knowledge & experience of the design & construction teams in the office and on-site for a more collaborative approach.”
Paul has worked on a diverse range of projects across the UK, Ireland & Europe, from pre-construction to handover stage and has extensive experience within a number of construction sectors, including; Aviation, Education, Nuclear, Housing, Infrastructure & Datacentres.
A highly motivated, individual with good punctuality, self-organisation and a strong awareness of health and safety regulations in relation to onsite practices holding competencies in a wide range of programmes.
His role includes set up of project, quality control, health and safety, managing subcontractors, reviewing and updating logistics plans, construction schedules/programs, managing materials and traffic control. His key strengths are delivering to tight deadlines, excellent organisational skills and foreseeing problems ahead of time in order to deal with them efficiently.
Outside of work, Paul has 3 little ladies to keep him on his toes and on the odd occasion he gets spare time he likes to attend the gym, watches sports and loves to take on DIY projects.
Operations Manager (International Construction)
“Trust but verify, in our face paced world, trust your team and suppliers but verify everything – there is very little time in our clients demanding schedules to recover errors. Stay curious and keep asking questions.”
John started out in the construction industry over 30 years ago initially with the UK MoD working on complex classified projects.
Since then there has been no stopping him, ranging from urban cable car systems to car plans to nuclear power plants around Europe, Johns career has inevitably lead him to the critical environment as an allied industry to his past experience. Completely home in any number of roles be it client-side or contractor project director, John loves the challenge of driving a team to get a project over the line.
Outside of work John will normally be found tinkering with his land rovers or playing guitar.
Operations Manager (Technical)
“Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people. Being able to unify staff, consultants and contractors into a team, to be able to share the vision of delivery and have buy-in from stakeholders is the key to success. I’m excited to be part of the MiCiM team who are spearheading our drive further into international markets with new and exciting clients”
Garry is a versatile professional with 32+ years rich and extensive experience in European, Middle East and Asian construction markets. A MC3 Best Companies 1 star + Manager. He is articulate and demonstrates excellent interpersonal skills, strong technical and methodical aptitude with ability to analyse, coordinate and manage large and complex installations, with a strong focus on the end users requirements. Garry has the natural ability to bridge a team of international, multi-cultural staff and motivate a healthy climate within the department / organisation to achieve business objectives in busy and challenging environments.
He is experienced in a range of major multi-disciplined construction projects, by way of example; hyperscale data centres, hospitals, education establishments, residential, high-rise towers, airports, oceanariums, luxury hotels and casino resorts. An influential and resourceful Project Lead, from a contracting background with experience/knowledge of building construction, design, finance and management from design concept to project handover. An outstanding track record managing international multi-million dollar projects for major blue-chip clients consistently to standards, legislation, deadline and budget.
Garry’s down time is with his family, in the garden with his wife or with his two sons going to watch football and rugby and if the Scottish weather permits, coastal fishing. He finds it beneficial to spend an hour or so lifting weights in the gym. It is his time to switch off and to focus his thoughts away from work activities.
Operations Manager (Commercial)
“I am a firm believer that with good preparation and attention to detail, excellent communication and being true to your word, you can deliver quality experiences time and time again. I get immense satisfaction from seeing a project come together with my ultimate objective always being a very happy client at the end of it.”
A focused, driven commercially orientated Operations Manager with over a decade of experience in the data centre design and build industry and a 25+ years track record of delivering excellent service to clients.
Originally a MiCIM Project Manager, Lisa is used to working in very fast paced environments, has a strong background of delivering quality solutions and working with professionals at all levels to achieve business objectives.
Lisa is also involved in the development and execution of company initiatives such as Women in Construction, Equality & Diversity and Sustainability as well as working to develop the next generation of the MiCiM team.
Outside of work Lisa can usually be found enjoying nature, walking through Ashridge Forest in Hertfordshire, pottering around in her garden, or doing astrology.
Commercial Executive
“I am keen to recruit and expand our QS team to develop and nurture young talent by challenging their expectations and thinking of the mission critical sector.”
Andrew has over 20 years experience in construction, 15 within the Data Centre market across the UK and Europe.
Andrew is responsible for managing the day to day commercial operations for the business as well as offering client advice in regards to change control, cost management, value engineering and contract negotiations.
Andrew has in-depth experience working within live and operational data centres and therefore, fully understands the challenges and opportunities that may arise during data hall build and fit outs and specifically where it is crucial that the clients business operation is not impacted.
When not working, Andy enjoys adding to his property development portfolio, socialising with family and friends and travelling to many different countries.
Project Management Executive
“I strive to achieve customer satisfaction, promote professionalism and leading a team to succuss, it gives me a great deal of self satisfaction and pride in the team to know we have met the customers needs and expectations in a demanding environment.”
Andy has over 30 years experience in the Construction Industry. He has worked in various construction projects ranging from commercial, retail, residential, hotels, high security home office establishments and Data Centres.
He spent nearly 20 years working for main contractors in increasing roles of seniority and responsibility and has 13 years experience in the Data Centre Industry, he has also held senior positions client side and successfully delivered data centre projects in the UK, mainland Europe and Iceland. He also has a dedicated approach to Health and Safety having developed processes and procedures to improve Health and Safety in the work place.
When not at work Andy enjoys spending time with his family, travelling and visiting new places, walking the dogs, eating out and attending sporting events whenever possible.
Country Lead – Ireland
“Every project has challenges, some of them many! Approaching them with a positive attitude and trying to find workable solutions based on facts and experience is key. Communicating to allow all stakeholders to plan is a must.”
Chris has nearly 25 years experience working across multiple sectors within the construction industry, earning his degree in building services from LSBU back in 2006. His career began with Matthew Hall as an electrical engineering apprentice, before working as a Services Manager both in the UK and abroad in Sydney, Australia.
For the last 7 years Chris has held senior Operational roles delivering technically challenging M&E projects in the Residential and DC sectors.
A big believer in communication and leading by example, Chris strives to always do what he has committed too and helping the team achieve their targets whilst delivering the clients desired product.
Away from work, Chris enjoys all sports, travelling and time with his young family. Plus the occasional beer.
Preconstruction & Planning Executive
“Certainty of delivery is key in this Mission Critical environment and my aim is to provide clarity to the Client through the project programme. Each project and its programme is bespoke and I explore every avenue through design, procurement, manufacturing, construction, testing and commissioning to achieve the optimum duration and maximise the Clients income at the earliest opportunity.”
As a naturally inquisitive person, Martin’s 28 years in the industry has lead him to question and challenge all elements of the construction process for each project as he believes you can never stop learning. His career commenced as a trainee planner and has allowed him to work on various project and contract types incl. listed buildings, new build construction, fit out and in the last 10 years Mission Critical facilities.
Working for both Clients and Contractors he excels in providing programming support from the bid through to a successful handover with full progress monitoring and reporting throughout the project lifecycle.
Away from work Martin likes to make the most of his time with his children and working on their smallholding. He’d like to get his smallholding running smoothly and get his kids fully involved with the lifestyle.
Construction Executive
“My aim is to work collaboratively with Clients and Contractors to deliver quality projects safely.”
Martin’s construction career has focused on Data Centres since graduating from Reading University in 2012. After completing the Mace Graduate Programme and working up to Construction Manager, Martin left Mace in 2017 to join MiCiM as a Project Manager.
Martin is hard working and professional and thrives working under pressure to ensure all tasks are completed. Being resourceful with a detailed knowledge of construction and a rounded approach to Mechanical and Electrical elements allows Martin to deliver quality projects. His best quality is the ability to plan work, considering all aspects and outcomes, to determine the best solution for the overall scheme.
Martin plays football to a competitive level and also enjoys playing golf.
Development Executive
“Trust is at the core of my values and therefore to ensure project success our project teams and individuals must have integrity, reliability, accountability, be empowered and have excellent communication skills that support open, transparent and inclusive collaboration.”
Will has 32 years’ experience in the construction industry having first trained as a carpenter before progressing to site manager then to commercial surveyor for a main contractor before moving across to Cost Consultancy and Project Management. In his PM career he has worked on a wide range of projects including production / manufacturing facilities, industrial / distribution centres, office builds and data centres. Prior to MiCiM he was a Director within the Project Management team at Avison Young working for numerous clients including government agencies as well as improving their Best-in-Class services and processes.
Having worked with the MiCiM Directors previously he has joined MiCiM as Development Executive to strengthen our service offering through his extensive knowledge of working with developers and setting up and delivering successful projects. He is committed to the company’s’ core values of a Forward thinking, Client Focused, Collaborative approach to doing business, with an aim to ensuring the customer experience reaches the highest possible standard.
When not working he spends time with his family and dogs near Yarm in the northeast training for his yearly 70.3 Ironman challenge. Having worked in Hungary, France and Germany he also likes to explore and learn from new cultures when possible. First item on his bucket list is a trip to Alaska.
Technical Design & Commissioning Executive
“I am a task-oriented person, and have the ability to maintain focus on multiple items. Also, with experience comes the increased ability to prioritise between important and urgent tasks, to maintain a balance and this way to relieve pressure.”
Villie’s career has always been about managing teams on site, either by managing a 2-person site team for a small pipework modification, to different sub-contractors and the delivery of their packages in coordination with the overall project, or a project team itself. From her experience project managing she has learnt how best to organise workstreams, communicate and collaborate with the project team whilst always keeping the project deadline and the budget in mind, all the way through to a successful completion.
When not working Villie likes to travel, exercise, meet up with friends to cook together, read anything that comes in her hands and occasionally take courses.
Chief Operations Executive
“As MiCiM continue to grow it is vitally important that we maintain our brand core values; being open, honest, collaborative and fair. I take this stance across every aspect of my role.”
Alison is a hardworking, diligent creative individual that has worked in the construction industry for over 15 years, she was promoted to Head of Business Operations in July 2022 to improve the interdepartmental collaboration, develop and improve MiCiM’s processes in order to keep pace with the growth of the company.
Alison manages the day to day functionality of the business and it’s processes, with a focus on improving business operations, internal auditing, messaging and policies.
Alison has progressed her career with MiCiM intially joining as a document controller, through hard work was promoted to her new position because of her drive, enthusiasm and managerial skillset whilst utilising her communication skills to continually build upon MiCiM’s brand and culture.
Alison loves travelling and continues to visit as many new countries as she can with her family.
Project Director
“My personal goal for MiCiM is to continue to build the strength in depth of our team, and to expand our offering to clients without compromising our ethos of honesty and quality of delivery. Also building stronger relationships with our clients, and the other stakeholders in our projects who will then want to continue to come back with repeat business.”
Chris has 38 years of experience in construction covering many sectors of the industry. Being qualified in both Building and Building services he has always fostered a collaborative and coordinated approach to the delivery of projects that bring construction and technical services together rather than the historic them and us attitude.
This approach is particularly useful and successful in the delivery of critical services projects where communication, co-ordination and clear make ready needs are key to the success of the venture. From the late ’90’s he has specialised in Data Centre and critical services projects.
His philosophy has always been to create a “joined up” team approach from clients, consultants, disciplines and trades to deliver what the client expects.
When not working Chris enjoys walking, motorbikes, music and playing tennis – although his wife always beats him!
Technical Director
“After 11 years of Operational Intelligence, I’m delighted to be leading our team into a new chapter with MiCiM.”
Sophia has specialised in data centres since 2004, working as a mechanical engineering consultant with EYP Mission Critical Facilities and then HP. Sophia’s experience included secondments with operations teams which broadened her practical knowledge. Since 2011 she has been a director at Operational Intelligence where she has been a key part of the team helping data centre clients to optimise their reliability and energy efficiency performance. Passionate about sustainability, she has collaborated with colleagues on a number of technical papers on data centre energy efficiency and environmental impact. She enjoys collaborating with different stakeholders to deliver award-winning work.
Outside of work, Sophia enjoys gardening and yoga.
Commercial Director
“I like to challenge convention, both in myself and in others, it helps bring out the best in the team and their ability to grow. Creating a strong team bond is paramount to a united delivery.”
Daniel has 20 years’ experience in the construction industry having trained in both commercial and construction aspects. He has worked on a wide variety of projects ranging from high end residential, commercial offices, hotels and leisure sector, ultimately specialising in Mission Critical facilities.
Daniel co-founded MiCiM in June 2016 following 10 years at one of the UK’s leading Data Centre delivery specialists. He develops long standing relationships with end user clients, consultants and supply chain partners that have spanned the many projects he has been involved in.
In partnership with Richard Herrington, Daniel leads the commercial delivery of MiCiM’s service offerings, both are committed to the company’s core values of a Forward thinking, Client Focused, Collaborative approach to doing business, with an aim to ensuring the customer experience reaches the highest possible standards.
When not working Daniel can be found in the Cotswolds with his family, golfing or dining out. A keen traveller and passionate skier, he’s even known to attend the odd Rugby match or Formula 1 race.
Managing Director
My focus is to ensure each project is setup to succeed, with the right personnel in place, the right processes and the right environment.
Marc has been working in the engineering and construction industry for nearly 30 years. Having originally started out as an apprentice in the heavy engineering environment of nuclear submarines, he progressed through the ranks to MEP management. He joined Mace Technology upon their inception in 2007 to focus fully on Data Centre projects. After 10 years with Mace Technology, he formed MiCiM with his fellow directors, starting as the Technical Director, Marc became the Managing Director in 2021.
Hard working, pragmatic and enthusiastic, Marc is a highly competent professional who focuses on project leadership and processes throughout the RIBA Project lifecycle.
When not working Marc enjoys going to the gym, swimming and watching his son play football. When he gets the chance he also enjoys pc gaming.
