Name: Paul Field
Employer: Willmott Dixon
Project: Holyport Manor SEN School, Maidenhead
Only too aware of his client’s anxiety about the most expensive project it had ever commissioned, Paul Field ultimately won trust through a sterling display of proactive management.
Despite having no contractual need to do so, Paul led the design meetings as though it were a design and build job. He also took over the management of the interfaces once it became apparent that the client was experiencing difficulties.
There were, in fact, numerous occasions when Paul could have taken a contractual stance on costs and time extensions but didn’t. Despite delays generated by other contractors building an access road and respite centre for the multi-project site, Paul continually looked for solutions rather than the safety of the small print.
His stance slowly but surely won the client’s trust. He did everything he said he would do, and even incorporated over 200 external variations into the programme. By the time the construction was in full swing, that trust was whole-hearted. And it was that which in turn gave Paul the freedom to progress the build and recover swiftly from setbacks, delivering a superb building a week early to a thrilled client.
Value: £17m