Suzy O'Brien

SUZY O'BRIEN

SUZY INFO

What do you enjoy most about your role?

Marketing is both an art and a science so for me, the variety is the best part of my role at K2. On any given day you use different skills and different parts of your brain. Sometimes creative, sometimes analytical, sometimes design, sometimes copy, sometimes planning sometimes evaluation. Every day is different and interesting and I like having the pace and urgency that you get in B2B marketing.

How did you get into construction?

I came into K2 Construction Management as a B2B marketing consultant and very soon came to love and respect the construction industry. I have learned an awful lot since starting, about professions, RIBA stages, the philosophy of Construction Management, procurement routes, bidding, ISO accreditations, sustainability models, the beat the market proposition and topics I had no idea existed before I joined K2.

What characteristics and skills do you look for in people?

I like to work with people who have different skills to me as I find you can complement each other best that way. I like to be challenged, with feedback we can always do better, do more or do different things to help develop our work and out outlook.

Do you have a favourite building?

I love historic buildings and especially Georgian architecture. I often take (drag) my children to National Trust properties like Osterley House and Ham House and I try to give them mini history lessons while we walk around. Thankfully the National Trust tend to give children something fun to do while we wander through the halls.

Do you have a favourite album, book or film?

My favourite book is The Island by Victoria Hislop, its set in Greece on the island of Crete in the 1930’s when a leper community lived on the island of Spinalonga. Adults and children were sent to the island when they were diagnosed with leprosy so that they didn’t infect the people at home. The book is fictional but what happened is real, many people lived on Spinalonga and they set up schools, churches, banks etc. Adults would adopt other people’s children as they got sent to the island and fishermen would deliver essential food and supplies plus a doctor from time to time. Eventually when a cure was found the colony returned home and Spinalonga was deserted, it lies semi-intact if a little weather worn. It’s heart-breaking and inspiring to walk the streets that held so much community yet represent a forced separation from their real homes and loved ones.

Flashback to when you were 10 years old. What do you want to be when you grow up?

A teacher and then a nurse and then a teacher again, I think when I was growing up children couldn’t imagine what a career path could be beyond the everyday jobs they could see and interact with. I think children now are more aware of the range of options they have so my children tell me they want to be very different things we’ve had everything from zookeeper, scientist, RAF, graphic designer and a litter picker.

What are your passions outside of work?

I like to keep fit by going for runs, doing pilates and yoga. I love reading books, cooking yummy food and doing fun stuff with my 3 children.

Who are your inspirations?

I’m inspired by many people but one who sticks out is my friend and ex-colleague Anna McNuff who is an adventurer. Now with 3 children of her own she is navigating adventures with them in tow. That’s what I would love to do in my own way (I’m not hardy like Anna so no camping or running barefoot for me). I am planning a trip to Snowdonia with my children though, it’s nice to get the children out of the everyday and into the extraordinary every now and then.

What’s your best career advice?

Dress for the job you want, not the job you’ve got.