From leadership, strategic management to finance, Eugene has put himself through courses to ensure he can play at his best.

Eugene joined the company at ground level after graduation, starting as Worker-Up, Assistant Quantity Surveyor and working his way up to Executive Director (ED) in only ten years. Was his rapid promotion due to family ties? “Not at all,” insists Eugene. “In fact, it meant I had to work even harder than the rest to prove myself.” A firm believer in lifelong learning, he explains that each promotion requires the acquiring of new skills sets. From leadership, strategic management to finance, he has put himself through courses to ensure he can play at his best. “It’s all about working smart to achieve your goals. I learned this the hard way. As my Dad always say, “Pray Hard, Work Hard!” he laughs.

So just what does Eugene do in his work? “Basically we take care of the primary costs and contracts of a construction project, estimating and planning costs, preparing tenders, advising on procurement and taking care of the finances.” Eugene is currently working on the ION Orchard project, an innovative construction that created challenges for the team, given the site’s location on top of Orchard MRT station.

“We face many challenges as technologies develop. Today, as sustainable construction becomes more widely adopted and green building technology is brought in, there is no past data on which to base our cost estimates. Luckily we can draw on the global presence of Davis Langdon & Seah International’s network, and through teleconferences, we can quickly get the information we need based on green projects we have done abroad.” What keeps Eugene going? “The construction industry is very diverse, so everyday I wake up to new challenges. It’s great!”

This fast-paced ED’s example just goes to show that as long as you put in the work, and work smart, you can achieve your goals.