Tracey Ryan - CEO, Aurecon New Zealand
When I was younger, I had dyslexia, and the nuns, who were my teachers at the time, said I’d never amount to anything, but I always had that courage and determination to keep going.
When I was 14, I worked in in a small hotel/restaurant. Every day was very full-on. I served breakfast for the guests, cleaned their rooms, served lunch, and did the dishes. Over the summer I sometimes worked 60 or 70 hours a week for £1 an hour!
After I graduated with a Masters in Hydro-geology, I started work in contaminated land remediation – putting what I have learnt to good use. I started at the bottom doing water sampling and worked my way up to being a lead contaminated site assessor.
It was quite ‘cutting edge’ as it was the early days of risk assessment and remediation for contaminated land- everything was new and exciting. Those first few years were all about me building technical expertise and reputation in the UK and throughout Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Some places I worked in were quite deprived; I saw how important it was to develop areas thoughtfully and sustainably for future generations. I was working on some of the first brownfield regeneration projects during the period when heavy manufacturing and industry was shutting down in the U.K.
One project that stands out for me was in post-Soviet Georgia; I was working for the European Bank as an environmental and social auditor, helping communities rebuild vital infrastructure after years of conflict. A local welder acknowledged my work by giving me a handmade iron rose as a thank you - I keep it on my desk! It reminds me that behind every technical plan or policy are real people, and real lives. That sense of purpose still drives me today.
I moved into Public-Private-Partnership projects just prior to moving to New Zealand. These were big projects like airports, high-speed train lines, and major motorways. I was negotiating with contractors and financiers and interpreting technical reports and contracts and really enjoyed this work.
I just keep following roles that are of interest to me. I have always been driven by opportunities. I was always interested in infrastructure and its role in enabling economic development, so I worked in projects that would support that aim, across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Eventually, I had an opportunity to come to New Zealand, which was great as my Kiwi husband had always wanted to come home.
What I tried to do in each role was build a broad skill set, working with people in line management and client facing roles. I also kept developing my strategic and commercials skills and building networks.
From the time I was very young I was often asked to take on leadership roles, so I think people must have seen leadership qualities in me. I was never afraid to challenge or change things and was willing to stand up for other people and what I believed in. Of course, those leadership qualities can be a double-edged sword!.
I have mostly worked in global environmental and professional services firms, beginning on site, then quickly moving into people and line management. Along the way, I drew on my strengths in commercial development and strategy to move into leadership and market facing roles. I have always been quite strategic, and able to navigate complexity - the sort of qualities that serve you well as a CEO. I have also developed my skills in governance and taken on board roles, so, when I became a CEO, I had quite a well-rounded skillset
One of my strengths is building networks, so I have remained globally connected through my previous roles in Europe and through my board roles.
I’ve come up against a few challenges along the way: infrastructure has always been a male-dominated field, and I encountered a fair few opinions that women couldn’t have it all. But I just always thought to myself, why not have a go?
When I first became a Managing Partner, I know some people thought I got the job because I was a woman: some of that was a bit challenging.
I joined Aurecon six weeks before our first COVID-19 lockdown. So, I led a team I didn’t really know well, in a new business I was still learning, from a makeshift home office. It was a crash course in empathy and adaptability. People didn’t need a leader with all the answers - they needed someone steady, honest, and fully present.
I didn’t expect to be leading a business through such dramatic changes that quickly. I was not only making decisions about how we would operate during lockdown, but also about the future of our business and how we could best serve our client’s long term. This included signing a lease for the purpose-built offices we are now in, in Newmarket.
The role continues to surprise. Despite the years in lockdown, we managed to really grow the business. And so, after five years of growth, to have that erode and have to go through a ‘rightsizing exercise’, was unexpected and disappointing. My role has evolved, and I now have a broader remit as Chief Executive of Aurecon in New Zealand and part of the group’s Executive Leadership team.
It’s important to take the time to sit back and observe. Avoid having preconceived ideas or expectations. Do your due diligence about the organisation but remember that the reality may be very different.
Spend time in the business with your people and your customers: visit different branches and project offices; get out and talk to your clients. These conversations will help inform your priorities. You won’t see where the issues are by sitting in your office all the time. Think broadly about the impact of your role; what is possible and achievable as one person? This will help you prioritize and focus on what is manageable.
As the mother of two teenage daughters, and as an Irish and New Zealand citizen, I am deeply invested in the future of New Zealand. We have amazing assets and so much opportunity, but we need to develop a clear vision for where we want to go. I want to play my part in making our country a place where my daughters see that they can build a career and a life they want.
I have a passion for places, and landscapes; for re-shaping the old and degraded and building for the future. Infrastructure is an important enabler of growth, prosperity, and wellbeing; the things we create have an intergenerational impact. I love showing my family the projects we’re involved in and talking about the positive legacy they will create for future generations.
I’ve always had an ambition to do better and to give back. I see leadership as a privilege, and believe my role is to create an environment for other people to succeed in. I lead with my values: compassion, courage and integrity - and I want to make a difference for women in business. I didn’t have that support, so I want to open doors for others.
There’s a couple of things I try to live by which I think have served me well: The first is to trust your instincts and the second is to remain true to yourself. Equally important is carving out time for yourself. You are only human, and you are dealing with other humans. Senior leadership roles can be lonely, and you need to take care of yourself.
Finally, being a leader is not about you; it’s about creating an environment where everyone can thrive.
