Mace People
Gordon Beggy
Operations Director
Consultancy, North America
When Operations Director Gordon Beggy left his native Australia for Ireland in 2005, he thought it would be a one-year adventure. Fifteen years later, an outstanding career in construction and management consulting has propelled him from New York to San Francisco, where he’s now paving the way for successful project delivery as Mace’s West Coast lead for North America.
- How did you get into construction?
- I come from a family of engineers, architects and designers but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do when I was a teenager. I worked as a bricklayer’s assistant during the summer holidays and I helped my dad build our family home. Over time, the exposure to the construction industry sparked my interest and I decided to study planning, design and construction management at Melbourne University. The degree was great because it provided a broad understanding of all aspects of construction and helped me realise that I was best suited to project management.
- When did you first encounter Mace?
- After university I rose through the ranks to become a contract manager at a construction company in Australia, before moving with my parents to Ireland. What started as a one-year adventure for me turned into a permanent move and I worked as a contract manager at Dublin Airport for six years, where I collaborated closely with Mace on the Terminal 2 project. I crossed paths with Mace again during four years in London, as delivery lead for Heathrow Terminal 2. A couple of years later I ended up working for one of the Big Four professional services firms who sent me to on a work trip to the U.S., which is where I was reintroduced to Mace.
- Why Mace?
- One thing that always attracted me to Mace is the company’s mission “to continuously pursue a better way”. It’s not just a tag line, it’s an attitude that’s truly reflected in the way we work. Everyone at Mace has an entrepreneurial spirit and we take a can-do approach. The answer is always yes - it’s a matter of how we’re going to do something, not if. As a result, clients across all sectors, from pharma to industrial and commercial, benefit from project managers who feel empowered to make decisions and can navigate through any challenge with confidence. It’s an inspiring atmosphere.
- What are your current role and responsibilities as the West Coast lead for North America?
- As the West Coast lead for North America, I’m responsible for delivering distinctive value to our clients, establishing our brand, and building a pipeline for projects in the US and Canada. Having relocated to San Francisco from Mace’s New York hub in April 2021, I'm currently focusing on leveraging the capabilities of our strategic partners and building relations with existing clients. Part of my role involves creating a work environment and culture that supports and upskills our teams to deliver projects in this region. It feels great to be given the chance to pursue these new business opportunities – I’ve found that it’s in these challenging moments that you really see the best of people.
- What is your strategy for the West Coast?
- We’ve got several mega-projects in the works in the technology, aviation, rail, transit networks and electric vehicle sectors. There’s also a significant investment in pharma and life sciences, particularly in research and development, manufacturing, and production facilities. Having a presence in Los Angeles and San Francisco has given us a great platform to build up a pipeline of potential projects in the area and we’re confident that this West Coast-focused, agile, and collaborative approach will help us expand and strengthen that reach.
- What are you passionate about outside of work?
- When I’m not working, you can usually find me running around chasing a ball. I played Australian football at a high-level back home, and I really enjoyed playing Gaelic football in Ireland. I’m also a big rugby fan.
- If you hadn’t got into this line of work what do you think you might be doing?
- Had I had it my way, I would have been a centre-forward for Liverpool FC in the UK.
“One thing that always attracted me to Mace is the company’s mission 'to continuously pursue a better way'. It’s not just a tag line, it’s an attitude that’s truly reflected in the way we work.”