Name: Kim Sides
Job title: Executive director of construction at BAM UK & Ireland
What I do: In my role as executive director of construction at BAM UK & Ireland, I lead our UK construction operations, overseeing a £1bn order book. This includes all aspects of BAM’s capability – from architectural and efficient plant design, with a strong focus on sustainability, through to construction support and all pre-planning and pre-construction activities to then deliver projects that sit between £50m and £150m. I also oversee our UK facilities management operations, ensuring the ongoing maintenance and optimal performance of the assets we’ve built.
Why I got into the property industry: I am originally from the countryside in Western New South Wales, Australia, and I undertook a law and business degree. From the outset, I was attracted to property probably because being from the country, property is what matters. At the end of the day, buildings are always going to be there and good quality buildings add a lot of value to communities.
How I did it: I started my career working in professional services and was exposed to property development, infrastructure, and construction, primarily negotiating transactions. In one of my first leadership roles as a relatively junior lawyer, I helped deliver the first underground railway station that had been built in Sydney for 50 years. St Leonard’s Railways Station (yes, a lot of things in Australia are named after places here in the UK) still remains a prime asset, working fantastically for the community.
During that time, I worked closely with many highly skilled professionals in the sector. Together, we collaborated on transactions that, at their best, made a real difference to communities – creating long-lasting improvements in the places where people live, work, and spend their time. I found I really enjoyed that multi-disciplinary teamwork.
My first big break: This would have to be securing my current role as executive director of construction at BAM UK & Ireland. I agree, I’m not the typical leader of a construction company in the UK. I didn’t come up through the ranks as an apprentice engineer. My background is in business and law, and I’ve held senior leadership roles in commercial and finance at major real estate developer and construction firms in Australia and Asia, as well as founding roles in sustainability-tech companies.
BAM UK & Ireland were more nuanced than many about what was needed to transform our construction business at this point in the market. They were seeking a broad range of skills, someone who could offer more than just the technical expertise needed to build. Someone who understood how to make this commercially successful – and that’s the value I brought to the table.
My inspiration(s): A strong inspiration when I was developing my career as a business leader was the late Anna Stewart, former CEO at Laing O’Rourke. She was so impressive. She just knew what she was talking about, knowing the best way to communicate and bring the best out of the team, while having a great understanding of risk and a true understanding of what the financials of the business meant in the short and longer term. I learned many things from Anna that I could never have learned from anywhere else.
The biggest challenge I’ve encountered to date: Many of the challenges I’ve faced so far have been anticipated. I’m here as a change agent, my role is to help drive forward improved business practices. BAM has successfully operated in the UK for over 150 years. However, what worked well in the past may no longer be fit for purpose in today’s rapidly changing world. How we better manage risk is another major challenge, not just for BAM but for the wider industry.
Hyperinflation, material cost volatility and the lasting impacts of Covid-19 and Brexit over the recent years have pushed many subcontractors to the brink. To ensure a sustainable future for the industry, we must rethink how risk is responsibly shared between contractors, developers, the supply chain and government. We cannot operate in a system where risk allocation is fixed simply because ‘that’s the market’ – this mindset is no longer sustainable or sound for the industry to deliver reliably for our clients.
My greatest achievement/proudest moment to date: Becoming the executive director of construction at BAM. It’s also important to note the appreciation I feel in having been married to my husband for 20 years now. We have two sons who are currently studying for their A Levels and GCSEs. My husband and I have created a strong marriage and family together, which has seen us move from Australia to Malaysia, back to Australia and then creating a lasting home in the UK.
My biggest screw-up: I was at a stage in my career where I wanted to move away from law and into business. I was presented with a number of opportunities. One felt safer and more secure – it was a fantastic leadership role. I chose that path, thinking it was the smarter move at the time. So, I left my partnership at the major law firm and was on gardening leave when the new company retracted the job offer due to the impact of the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, which left me unemployed in a challenging market while also pregnant. This taught me that when you’re looking to make a change in your career, just make the big change, don’t just go for a semi safe option. This was obviously a very difficult time for me and my family, but I learned the lesson that what you may think is ‘safe’ may actually not be. Sometimes taking the bold leap is the best plan.
The biggest misconception people have about the property industry: That the property industry is still run by privileged people who don’t understand anything about the modern world and are just trying to make quick cash. This isn’t remotely true. Our sector has made significant progress in recent years in promoting diversity, equality, and inclusion – the industry is far from perfect but we are making progress. Today, 26% of our apprentice intake are female – and that’s no coincidence. We’ve made significant investments to make our sector more inclusive and appealing to a broader and more diverse group of people. We also take people over 25 into our apprenticeships; this year about 10% are coming to us after trying another industry or path first. This is healthy progress.
My biggest bugbear about the industry/the one thing I would change about the industry: The one thing I’m deeply committed to changing is how we view our traditional 9-5, five days a week working pattern. Our sector is facing a shortfall of 250,000 workers. One of the most effective steps we can embrace is flexibility. How we work has changed drastically since the 1970s, and the job descriptions we wrote down then are no longer suitable. It’s time we review all aspects of the modern work we do, and pack it up much more strategically. We can deliver value for our clients, while also undertaking that work in a satisfying and flexible way for our people.
However, flexibility is not just for office workers. As early as 2019, before the pandemic, BAM UK & Ireland started piloting flexible working on construction sites. My view is that sustainability is not just about the general environment; it’s about finding sustainable working practices for people too.
Where I’d like to be in five years’ time career wise: I’m just getting started on the things I’m passionate about changing in our industry – and at the heart of it is making flexible working a reality for more people. If we’re serious about attracting new talent, improving retention, and supporting healthier, longer careers, then flexible working must be the norm. A big part of my role is implementing our strategy of working with key clients and suppliers – who share our values around quality over price, sustainability, and reinvesting in the communities. Strong relationships are critical to success and when you see the world the same way, it’s easier to deliver great outcomes.
My main career goals right now: At the moment I’m focused on coming to grips with the facilities management business at BAM and growing our offering for our clients. I haven’t run a facilities management business before, so I’m on a learning journey. I’m generally very curious and enjoy learning from others with a stronger knowledge and skill set than I do.
Who I’d invite, living or dead, to a dinner party: Dave Allen, Irish comedian. I watched a lot of Dave’s show when I was growing up in Australia. I would also invite the legendary late Sir Michael Parkinson.
What I do in my downtime: I’m a big fan of swimming in lakes and have swam through two winters in the UK. I absolutely love doing this and it has a true community aspect, where I connect with other women living in my village, sometimes swimming in water as cold as three degrees. We meet up most Saturdays, all year round regardless of weather conditions. I also sing in the choir at my local church in Henley. Singing ancient music within an even more ancient church. This is so far from my world in Australia and I get such a kick out of doing it.
The job I’d be doing if I wasn’t doing this: I would most probably be working for a major energy or sustainability company if I wasn’t working in the property industry. It’s all about finding the right team to work with on something that matters.
My advice for someone just starting out: Look for opportunities to broaden your skills, rather than just climbing the ladder which is visible above you. Australia has more of a ‘jungle gym’ approach, which I think we can learn from in the UK. Even if you’re an engineer, it’s not unusual to spend some time with the finance team, lawyers or the pre-construction team, to get a better understanding of their world. You ask better questions and get a more rounded sense of risks and solutions.
My motto/mantra: A number of years ago, I had the benefit of working with a really excellent commercial director. His advice to me was: “Kim, you can’t make them care, and you can’t make them try. So hire for that, you can teach them the rest.”
