Name: Clive Anderson
Job title: Director of capital projects at the Government Property Agency (GPA)
What I do: I oversee major development programmes for the GPA as part of our work to create a better-connected, better-quality and greener government estate. I’m the senior responsible owner for the Government Hubs and Whitehall Campus Programmes, which is creating modern workspaces across the UK where civil servants from different departments can collaborate and work more productively.
Why I got into the property industry: I always knew that I wanted to do something related to the built environment. It’s different all the time and I really relish the challenges that come with setting up deals, securing funding, and then seeing the tangible result in terms of wider benefits to society. I’m a great believer in construction and property being able to act as a significant economic driver for the UK – as a force for good. I think that’s why I’m passionate about what we do at the GPA. Our hubs programme, for example, is driving investment into towns and cities across the UK and it’s giving more people the chance to access senior civil service careers, without having to move to London.
How I did it: I studied civil engineering and construction project management at Oxford Brookes University. I graduated into a company delivering construction management before going into various consultancy roles in construction, infrastructure and property in the UK and overseas. I moved into the government in 2020 and then the GPA in late 2021. For me it was about using my industry experience to support the civil service and its ability to improve public services.
My first big break: There was a point when I was living and working in Leeds and I had an opportunity to relocate to the South East to run a large redevelopment programme for a government research agency. It was a big move for me and my family, but I took a chance and it paid off. My career really accelerated after that.
The biggest challenge I’ve encountered to date: Managing through the cyclical nature of the property industry. You’ve got to be resilient and also flexible when times change. I’ve found that being bold and making decisions early is important – recognise that the market has moved on and react to it. Staying focused on your clients and what they need to achieve is also key, get that right and they will stick with you.
My greatest achievement/proudest moment to date: It was securing HM Treasury funding for the GPA to deliver a freehold solution for the new Darlington Economic Campus. This is home to seven government departments and the second HQ for HM Treasury and the Department for Business and Trade. The GPA was set up in 2018 and we’ve grown so much since then. For me that milestone really crystallised how far we’ve already come and our evolution in terms of the developments we can now undertake.
The biggest misconception people have about the property industry: That it is still overly male dominated. There’s still more work to do on diversity, but there are lots of diverse, talented people in the industry from all walks of life. I really hope that people won’t be discouraged from pursuing a career in this sector because the opportunities for talented people are wonderful.
My biggest bugbear about the industry/the one thing I would change about the industry: The cyclical nature and how this impacts the industry’s ability to invest and innovate, especially in terms of sustainability. We need stability and investor confidence for the supply chain to keep developing more sustainable, cost-effective solutions.
Who I’d invite, living or dead, to a dinner party: Queen Elizabeth II – who wouldn’t? She is someone that we all feel connected to in so many ways.
My advice for someone just starting out: Have confidence in your own abilities and grasp absolutely every opportunity that’s in front of you – basically say yes! Property and construction can take you all over the world to some incredible places. This industry has so much to offer, there is real scope to create and deliver work that is life fulfilling.
