Name: Kevin Duffy
Title: Centre director, centre:mk
What I do: I develop and operate major mixed-use developments including retail, catering, leisure, residential and office accommodation. I set the strategic direction, ensure they run smoothly, and achieve net operation income budgets. I currently have the overall responsibility for centre:mk shopping centre, two office blocks, a large develpement site and three car parks in Milton Keynes. My role is really varied, with no two days being the same.
Why I got into the property industry: After managing the largest food court in the UK, I found I really enjoyed it and thought I would like to manage the whole centre, not just the food court. As it turned out, I had a talent for shopping centre management and took to it like a duck to water!
How I did it: I have to admit, it was a bit of a fluke! I started in catering and retail, then spent time working in food courts when I was student, and then was lucky enough to land a management role in the Oasis Food Court at Meadowhall, Sheffield pre the September 1990 opening. I quickly got promoted and from there I moved in to shopping centre management. Over the years I have moved to bigger and bigger destinations. If you want to progress in the industry you have to move to the location of the destination and so I have moved to a new city over 10 times in my career.
My first proper job: The food court manager at Meadowhall. Here I realised that I could impact the direction and success of a business through how it was managed. Being new to management and quite naïve, I did make lots of mistakes, but also learned lots too and some of these learnings I still use today.
My first big break: This was probably as the centre director at a shopping mall in Dublin. I had already been involved in shopping centres through the development, opening and refurbishment projects so as this centre was in the pre-opening stages it was a great fit. I was, at the time, the youngest centre director in Europe. It really helped to open doors and cemented my career.
My inspiration(s): I take inspiration from everywhere – from great leaders who I can learn from, and amazing architecture and design that moves me, to amazing guest service and experiences. I’m always looking out for new ideas and invocation when on holiday, browsing magazines and the internet and when visiting specific developments.
The biggest challenge I’ve encountered to date: Launching the first Westfield mixed-use development in the UK. At the time there were enormous expectations – it was a development of over 1m sq ft and it was a huge investment. Not only that, I was also responsible for refurbishing the existing centre at the same time which created a mammoth workload and, in retrospect, it was really a two to three man job. However, with the support of a great team, the launch was a huge success.
My greatest achievement/proudest moment to date: I have been lucky to have a few, from launching seven shopping centre/mixed-use schemes, to working with some great people and developing them to drive their career (some of whom now have more senior positions to me and I would gladly work for), to winning international awards, with my favourite being the International Customer Experience Award for Customer Centric Culture at centre:mk for a strategy I designed and implemented.
The biggest misconception people have about the property industry: It a bit boring and always the same, deals are easy to do, and developments run themselves. It takes a hugely skilled team to drive a scheme forward and ensure it remains relevant to occupiers and consumers. It really is a 24/7 operation.
My biggest bugbear about the industry/the one thing I would change about the industry: The speed of required change; it’s a highly legislated industry with lengthy negotiations and documentation required that can be slow to adopt change, however the need for change, especially from our occupiers and consumers in the last few years has been phenomenal.
Why I’m so passionate about DE&I: I have seen instances and been a victim of inappropriate behaviours that can cost people their livelihood and impact their mental health. So, I wanted to be in a position to educate and change perceptions and behaviours. It’s only through education and reinforcement of positive behaviours that things will change.
Where I’d like to be in five years’ time career-wise: I love being a centre dDirector, you can make changes and positively impact people’s lives. I have no intention of changing roles.
Who I’d invite, living or dead, to a dinner party: George Orwell (for imagination), Robert Oppenheimer (for science), Martin Luther King (for wisdom), David Bowie (for talent), Christopher Nolan (for vision), my grandmother (who died when I was young, so I did not really get a chance to know her), and my husband.
What I do in my downtime: Cinema, reading trashy sci-fi novels, keep fit, eating out, shopping, and spending time with my husband, family and friends.
The job I’d be doing if I was not doing this: I would have liked to become involved in developing affordable and sustainable housing, specifically aimed at the homeless, vulnerable people and young adults.
My advice for someone just starting out: Believe in yourself, be yourself, take calculated risks, enjoy life and ask for support whenever you need it.
My motto/mantra: If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
