Name: Susan Droubi
Job title: Digital project solutions lead at BAM UK & Ireland
What I do: I lead digital project solutions across BAM’s central region, focusing on Department for Education projects. My role combines technology, information management, collaboration and data-driven decision-making to deliver complex construction projects
Why I got into the property industry: Growing up in Syria, I was always drawn to the elegance and logic of mathematics. It wasn’t just about numbers and formulas – it was about patterns, problem-solving and the joy of discovery. In high school, I found myself solving maths problems in a unique way: through drawing, sketching and visualising concepts in three dimensions. My mother recognised my talent for visual problem-solving and encouraged me to pursue a field that would allow me to blend my love for maths with my artistic and spatial abilities, and architecture emerged as the perfect fit.
How I did it: My journey as an architect began in Syria, where I trained at Damascus University. For five years, I immersed myself in the study of architecture, graduating in 1993 with a deep appreciation for the discipline’s blend of creativity and precision. Soon after, I joined the Syrian government’s Department for Education. I spent 19 years working for the Syrian government, designing public schools across Damascus.
I also worked in the private sector, taking on additional projects that allowed me to explore different styles and challenges. This dual experience enriched my skills and broadened my perspective. Among all the private projects I’ve worked on, one stands out as a personal and professional highlight: a large resort in the countryside north of Damascus. It was a project that pushed my creativity and brought immense satisfaction. It was also where I met the contractor who would later become my husband.
The biggest challenge I’ve encountered to date: In the spring of 2013, everything changed. One morning, my husband left home to drop our children at school and he never returned. A battle had erupted near the school and he had been kidnapped. The days and hours that followed are a blur. We were able to negotiate my husband’s safe release, but it was a turning point. Within weeks, I made the impossible decision to leave everything behind and return to the UK. Our early days in Manchester were some of the hardest of my life. Finding a home when no one would rent to me without employment, finding schools for my children where we knew no one and seeking a new role to support us, all while fearing for my husband’s safety as he fled to Erbil.
My first big break: When I moved to the UK, the professional path ahead seemed closed, as my architectural qualifications weren’t recognised. So, I made a choice – to pivot, to learn and to start again. I enrolled in a master’s program in BIM and digital construction at Salford University. It was a leap of faith and the first step toward what would become a life-changing opportunity. Just few months after graduation in 2016, I got the call from BAM, offering me a role in their highways division. This was more than just a job, it was a lifeline and the start of my career here in the UK. Joining BAM marked the first time in years that I’d felt stability, direction and recognition for my skills.
My greatest achievement/proudest moment to date: Rebuilding my family here in the UK has to be my greatest achievement. As my career stabilised, so did our lives. My husband was finally able to join us in 2018 when he secured a spouse visa and my children began to flourish in school. My son earned a scholarship to Manchester Grammar School and is now a trainee orthopaedic surgeon after studying medicine at Imperial College London. My daughter followed in my footsteps into the built environment, graduating in architecture design and technology and working as a CDM principal designer. Their achievements are part of this story too – because the job I found at BAM didn’t just change my life. It changed theirs.
Where I’d like to be in five years, career-wise: I want to continue leading digital solutions while being more involved in the design of our projects. At heart, I’m an architect, with a passion for design. Digital solutions are a huge part of design now, but I’d love the opportunity to reopen that creative connection.
Who I’d invite, living or dead, to a dinner party: I would invite my late mum. She’d love to celebrate her daughter’s and grandchildren’s achievements. Growing up, my mum raised three daughters with a simple but profound philosophy: never let obstacles stand in the way of your dreams. Her words were more than encouragement – they were a foundation. She taught us to face life’s challenges with resilience, to believe in ourselves even when the path ahead seemed uncertain. I carried that strength with me when I moved back to the UK. The first 15 days were incredibly difficult – filled with unfamiliarity, worry, and the weight of starting over with my children. But through it all, I could hear my mother’s voice in my ears: “Nothing is impossible if you don’t lose hope.”
What I do in my downtime: At the heart of my day is a simple but powerful ritual: sitting around the dinner table with my children, sharing stories, laughter and reflections. We call ourselves the ‘Three Musketeers’– a name that captures the bond we share and the strength we draw from one another.
The job I’d be doing if I wasn’t doing this: I think I’d probably be a solicitor. I liked the idea of that, of solving problems, but my mum thought I was better at maths and she was probably right.
My advice for someone just starting out: Just start small – success doesn’t always come from giant leaps. Sometimes, it’s the quiet persistence, the daily commitment and the refusal to give up that make all the difference. When we first arrived in the UK, everything felt overwhelming. My son had missed the entire first year of his GCSE’s. Instead of panicking, I told him to just start small. Just one page a day from the year 10 curriculum he’d missed. It wasn’t easy, but it was manageable, and most importantly it was sustainable. His confidence grew, and so did his results. In the end, he achieved all A*s and earned a scholarship – proof that small steps, taken consistently, can lead to extraordinary outcomes.
My motto/mantra: Don’t let anything stop you from achieving your goals and enjoy every single moment! You never know when your life could be turned upside down.
