Graham Seage

From crunching the numbers on Olympic venues under a global gaze, to leading teams enhancing the nation’s resilience, Graham Seage has had a varied 30 years in the industry. One thing has remained constant, however. His passion for mentoring and coaching colleagues – imparting years of knowledge to ensure the very highest of standards are upheld for Mace’s clients.

How did you get into what you do?

I was always keen on a career in construction – as a child I had a curiosity for buildings and this eventually led me to a degree in quantity surveying. I became chartered with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) when I was 24 and it’s an organisation I’ve maintained a bond with ever since.

 

In 2007 I joined Mace as commercial lead on the Olympic Stadium. During my Mace interview, my would-be-manager gave me a very convincing account of why I should be part of the team and that sealed the deal for me. That manager just so happens to now be Mace’s CEO.

 

After the Olympic Park, I became the business unit director for Mace’s energy and utilities division, where I was responsible for the teams working on major infrastructure projects critical to keeping the lights on, water flowing, and gas burning. I loved supporting lots of people across all manner of disciplines, but when the business needed an experienced commercial director to help set up the team on a major rail programme in London, I knew I’d be a good fit. Helping to lead an integrated project team consisting of multiple partners has definitely influenced how I can oversee Mace’s defence and national security business in my current role.

What advice would you give to someone looking to get into what you do?

A big takeaway for me is the ability to deliver results and that doesn’t come overnight, it’s a process that takes experience and time. Often, we think of commercial management as a discipline with numbers and spreadsheets and, while that is valuable, it’s equally important to understand what it takes to actually get something built. It’ll make you a better problem solver if you fully understand the equation.

How have you maintained involvement with RICS?

I’ve been chartered with RICS for around 25 years. Being associated with a world-leading standard elevated my experience, empowered me and built my confidence. RICS helped develop the foundational skills that I’ve been able to build on.

 

With all the support RICS has given me, I wanted to give back to others going through the same process. A few years ago at Mace, we set up an assessment of professional competence steering group – which I chair. The main goal is to support, guide, and mentor those working toward their RICS chartership within the business. We also help the counsellors and assessors to improve their support to the candidates.

 

I’m also an assessor for RICS and a chairperson for the interviews, which helps me connect with Mace’s graduates and apprentices. I enjoy giving them my perspective and offering support. Being able to champion the next generation of professionals within our industry is something I’m proud of.

What do you enjoy most about your current role at Mace?

I take a very people-orientated approach to working, which means I get to engage with a lot of different colleagues, and I’d say that’s the highlight of my role. I firmly believe that getting to properly know my team and identifying how everyone can operate better together is vital to success.

Being a leader comes hand-in-hand with being a learner. I fully subscribe to the idea that every day is a school day. To develop we must listen, expand our knowledge, and be curious when we’re unsure – and by developing and growing together we will deliver results.

What has been your proudest achievement at Mace so far?

I don’t think you’ll ever beat the Olympics for projects to have been a part of. It’s something I still reference to this day and the opportunities that came with it were extraordinary. It was a challenging role for me, as the person responsible for budgeting multiple major projects under public and political scrutiny (around the entire world), but it helped to shape me. Being able to perform within those constraints is an achievement I’m proud of. 

What are you passionate about outside of work?

I have two lads, both in their teens, who are football mad – we’re big Millwall supporters. I’m very much a family orientated person, but in my personal down time I love cycling – so, as you can imagine, when I met Chris Hoy and Bradley Wiggins during the creation of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, I was chuffed!