Career journeys don’t always follow straight lines – sometimes, they take you across the table. For me, joining Shakery Group in 2023 was exactly that: a chance to move from commissioning refurbishment projects as a client to becoming directly involved in their delivery.

This transition has been both eye-opening and rewarding, giving me a true 360° perspective on the commercial property world and a deep respect for the many moving parts that bring every successful project together.

A Career Built on Hospitality, Real Estate & Leadership

I first arrived in the UK from South Africa in 2004, starting out in hospitality at Park Plaza Hotels before moving into event sales at the Crowne Plaza. These early roles gave me a solid foundation in service, operations and client relationships.

In 2010, I joined MITIE (later ISS Facilities Services) on the Barclays Global account, where I became part of the Corporate Real Estate Services team. My responsibilities included overseeing daily facilities operations, maintaining compliance with strict health and safety standards, and acting as the main point of contact for senior stakeholders.

A defining chapter came when I joined Central Working, a national flexible workspace provider, in its early days. Initially brought in as General Manager for the soon-to-open Liverpool Street location, I was quickly trusted to build the operations department, implement scalable systems, and join the leadership team. Over nearly six years, I opened nine national locations, managed multiple refurbishments, and ultimately became Operations Director responsible for 13 sites – leading up to the company’s acquisition by IWG.

It was during my time at Central Working in 2015 that I first met Guillermo, founder of Shakery Group. What began with him using the workspace as a member soon turned into collaboration, when his creativity and design expertise shaped our early fit-out projects and day 2 requirements.

Later, I moved to Spacemade, another flexible workspace start-up, as Head of Operations, helping to launch and scale the business nationally. Once again, Guillermo and I worked together, and it wasn’t long before the opportunity arose to formally join forces.

Making the Leap to Shakery Group

In the summer of 2023, I joined Shakery Group, with a focus on driving business growth across East Anglia and London. My role spans identifying new opportunities, building client relationships, and supporting our bid team during tender processes.

But the real learning has come from stepping into the world of project delivery. My very first week saw me onsite at Contamac’s head office, as we began a nine-month, multi-phase refurbishment. from discovering just how heavy plasterboard really is when you carry it, to learning how a trusty multitool can save the day (even if it can’t solve everything) and getting a crash course in contractors’ lunchtime rituals – fast, hearty, and full of banter. Those first days gave me a newfound respect for the complexity, logistics, and flexibility required to deliver successful fit-outs. It also highlighted just how much happens behind the scenes before a space is ready for handover.

Delivering Value on Both Sides of the Table

Since joining Shakery Group, I’ve been involved in a wide range of projects – from CAT A+ office refurbishments and industrial unit transformations to MedTech laboratories, hospitality and catering spaces uplifts, and even seeing a recording studio delivered. One memorable project took us to Dundee to conduct a full building validation and conditioning report, which was a fascinating experience and a great example of the variety of work we do.

At the same time, we’ve been expanding our Facilities Management offering, securing our first service contracts and laying the foundations for long-term growth. This role has allowed me to bring together my client-side experience with hands-on involvement in design and fit-out delivery. Having managed budgets and deadlines before, I understand the pressures of ensuring a space works perfectly for a team from day one. That’s why at Shakery Group, we take a transparent, client-first approach, guiding projects from concept to completion with care, expertise, and a focus on making the process as smooth as possible for our clients.

A Leap Worth Taking

Looking back, making the move to “the other side of the table” has been one of the most valuable steps in my career. It has challenged me, expanded my skillset, and given me the opportunity to help shape Shakery Group’s growth while learning the intricacies of project delivery first-hand.

For clients, that means they not only benefit from our design and construction expertise, but also from the empathy and perspective of someone who has been in their shoes – balancing budgets, timelines, and expectations.

Whether it’s an office, retail space, or a specialist laboratory, our goal at Shakery Group is to deliver spaces that inspire, on time and within budget, while making the process as smooth and stress-free as possible.