< Previous20 MEP Middle East | July/August 2020 www.mepmiddleeast.com BIG INTERVIEW MEP_1507_20-25_B&W_11301386.indd 2029/06/2020 12:34:13 PMJuly/August 2020 | MEP Middle East 21 www.mepmiddleeast.com BIG INTERVIEW STAYING AGILE words: Tom Oxtoby Black & White Engineering CEO Mick Cairns describes his fi rm’s plans for continuity and agility during the coronavirus pandemic MEP_1507_20-25_B&W_11301386.indd 2129/06/2020 12:34:20 PM22 MEP Middle East | July/August 2020 www.mepmiddleeast.com BIG INTERVIEW There has never been a more challeng- ing time for fi rms in any sector world- wide. The Covid-19 pandemic has put great strain on businesses of all sizes and nothing is off the table as MEP contractors and consultants move to secure their long- term futures. Black & White Engineering CEO, Mick Cairns, is looking to the past for guidance on how to best navigate the global health crisis. “I agree these times are indeed incredibly challenging, possibly the greatest challenge in my lifetime,” he told MEP Middle East. “However, we will use the knowledge and experience from previous industry lows to set a course for better times ahead. “The Asia currency crisis brought an al- most over-night halt to the construction in- dustry in the Philippines when I was living there in 1997. “About 80% of expats were suddenly super- fl uous to requirements and eventually left the country. Being based in the UAE in 2007 was also a tough time for most industries, and I believe the entire construction industry felt signifi cant effects. “Stories are still repeated today about the depths of despair companies and individuals had reached. At Black & White our business model is designed to cope with super highs and drastic lows. The coming months will be a true testament to this. “As far as emerging from this current crisis, I guess that we will fi nd out once a global solution is found and we return to a certain level of normality. Currently we are only part way through the crisis. We have, however, been successful in implementing remote working so that our team can work from home. “The health and wellbeing of our team is of paramount importance as we unite and play an active part in preventing the spread of Covid-19. “Thankfully, our experience of function- ing as one global team from various offi ces around the world, and our existing internal systems, has enabled us to take remote work- ing to another level and continue to deliver to our deadlines with fantastic results. “Our internal message is that we will con- tinue to service our clients during these chal- lenging times but will ensure the health and safety of our staff in all our procedures.” Despite adequate planning, the uncertain- ty that Covid-19 has thrown up is impossible to mitigate fully. Cairns says there have been two major im- pacts on operations for Black & White since the beginning of the UAE sterilization pro- gramme. He explained: “Firstly, our marketing and enquiries dried up almost completely, giving a very clear insight as to when our current backlog would fall below capacity. “Typically consultants are pleased to have four months of back log at 100% capacity. Many of our design projects rarely last be- yond six months (except for site roles). “Secondly, this impacted our operational processes. As an engineering consultant practice projects are designed by teams of mechanical and electrical engineers who need to debate challenges and solutions from many aspects at the same time. “Communication is absolutely key. We have been fortunate that we live in a world where video communication and screen share is both readily available and inexpensive. “As a company we have worked with re- mote teams for over 12 years so we were able to expand our existing protocols to ensure “As a business deeply connected to the technology sector, we have built our company with disaster planning at the heart of our delivery processes...” MEP_1507_20-25_B&W_11301386.indd 2229/06/2020 12:34:27 PMJuly/August 2020 | MEP Middle East 23 www.mepmiddleeast.com BIG INTERVIEW To keep up, companies need to recognise that digitalisation will infl uence every one of their processes... information is available and the necessary discussions are taking place daily.” Black & White is in a more favourable position than most, having carved out a strong client base and leading reputation in the region. But for smaller fi rms this pandemic could prove fatal. “To an extent I do agree, particularly if a few projects are suspended,” said Cairns. “However, there is also a fl ip side. Small- er companies of six to 10 persons are often more agile and can adapt to a change in mar- ket more quickly than a large business. “As a business owner you can see the agil- ity and ease in which a small business can lower its overhead simply by directors defer- ring salary, as they often represent a signifi - cant part of the P&L. “Small businesses tend to be leaner and carry less central and / or non core business delivery staff as they will outsource on an as needed basis. “In some cases, larger companies will suffer greater as the employees are not so ready/able to accept deferred pay or salary reductions. “Large companies tend to have large cen- tral teams of ‘non core’ staff which can cre- ate a higher cost base for HR/marketing/ accounts/legal. “Notwithstanding the above the biggest challenge to all companies will be liquid- ity. If clients can’t pay or decide to take ad- vantage of the situation then the outfall will MEP_1507_20-25_B&W_11301386.indd 2329/06/2020 12:34:35 PM24 MEP Middle East | July/August 2020 www.mepmiddleeast.com BIG INTERVIEW be devastating for companies of all sizes.” One certainty to come from all this disruption is that business models will change post-Covid. “I have long been a believer in creating Global Design Hubs and have always seen this as a huge positive for our business,” Cairns said. “Nevertheless, it is fair to say that the world class infrastructure we have in our GDH offi ce is not available to many staff in their home and this has created a major chal- lenge when staff in the Philippines have been working from home. “Fortunately, with Cloud services, the amount of data that is required to be down- loaded and uploaded is hugely minimized. “We have been actively studying ways of improving home working and work life balance in all offi ces, and the results of the effectiveness of how each team has responded during the pandemic are quite re- vealing. “There are defi nitely infrastructure chang- es we will implement to be better prepared for any repeat. “From my personal perspective the biggest lesson we will take will be which clients can be relied on. “My biggest hope is that it will change the mindset of those companies that chase turno- ver at all cost. When bidding work at rock bottom fees you really need to have a plan B in case of a slow down or a ruthless client. “The most important issue in mind during this crisis is to look after your staff. Staff will remember how they have been impacted dur- ing challenging times. “Which companies are willing to sacrifi ce profi t to ensure longer term staff stability will be interesting.” Cairns also believes the crisis will drive forward the move to digitalisation – a much discussed factor in the future of the industry. “As a business deeply connected to the technology sector (70% of our business is designing data centres) we have built our company with disaster planning at the heart of our delivery model and processes. “This is an unwritten pre-requisite to enter the market, all major clients require a de- tailed DR plan as part of your bid/prequali- fi cation. “The construction industry joined the digi- tal world many years ago, the steps are be- coming greater each year, but there are still many fi rms that have not yet reached their digital potential. “To keep up, companies need to recognise that digitalisation will infl uence every one of their processes. “We believe that the fundamental princi- ples and objectives of BIM processes are synonymous with our core ethos, and it is in- tegrated into our design processes and man- agement systems. “As already mentioned, remote working “My message to those who employ contractors is to act fairly and take a long-term view...” MEP_1507_20-25_B&W_11301386.indd 2429/06/2020 12:34:43 PMJuly/August 2020 | MEP Middle East 25 www.mepmiddleeast.com BIG INTERVIEW The implications of Covid-19 are constantly changing, as are the responses from contractors and consultancies alike... relies on infrastructure as well as improved communication and process. “The Cloud has enabled us to fi nd our way through this for the last fi ve weeks.” A greater collaboration between fi rms of all sectors post-coronavirus has also been mooted across the board. “There will certainly be lessons learned, some companies will per- form better than others for many dif- ferent reasons as discussed. “This may create new stronger al- liances from the success stories and may prompt other relationships to ask questions of each other. “People will look deeper into a po- tential partner’s process/delivery method and should question their dis- aster recovery plans. “What I have learned is that after each crisis the construction industry always bounces back, people leave the area, new people arrive.” The message from Cairns right now is to exercise patience. “My message to those who employ con- tractors/subbies/consultants is act fairly and take a long term view. “If you are in a position to assist someone, then do it. Nothing bad ever comes from doing a good deed. During times like these, integrity becomes infi nitely more important. “The implications of Covid-19 are con- stantly changing, as are the responses from contractors and consultancies alike. “There are no one answer fi ts all, but doing the right thing will help us all come out the other side with a prosperous future ahead of us.” MEP_1507_20-25_B&W_11301386.indd 2529/06/2020 12:34:51 PMFOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT WWW.COMMERCIALINTERIORDESIGN.COM/cid-AWARDS OR CONTACT ONE OF OUR TEAM TODAy For sponsorship enquiries: Laura Collinder Sales Manager Tel: +971 4 444 3576 Mobile: 971 55 401 1628 Email: laura.collinder@itp.com For NOMINATION enquiries: JANE O'NEILL EDITOR Tel: +971 4 444 3626 Email: jane.oneill@itp.com For event enquiries: daniel Fewtrell Director of Awards & Marketing Tel: +971 4 444 3 684 Email: daniel.fewtrell@itp.com For Table sales enquiries: anthony chandran table sales executive Tel: +971 4 444 3685 Email: anthony.chandran@itp.com silver SPONSOR category SPONSORs Social media SPONSOR LAST CHANCE TO SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATIONS! #CIDAWARDS PRESENTED BY GOLD SPONSORS FIT-OUT PARTNER CID Awards'20_Ad.indd 123/06/2020 04:20:29 PMSPECIAL REPORT CALENDAR July /August 2020 | MEP Middle East 27 www.mepmiddleeast.com AUGUST BIM SEPTEMBER AR&VR OCTOBER Pumps NOVEMBER Insulation & Ducting DECEMBER Fire & Safety In today’s more challenging market con- ditions, clients often share that they need to fi nd more effective and innova- tive ways to communicate a more de- tailed, more technical, and often a more considered rational for customers regarding their purchasing evaluations and decisions – often trying to communicate that quality, experience and reliability really is a better investment than fi rst glance cheaper competitor alternatives. The aim of MEP Middle East’s Special Reports is to help inform and provide our readers with not only an up to date overview of the current challenges involved with a particular subject, but to also highlight and showcase the very best companies, products and services that are leading the fi eld with trusted, effi cient and innovative solutions. PLATFORM FOR KNOWLEDGE MEP_1507_27_CALENDAR_11301388.indd 2729/06/2020 12:35:30 PMMEP MIDDLE EAST AWARDS 28 MEP Middle East | July/August 2020 www.mepmiddleeast.com The Covid-19 pandemic means that the 2020 edition of the MEP Middle East Awards will be the most important to date; a time when the industry can refl ect on the triumphs of the year despite the adversity it has faced. Most im edition of t Awards. MEP_1507_28-31_MEP AWARDS_11301383.indd 2829/06/2020 12:37:56 PMMEP MIDDLE EAST AWARDS July/August 2020 | MEP Middle East 29 www.mepmiddleeast.com The year 2020 will go down in the his- tory books for many reasons, of that there is no doubt. Here at MEP Middle East, we are determined to make sure it is remembered for the best ever edition of the MEP Middle East Awards. Because when adversity comes knocking it is never more crucial to take stock of the positives. The GCC is still a hub of innovation in the construc- tion industry. The Middle East has con- tinued to demonstrate a com- mendable response to the coro- navirus pandemic. And the people who reside here have shown a level of camaraderie that much of the world is envious of. Through adversity, people are showing the best of themselves, both person- ally and professionally. We want the MEP Middle East Awards to be an occasion to take stock of all the good that has been done over the past 12 months, on top of the usual cases of excellence that set our de- serving award winners apart. The MEP and HVAC sec- tor will no doubt have a crucial role to play in our collective health and safety in the years to come, so let’s make sure we come together to celebrate the work that is being done already to keep us safe and well. For inquiries contact anthony.chandran@itp.com st ever East n- om- coro- that has mont of se m to bein safe an Table sales & nomi nations are now open – make your submissions today! The 2020 edition of the MEP Middle East Awards will take place on 30 September in Dubai. mportant the MEP ... EVER Visit mepmiddleeast.com/awards MEP_1507_28-31_MEP AWARDS_11301383.indd 2929/06/2020 12:38:07 PMNext >