About Us

COMING SOON!

Tell us about yourself and what motivates you:

As a sociable individual, I love meeting new people and creating new networks. Personal growth and development are strong drivers in my life. I believe that a person should always grow and keep moving from one point to another in all aspects, financially, spiritually, emotionally as well as academically. In my spare time, I enjoy tennis and jogging.

Growing up in Nelspruit, I relocated to Johannesburg where I completed high school and university.

Tell us about your journey and what you have experienced and learnt at AGORA:

The three-year BSc Construction Studies course presented at the University of Witwatersrand (WITS), incorporates both Quantity Surveying and Project Management. Students are therefore exposed to the theoretical aspects of both practices. During one’s Honours degree, you are required to select the field in which you would prefer to specialize in.

I have been fortunate to start my career with a small construction company. Quantity Surveying services for a construction company are vastly different than that of a consulting company.

Joining AGORA in October 2019, gave me great exposure to both Quantity Surveying and Project Management. Our directors proposed taking on a project management role within the company and I took on the challenge. Thanks to the background gained during my studies, I understand the requirements pertaining to both services. This was an opportunity to expand my knowledge and build my career. I find the project management side of my role enticing and enjoyable.

Another facet of my responsibilities involves the finishing phase and interiors of projects where other components also come into the mix, like imports, different timelines, and different suppliers. My role in these aspects is extremely versatile. During the 2,5 years at AGORA, our directors entrusted me with several large-scale and high-end projects each comprising of unique, intricate requirements. Being involved in all aspects of the project, from construction to interiors, one has a better perspective on the requirements to ensure successful completion and delivery.

What are the key resources that have helped you along the way?

From my early development in life, my parents have set the example and inspired my hunger for knowledge and growth. Furthermore, the directors, our mentors, the time and trust they invest in our training and development have been invaluable. They have patience to teach us and help us develop our skills.

What are your personal and professional goals?

Firstly, to acquire my professional registration with the South African Council for the Project and Construction Management Profession (SACPCMP).

Secondly, to develop our service delivery and expand our client and project base in the African region. Therefore, we must create more relationships with clients in Africa and step out into other sectors.

What has been your biggest challenge, and how did you overcome it?

I do not see challenges as an obstacle but approach it as a learning curve and growing opportunity. Starting out, taking on the project manager role, being the client representative and liaison on a large-scale project, was intimidating. As a young professional I was put in a position where I am directly involved in the management of the project, meeting with clients and project teams, and having to ensure that projects are run successfully on the clients’ behalf. Therefore, I quickly had to build the confidence needed, as well as learn to be assertive and address issues when necessary.

What are you most proud of in your career so far?

I have been exposed to opportunities where I have learnt a tremendous amount and significantly grown in a short period of time.

Being appointed as director, and having our directors entrust this responsibility onto me, is a great honour.

How important is company culture to you and what measures do you take to maintain your desired culture?

An open and accepting attitude towards constructive criticism, understanding your team members, their strengths, and their needs, adapting as well as inspiring growing as a unit is very important. It is vital to have a unified team.

What are your values as a leader and how would you go about cultivating these values within the team?

Investing time in your team and enhancing individuals' strengths are important values to incorporate into your approach. Acknowledgement and celebration of outstanding performance are vital.

Tell us about yourself and what motivates you:

Professionally I am motivated by people's attitude and people's loyalty towards me and my company. It is frustrating to work with a negative person or team. When everyone is excited, it is easy to be enthusiastic, but when people around you are morbid and negative it becomes extremely difficult to be motivated.

On a more personal note, I am motivated by a good quality of life. I enjoy nature and animals. To be able to live in a place surrounded by nature and to share my life with a loyal person that is equally passionate about travel, animals and nature is a great motivation. To know at the end of the day I can leave the hustle-and-bustle of the city behind and be on my farm, is a good motivation.

Tell us about your journey and what you've experienced and learnt at AGORA:

We started with nothing, working out of a garage. Those days were hard, I think back to the sacrifices I had to make to build this 'empire' with Fred. I am glad that we did not give up. When we first started this company, I had a few offers to go “work for a boss”, but I have made the decision to stick it out and be loyal to the dream of building AGORA QS. I remember moving to our current offices, this was a big step for us, then shortly thereafter we expanded our offices occupying double the space we initially had. I remember appointing our first employee, he later became an associate with us. Thinking back, I am blessed and honoured to work with the team at AGORA Quantity Surveyors. The journey was a humbling one.

What are your values as a leader and how would you go about cultivating these values within the team?

Loyalty above all. I will be loyal to those who are loyal to me and defend them in every way that I can. My loyalty is expressed through my deeds and nothing else. I have your back and you better have my back.

What are your personal and professional goals?

Short-term - To continue to grow as an individual, a husband, a boss, a director and a business owner.

Long-term - To continue to grow AGORA into a force to be reckoned with. To become a preferred consulting firm and to expand our clientele.

How important is company culture to you and what measures do you take to maintain your desired culture?

Company culture is one of the key motivational factors in managing a healthy company.

We have, from the beginning days of AGORA QS, decided to establish a certain company culture: Friday afternoon drinks, company braai's, company breakfasts, year-end functions etc.

As directors we are the driving forces behind this culture. We have established a social portfolio with the employees who assist in the management of this culture.

What's one thing you wish you had known when you began your career?

That not every person has the same sense of loyalty towards you, just because you are loyal in business doesn't mean every person is. Get everything in writing and follow-up on every call with an email.

What advice would you give someone wanting to pursue a career similar to yours?

Be loyal, take care of people and build relationships with consultants because your future work will come from them.

What do you think are the most important qualities for someone to excel in this job?

Loyalty towards clients and your business partner. Marketing and business development abilities and QS technical ability.

What has been your biggest challenge, and how did you overcome it?

I had a few major health issues in my life. I had to learn how to walk again in 2005 after a major cycling accident. I got through this by never giving up. If one can endure so much physical pain and the emotional trauma associated with the loss of a basic ability like walking all other things gets easier. You learn how to live and that there is more to life than money.

What are the key resources that have helped you along the way?

Firstly, the people I work with and secondly being able to use the latest technology available to a QS and not to discard technology simply because it scares me.

What changes / improvements would you like to see in the industry and within the company?

I would like to see the industry (not just AGORA) work towards the BIM technology and use 3D modelling more to our advantage.

COMING SOON!

Tell us about yourself and what motivates you:

I enjoy a challenge, helping people (particularly our clients) and trying to improve the world that we live in.

Tell us about your journey and what you have experienced and learnt at AGORA?

Agora is definitely the best team I have worked with, they are innovative, ambitious and professional.

What are your values as a leader and how would you go about cultivating these values within the team?

Do the basic things right and everything will fall into place. I value honesty, integrity and commitment to the team and job. Every team member is important to the cause, and I always look to instil that mindset into each team member to ensure that we are successful in everything that we do.

What are your personal and professional goals?

I want to grow the company in my lifetime into a sustainable venture that spans Europe, the Middle East and Africa and is the consultancy of choice in those regions. I see quantity surveyors as commercial managers for projects and clients and am keen to further develop that aspect of the profession. Personally, I hope to achieve this with a good balance between work, health and my personal life and whilst playing the game in the right way.

How important is company culture to you and what measures do you take to maintain your desired culture?

Leaders and senior personnel need to lead from the front and set the standard for the organisation. Company culture and teamwork is critical if an organisation is to be successful.

What’s one thing you wish you had known when you began your career?

Try keep it as simple as possible.

What advice would you give someone wanting to pursue a career similar to yours?

Try get as much industry work experience whist you are studying and with different companies. Also take some extra courses in matters that interest you as the profession is so board and they will be applicable somewhere in your career.

What do you think are the most important qualities for someone to excel in this job?

Discipline, intelligence, work ethic and soft skills.

What has been your biggest challenge, and how did you overcome it?

Agora is definitely the best team I have worked with, they are innovative, ambitious and professional.

What are the key resources that have helped you along the way?

My education, training and upbringing are my greatest resources as they have taught me to do a lot with very little at times.

What changes / improvements would you like to see in the industry and within the company?

Clients & professionals need to be focused on driving value on projects so that the best and right results are achieved. Similarly, I would like to drive the expansion of quantity surveying and commercial management services in the European region where I feel they are lacking and not valued enough. I think also working conditions in the industry can be improved.

COMING SOON!

Tell us about yourself and what motivates you:

I started my quantity surveying career whilst I was still studying at Tuks, I started out as a student working for renowned company, registered as a professional quantity surveyor and joined the AGORA team.

In the construction industry I believe my biggest motivation is seeing a project progressing, from the first foundations cast to the handover of a masterpiece. You face numerous struggles during this time, but the reward is great at the end - and that is my motivation. Another aspect of the industry that is motivating to me, is seeing how the junior staff grow into senior staff, training them up to reach their full potential, and seeing how they too enjoy the success of a project.

Tell us about your journey and what you have experienced and learnt at AGORA?

When I joined AGORA I didn’t know much about anything other than Stage 5 and 6 in the construction industry, but AGORA his given me the opportunity to grow and learn as we go. I truly enjoy the pre-construction phases and can say I have definitely grown a lot in this area.

At AGORA we gain exposure to numerous types of projects, arraying from high-end private residential, to commercial residential, to offices, to hotels, and from new build to alterations. The consulting teams and processes for the different projects also differ vastly. I can truly say that the experience I have gained at AGORA is immeasurable.

What are your values as a leader and how would you go about cultivating these values within the team?

To me it is not a matter of training the staff to a point where they can do what I can do, but rather I motivate them to always want to do more than I can do, because once they challenge themselves, that is when true growth happens. They have this saying ‘you can take a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink’, and that is how I see it. Therefore, I cultivate a passion for what we do and this will automatically cause the person to grow and succeed in what they do.

What are your personal and professional goals?

Personally, well that’s a tuff one, because the sky is the limit, and I have too many to mention all. Lately my focus has been on my musical talents and am currently learning to play the piano for one. Secondly, I recently started studying for degree in psychology, so this is what I am focussed on after hours overall.

My professional goals are quite easy to identify, continuous professional development inside our company is an important one for me – making sure everyone is reaching their potential and identifying weaknesses and turning them into strengths. Furthermore, building professional relationships is one of my goals, being able to connect with a client, to know what their expectations are, and exceed these expectations.

How important is company culture to you and what measures do you take to maintain your desired culture?

Overall, I think this is important, because if your team is happy, their work quality is good. I have seen a few cases where a person is not motivated, then it is shown in their work quality, and it effects the mood around that person. So, yes, cultivating a good company culture in my opinion is important. Our company culture has shaped over the years that I have been at AGORA, we tend to make a lot of jokes in the office, people work together, help each other and motivate each other to grow, monthly breakfasts as a team are always a treat.

What’s one thing you wish you had known when you began your career?

Learn to compile ‘to-do’ lists from day one. Doing this from the start (even when studying) can help you achieve more than you think. You learn to prioritise and manage what is important first – this will avoid future struggles in your work and, or missing deadlines

What advice would you give someone wanting to pursue a career similar to yours?

Once you reach the point where you have the qualifications needed to register as a candidate with the SACQSP, do it, and pursue it. Too many young professionals are neglecting the registration process, when in fact it forces you, and your senior, to spend time on deliverables that should help you excel in your career. The sooner, the better.

What do you think are the most important qualities for someone to excel in this job?

A good attitude. The construction industry overall is a tough one, when you’ve been in it long enough you will know that having a good attitude, or good mindset is key. The projects are sometimes tough, and most of the time a project is pure business.

Another one will be motivation, someone lacking motivation will struggle to succeed in the construction industry. As time goes by, people change, projects change, law changes, everything changes - you should be motivated to stay on top of these changes and be motivated to take on the challenges faced with change.

What has been your biggest challenge, and how did you overcome it?

I think for me, personally, it would be achieving the perfect work-life balance. A few years ago, I was diagnosed with hypertension, and this was due to high levels of stress and limited sleep. After a discussion with the doctor, I had to face the challenge of balancing my life, making time for work, family, hobbies, exercise and relaxing. I realised that the moment I made time to do all these things my health was better, my motivation was higher, and my focus at work increased. I therefore encourage people to find that balance in their lives.

What are the key resources that have helped you along the way?

Physically, it will be the technology available in the industry and being able to use this on our projects – it makes a big difference. And emotionally, I would say the people surrounding me and supporting me in life.

Furthermore, I can comment that the support we have within the AGORA is a blessing, from the student, all the way up to the director, each have an influence on how we achieve success on our projects.

What changes / improvements would you like to see in the industry and within the company?

For me it would be to see the consulting teams working together on projects, in the end we all should have the same goal in mind – having the client’s best interests at heart. Too many times I have seen consultants blame shifting instead of helping with solutions, this just prolongs the problems instead of solving it.

Tell us about yourself and what motivates you:

Despite other fields of interest and strong career considerations, I studied and then registered as a Professional Quantity Surveyor, whereafter I furthered my learning in the field of Financial Management, born out of my love for business and the strategy behind it.

I am driven by my spiritual cornerstones, and I am focused on having a good balance in life with a strong emphasis on physical and emotional wellbeing. Family time is the thing I value most, and I fell in love with being a mom.

I aim to appreciate and see the delight in the small things which life has to offer and always enjoy a good laugh.

Challenges motivates me, especially where it requires continuous learning with a definite goal or achievement in mind. Making a difference, or better yet, “being the difference” could be described as a motto of mine.

Tell us about your journey and what you have experienced and learnt at AGORA?

At AGORA I am spoiled with the opportunity to learn from great leaders, through working beside them. Leaders who involve and open the table to new ideas and considerations. AGORA is a place where personal growth is encouraged, and where skills, methods and processes evolve at an incredible rate. I feel honoured to be moving forward with this exceptional team of individuals.

What are your values as a leader and how would you go about cultivating these values within the team?

I do not see leadership as management. Leadership is the ability to solve problems and to inspire and encourage.

I believe that true leadership lies in supporting and unlocking the potential of those around you. To allow people to achieve and grow and not forgetting the ‘person’ with a specific personality, characteristics, and dreams within each employee.

What are your personal and professional goals?

Besides having specific ‘destinations’ or goals written down, and constantly striving to improve and acquire new skills, it is to know that a balanced life and quality time is my biggest asset. To be mindful - and to live in the moment. Every moment.

How important is company culture to you and what measures do you take to maintain your desired culture?

We often spend more time in the office and amongst our colleagues than what we spend at home. This together with the operational need for teamwork, makes it of utmost importance for the employees to have similar values and characteristics, to care for and support each other, and to strive towards the same goals, whilst having fun doing it. It all boils down to your attitude towards everything, and as with each and every other employee, it starts with me!

What’s one thing you wish you had known when you began your career?

To observe more, listen in more detail, and search for the “why” in the bigger picture of the business. To execute every task as if the buck and risk stops me. To operate daily as if it is my own personal company and benefit.

What advice would you give someone wanting to pursue a career similar to yours?

Never stop learning and know that you are capable to do anything you focus your mind and attention to, despite your experience and qualification.

Have a plan. Then execute it. Know that the original plan is a concept drawing and by amending the plan, you are actually growing and improving yourself and the end result.

What do you think are the most important qualities for someone to excel in this job?

Loyalty and dedication, to your company and the project/ task at hand.

To not just finish a task to get the job done, but to understand how your task is contributing to the bigger business picture. Even if it just makes someone else’s job easier. And then… to do it exceptionally well.

Steve Jobs said: “Be a yardstick of quality, some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected.”

What has been your biggest challenge, and how did you overcome it?

The only time you should ever look back, is to see how far you have come.

What are the key resources that have helped you along the way?

Relationships, values and exposure.

There is great value in quality and deep interpersonal relationships, whilst always be transparent in your actions.

I will always be thankful for the values stationed in my upbringing and for the opportunity I had to further my studies after school. This together with traveling has provided me with a wide range of exposure to different things and people, which always comes in handy when you least expect it.

What changes / improvements would you like to see in the industry and within the company?

For all stakeholders to work in favour of the PROJECT, first and foremost.

COMING SOON!