1. Tell us what attracted you to Agilité Solutions?
As a native Italian and having lived and worked in Dubai for over four years, I felt myself being drawn back to Italy, where the construction industry continues to grow and thrive. The role at Agilité presented an opportunity to hone my skills and tackle a new challenge. Plus, I really enjoyed speaking to human resources manager, Naomi Felix, during my initial interview, which further cemented my desire to become a part of the team.
2. Can you share a little bit about your background?
I have over 10 years of experience in the construction industry and a master’s degree in architecture. Having held positions in countries all over the world — including U.A.E, Switzerland, Iran, India, and the UK — I’ve worked with a number of high-profile brands which has allowed me to strengthen both my management skills as well as design, construction, and architectural knowledge.
3. Describe a defining moment in your career.
There are lots of moments! One of the most significant was when I went to work in Dubai — it was a completely different way of working, living, and interacting with others, so I was required to adapt very quickly.
4. What does your new role involve?
In a nutshell, I will be overseeing Agilité’s ongoing commercial interiors projects from start to finish.
5. What are you most looking forward to doing?
Developing my knowledge of the organisation, travelling to, and working in numerous countries across Europe, and maintaining total oversight throughout whole developments.
6. The phone rings and it’s your dream client… who is it?
Zegna — I worked on two extremely successful projects for the brand in Dubai and Saudi Arabia, where I developed a strong working relationship with the team.
7. When you’re not at work, where are we most likely to find you?
Now that I am back in Italy, I am enjoying roaming around, taking in the scenery and landscapes — something I really missed while living in Dubai.
8. Which country or city is at the top of your ‘must-visit’ list?
Japan — I have always been fascinated by the culture and architecture.
9. What’s your favourite productivity trick?
I find a good starting point is to put some motivating music on — anything from deep house to classical!
10. How would you describe Agilité Solutions to a relative?
A commercial interiors company with a growing reputation.
11. As an organisation with sustainability at its heart, Agilité Solutions is dedicated to minimising environmental impact within the construction industry. What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the sector, and how do you think we can rectify it?
Europe, people are becoming increasingly aware of the need to be sustainably conscious — with lots of rules and regulations being brought into effect. My advice would be to adhere to the guidelines and make an effort in all areas of our lives.
We’ve worked hard to recruit some of the most experienced global talent from the world of design, build, construction and project management.
Each month, we put one of our colleagues in the spotlight so you can learn a little more about their role.
Next up, it’s our new construction manager Leon …
I was initially approached by Agilité with the prospect of coming to work for them. At the time, I was looking for a career change, and the opportunity to get back to my roots of retail construction for a growing organisation was too good to turn down.
As I previously alluded to, my experience is largely in the retail construction world — having held positions as both project and construction manager, in Germany as well as South Africa.
I oversaw the rollout of around 45 supermarkets on behalf of the biggest retailer in Southern Africa over the course of just two years. Amid this huge project, we also completed around 30 small shop fit-outs in three months — quite a significant, yet memorable, challenge!
As construction manager in Germany, I am charged with overseeing the on-site activities throughout an entire project lifecycle. Liaising with the sub-contractors, project manager, and client, I ensure that the developments are progressing within the agreed timeframe, and to an excellent standard.
There are a number of very exciting projects coming up, which I am looking forward to getting started on. The variety of Agilité’s portfolio means that the team is always kept on its toes, and we always have new obstacles to overcome.
A client that presents an interesting and challenging brief which allows us to think outside the box.
I like to stay active, so in my spare time I will either be wakeboarding on a lake in Berlin, or running in a nearby forest.
For an off-the-beaten-track trip, South America. Or, for natural beauty and a completely different cultural experience, I’d opt for Japan.
Break tasks down into small, manageable chunks.
A bespoke, general contractor that offers personalised solutions for each and every client.
I’d say the biggest challenge we are facing in the industry is waste. I think first steps towards rectifying this issue would be to change people’s mindsets around what should and shouldn’t be classed as ‘waste’.
Connect with Leon on LinkedIn to find out more about him.
International commercial interiors specialist Agilité has committed £10,000 to supporting and advancing the careers of women working at all levels of the commercial property sector – in both France and the UK.
With a workforce that is 31% female, including 57% of its senior leadership team, Agilité has committed to supporting CREW France and UK, affiliates of the Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Network – which boasts over 12,000 members globally.
“When it comes to supporting women at all stages of their careers, I’ve seen the power of CREW first-hand – having been a member since 2019 and also sitting as the chair of CREW UK’s communication committee,” explained Agilité’s development director, Kirsty Shearer.
“We are passionate about supporting women in the real estate industry, and with bases in both the UK and France, we were keen to invest in fostering real estate talent within the local markets.”
Established in London in 2016, the past two years have seen the UK arm of the network offer leadership opportunities – via board positions and committee roles – to 30+ real estate professionals within the UK.
Meanwhile, Agilité’s investment into the fledgling CREW France will help to power a mentorship program headed by Laurence Girod, head of enterprise IPM solutions EMEA at Cushman and Wakefield. The programme will include 15 mentors from all aspects of the commercial real estate industry providing a broad perspective, guidance, and career insights to mentees.
“Agilité’s support will help us to build bridges between real estate women globally,” explained Siobhan Godley, head of Deloitte real estate and CREW UK board chair. “The power of the CREW Network in the United States and Canada is undisputed, and we’re delighted that, with Agilité’s longstanding support, we can open CREW UK and France to be part of an established organisation that connects, supports, and advances women globally.”
To keep up with the latest news from Agilité, follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.
We’ve been enjoying a particularly busy year so far in 2022, with the brand launch of Agilité, the opening of two European offices, a significant investment in our services, and the onboarding of several new faces into the business — and we’re not stopping there!
Taking a look back at the past few weeks, this blog offers some insight into what our teams have been getting on with — as well as what’s waiting on the horizon.
Wrapping up in Paris
We recently rounded off a project that put a global investor and asset manager’s workforce at the heart of the design.
We’re looking forward to sharing the finer details of our development which saw us team up with STUDIOS Architecture — creating a bright, modern, vibrant, and welcoming office in Paris.
Elsewhere in the capital
NBA, one of the largest global providers of licensed sports merchandise, has opened its first store in Paris – with a little help from the Agilité and Gensler teams.
The retail space — found in Paris’s Latin Quarter and operated by retail giant Lids — marks the first NBA store in France and third in Europe, joining London (UK) and Milan (Italy).
Take a look around over on our blog.
Introducing Kiran Kondrapu
Following the opening of our London base, assistant project manager Kiran has joined us to help maintain high standards on all UK projects — coordinating with stakeholders, clients, colleagues, and subcontractors to ensure targets and expectations are met throughout a project.
You can get to know Kiran — as well as his experience and responsibilities — in our new blog.
Searching for fresh talent
We have commenced the search for more experienced, knowledgeable, and passionate professionals to complement our existing workforces in Luxembourg, France, Italy, Germany and the UK.
To browse our roles — and apply — head to our careers page, we’d love to hear from you.
Work is set to begin in Berlin
In the wake of successful retail roll-outs in London and Paris for National Basketball Association (NBA) and Fanatics, we’re now looking forward to making a start on the latest store in Berlin, Germany.
All we can say is ‘watch this space’.
To follow our journey in real time, follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.
International commercial interiors specialist Agilité has marked its continued growth with the opening of a Luxembourg office – as the company celebrates its fourth year of trading and expected turnover in 2022 exceeding €40 million.
With existing bases in London, Paris, and Milan, as well as a planned expansion into the US and Germany, the Luxembourg headquarters, located on rue de la vallee, comes as Agilité chalks up its 151st project since its inception in January 2018 – amounting to 120,000 sqm, delivered across 11 countries.
The Luxembourg office is headed by development director Kirsty Shearer, with her eight-strong local team including specialists in architecture, design, finance, and project management.
"Luxembourg is somewhere we’re keen to grow the Agilité reach and reputation,” explained Kirsty Shearer, “having already completed four projects in-country, and with an additional two underway or in the pipeline, it was important we firmly established a base here.
“We’re looking to further invest in the region too, and are actively recruiting for project managers and construction managers, financial managers within the Benelux region.”
Agilité’s thriving client portfolio includes brands such as LVMH, Lids/NBA, Booking.com, Deutsche Börse, Fred Perry, Five Guys, and The Instant Group, as well as several major multinationals in the tech and finance sectors.
The founder and CEO of Agilité Solutions, Neil Coales, credits loyal customers — who account for 65% of the company's order book — as the driving force behind its rapid expansion: "When we launched Agilité, the strategy was always to have a seamless pan-European business that could be operational in multiple locations for multiple customers.
“We don't want to have an office in every country, rather we identify locations that best support our clients' growth plans and the strong local supply chains we are building. The pursuit of quality is as much our goal as the overall expansion, which is why we allocated a €1million investment into our people and systems (in 2021) as part of a five-year plan – it's critical to our success."
The expansion of the European company — which provides office, retail, and hospitality construction and fit-out work across the continent — follows 30% year-on-year growth and has included an extensive branding project to reshape its core principles, service set, and visual identity.
The news follows a successful year of trading in 2021, which saw a 30% growth in turnover and headcount, as well as exponential growth in revenue — amounting to €35million by the end of 2021.
careers@agilitesolutions.com
FR +33 (0) 1 88 61 81 31
UK+44 (0)7 506 403 069
IT +39 (0) 350 9646921
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