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Katy Dowding reflects on her transformative journey at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø, which shaped her vision and leadership in the construction industry.

Throughout her 35-year career, Katy Dowding (Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø MSc, Interdisciplinary Management of Projects 2006) has been a force for change in the construction industry.ÌýHer impact has been felt across commercial, operational, and strategic roles, leading to accolades such as 2013 Women in the City Woman of Achievement and 2016 British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) Leader of the Year. She's also a Trustee of the Construction Youth Trust and a member of the Construction Productivity Taskforce.

In May 2023, Katy became President and CEO of Skanska UK – a development and construction organisation she's been a part of for over 20 years. In this role, she has continued to apply her passion for inclusion and diversity and her infectious energy which enables people and projects to thrive.Ìý

"I love this job and this industry," says Katy. "I'm proud of so many things. But for me, anything that creates a legacy is a highlight. You could have your one-off moments of success, but I think the projects that stick are the ones that create a legacy."

Building blocks of a lifelong passionÌý

In 1989, Katy had just completed her A Levels, and a chance conversation with a fellow student put her on an unexpected path. Katy says: "I asked 'What are you going to do when you leave college?' and he replied, 'I'm going to be a quantity surveyor.' He told me roughly what it was, and I thought that sounded like a good idea.Ìý

“"I got the yellow pages, wrote off to the ten companies with the biggest adverts saying: 'Give me a job. I've done the research, and this is also the part-time degree I'd like you to sponsor me to do.' Unsurprisingly, only one replied, and after some badgering, they gave me the job."

While working in her first role in the industry, Katy started an RICS-exempting diploma that she then converted to a part-time degree at South Bank University –Ìý the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors allows those who have passed certain exams to use them as a credit transfer or ‘exemptions’ towards further study. A traditional surveying career path followed, but Katy already had high ambitions. "So, I chose to move into an operational role because, at that time, none of the senior leaders in the business came from purely commercial backgrounds." she says. "My long-term objective was to lead a business."

Katy joined Skanska in 2003 in a commercial role. Over the next two decades, she moved through different roles that gave her a 360 degree view of the company – from strategic planning, utilities, facilities management, and operations – before becoming managing director at the facilities business and subsequently joining the executive management team.Ìý

Katy says: "I started as a surveyor, I've worked as an engineer, and now I'm in charge of surveyors and engineers. I'm a great believer in taking opportunities as you go through your career. In every role I've done, I've taken away something that I still use today."

Growing with Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø

The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø fits into Katy's story at a key moment in her career development. She says: "When I started my Master’s at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø, I wanted to open up my mind to the approach to the wider business and get some critical business thinking into how I worked."

In 2003, Skanska was one of the organisations involved in collaboratively designing a Master's programme for Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø that combined multiple disciplines from the construction industry – including the client-side, consultant side, and contracting side. At the time, Katy worked in strategic planning. She was nominated to join the first cohort of the course along with 10 of her peers from other construction businesses – a move that was also part of her personal development plan.Ìý

"I was 34 at the time, and my group was a peer group. It was a good networking opportunity," says Katy. "It was hard work and time-consuming but stimulating. It gave us time to discuss and debate issues, which enhanced the experience."

The Interdisciplinary Management of Projects MSc course was specifically designed for the industry leaders of tomorrow. Katy says: "One of the modules was called Tomorrow's Company. That was very much about future thinking, strategic planning, and developing your future thinking mindset. That had a lasting impression on me. Even now it's something that I mentally and practically refer back to when we're looking at business planning and strategy.Ìý

"Learning or reminding yourself how to compose an essay or an assignment or response, I still use that today when people are presenting business cases or recommendations to me. That academic rigour is very translatable into business context."

A new generation of construction

Katy has long been passionate about changing the dynamics of the construction industry. She's part of the Construction Productivity Task-force which is leading a joint industry and government initiative to drive greater productivity in the sector. She has also been the executive sponsor of Skanska UK's WomxnÌýand Pride employee networks.

"I think in about 150 years, we might have half a chance of parity in relation to pay, but that's purely in statistics," says Katy. "I think what is starting to move faster is culture and behaviour, with genuine inclusiveness. Now, there's an acceptance and recognition of the value of having women on site."

"I think there is still a habit of recruiting in our image, and I don't think that's deliberate. The ability to value or put a value to something that looks and feels different is a challenge for all of us. Diversity could also be about career background, so if somebody from engineering wants to go into procurement or vice versa, how do we help somebody make that transition?Ìý

“"Diversity, and being inclusive with diversity, is hard, but the value it creates is much better if you get it right."

Looking to the future, Katy is excited to see the new talent entering the industry. This is the legacy that she’s built from years of hard work and determination to change the field. To those Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø graduates taking their first steps outside their studies, she offers the following advice: "If you stay too narrow in your focus, you miss out on some great opportunities. I worked on an HR project for a year,Ìý and I learned so much from doing that, even though it's not a natural route for me," she says.Ìý

"As long as you know generally where you're trying to head, a bit of movement in your career and your interests is a healthy thing that can add some real value. No matter what you do along the way, search for that value."

Read moreÌý

The Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø alumni community is incredibly diverse; learn more about the alumni community by reading more alumni stories.