Welcome to the latest edition of An Interview With…, where we sit down with members of the Leslie Clark team to explore their insights and experiences.

Peter Taylor’s career has been shaped by versatility, practical leadership and a clear commitment to CDM consultancy. Over the past 15 years at Leslie Clark, he’s played a key role in projects ranging from heritage refurbishments to large-scale commercial fitouts.

In this interview, Peter reflects on the evolving role of CDM, what strong leadership looks like, and why being visible in projects matters more than ever.

How did you get started in construction consultancy, and what inspired you to follow this career trajectory?

By accident (forgive the pun).

The closest construction got to my career plans at school was work experience in a civil engineering firm. Having not been inspired, I followed my grades and interest in Marine Biology and Oceanography. Then, finding environmental work either scarce or low-paid, I ended up with Costains at St Pancreas as part of the environmental team. Joining before there was much to do, I did everything from IT, office management and QA before the environmental role got me inspecting site and taking soil samples. Able to turn my hand to most tasks, I became more involved in the NCR and H&S roles. Following redundancy, I joined Alfred McAlpine Infrastructure Services on the railway division until they closed the division soon after. (no connection). It was then that I turned gamekeeper from poacher and became a consultant with AYH. That was where my CDM path began.

Can you highlight some memorable projects you’ve led and their significance to the company and the industry?

I’m proud of all my projects, past and present, normally looking back with tinted glasses. Fate, karma, and luck have allowed me to be involved in many great projects and clients since my first day on site. Starting with the extension and refurbishment of St Pancreas at Costains, Nido Spitalfields and multiple airside BA projects at AYH / Arcadis. It was at AYH/Arcadis that I met Brian Young and cut my CDM teeth on the New Look rollout.

So far, my 15 years at Leslie Clark have allowed me to be involved with the Liberty of London external repairs and multiple fitouts at 22 Bishopsgate (some great views of London). Aviva Investors has let me help bring some great properties to the market, such as the recent 101 Moorgate. The Metro Bank rollout was fun and let me see what can be achieved with a single vision and the money to back it up.

It is also with Leslie Clark that I started working with St Martins on the London Bridge City Estate. It has been great being involved in all the work along the river as the estate changes and evolves.

What leadership principles guide you in providing project excellence and team performance?

I’ve been lucky to have had some great bosses throughout my career, each with their own strengths, weaknesses and styles. Honesty with the client and yourself, plus the view that all projects are important and worth your full attention, will normally lead to positive results. As all teams are different, I can only try to lead by example and help my CDM colleagues reach their goals.

How does Leslie Clark’s culture promote leadership, collaboration, and innovation?

The culture at Leslie Clark is positive, friendly and competitive. With a good mixture of ages and personalities, the company is largely one team working towards the same goal. That goal is to be the best we can for ourselves, company and clients.

Can you share some of the CDM initiatives you’ve championed and their impact on the company and the community?

CDM Consultants are typically the bolt-on and lowest fee earner in the project consultants’ team. Seen as a necessary compliance tick box, it was easy for consultants to take on the role in name only and provide questionable value for money, further cementing those fees to the floor.

Leslie Clark has taken a different path. CDM is a stand-alone service where the consultants take an active role within the project and design teams. We have fostered less paperwork and a more communicative stance, which means our team is both seen and heard during project meetings.

This means that people don’t need to ask for evidence of our input to the project; they see it firsthand.

How does Leslie Clark maintain its competitive edge and ensure exceptional client service?

By being an active participant in the projects, Leslie Clark can adjust our approach and service to suit a changing project or environment. A proactive solutions focused attitude helps clients and consults come to us for advice. This willingness to help means clients and consultants alike want to work with us and will recommend Leslie Clark for their projects.

What advice would you give to professionals aspiring to senior leadership roles in the construction consultancy industry?

Don’t burn your bridges. Also, push your boundaries while staying true to yourself. You will make mistakes and learn that the world is more about perspective than simple rights and wrongs. How you pick yourself up and learn from those mistakes will shape your future.

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If you’d like to learn more about Leslie Clark and how we support clients through CDM and wider construction consultancy services, feel free to contact Peter Taylor directly or connect with him on LinkedIn. Peter is always happy to share insights, discuss our work and explore how we might help bring your next project to life.