Manager - Mining and Metals / New Zealand

In the 18 years that James has been with Beca, he has been challenged by a variety of mining project assignments throughout the Asia-Pacific region. In the first 10 years with Beca, he spent less than half of his time in his New Zealand base.

Longstanding mining and metals client Inco has seen James assigned to a number of offshore locations, including five years in Indonesia and one year in China. For many of these projects, much of the basic and detailed engineering design is carried out by Beca engineers in New Zealand while implementation and construction management is done on site in Asia.

A good role model for aspiring engineers, James has successfully worked his way up the ranks. He started out as a graduate mechanical engineer, then began project managing small jobs and gradually progressed to taking charge of larger projects, eventually leading Beca AMEC operations in Indonesia.

James is currently manager of Beca’s mining and metals business which covers a wide geographic spread. His technical skills include construction management, project management, shutdown management and planning for heavy industrial projects. His competence in these areas were particularly highlighted when he successfully managed a four-month furnace rebuild shutdown in Indonesia including a workforce of over 1,200 local and expatriate personnel.

James is an advocate for the collaborative working environment at Beca which he believes is assisted by the employee shareholding model. This model sees employees taking on responsibility from an early stage in their careers, which encourages individual growth and development for the betterment of Beca. “Beca is a place where the more effort you put in, the more you get out of it,” he says.