As part of a series of stories profiling people of influence from around Beca, we asked Warren McGrath, Technical Director - Environmental Science, to discuss his career journey, leadership philosophy, life in Sydney and his passion for achieving better environmental outcomes.
What does life in Sydney look like for you?
I moved to Sydney from Perth in 2018 to be closer to my now husband and to work in the head office of my previous company. The time has flown by, largely because I've never run out of things to do in this city.
One of the things I enjoy most about Sydney is how easy it is to get out into nature. We're surrounded by national parks and, if we have a spare day or even an afternoon, we will often head off on one of the many walking trails around the city.
We live in St Peters, close to Newtown, so there's no shortage of great places to eat. Having grown up on the WA coast, I'd still like the beach to be a little closer, but I make sure I get down there for a swim whenever I can. I spent my first few years in Sydney playing water polo every week and, while I'm currently ‘taking a break’, I still try to stay active through swimming, running and the gym.
Tell us something about yourself that most people wouldn't know
Most people are surprised to learn that I spent four years in local government politics.
In 2009, I successfully ran for council in the Town of Vincent in Perth, helping progress a range of community and greening initiatives. During my second term, I served as Deputy Mayor and later spent six weeks as Mayor when the sitting Mayor stepped down after being elected to Federal Parliament.
Another thing many people don't know about me is that I've spent a lot of time involved in community theatre. For years, I tried to perform in at least one production every year. I haven't done as much since moving to Sydney, but it's something I'd love to return to.
How did your career path lead you here?
I studied environmental science and chemistry at Murdoch University and started my career as a Research Officer with Murdoch University, coordinating mine rehabilitation research at Boddington Gold Mine.
From there, I joined a small environmental consultancy in Perth and quickly became involved in environmental impact assessments and project approvals. Over the following years, I progressed through a range of technical and leadership roles, eventually joining Eco Logical Australia where I held State Manager and Regional Manager positions.
My work increasingly focused on Commonwealth environmental assessments and strategic environmental assessments, an area that continues to interest me because of its ability to shape outcomes at a landscape scale.
In 2018, after the company had been acquired by Tetra Tech, I relocated to Sydney to become Head of Strategy and later Company Secretary.
It's been a career full of different challenges, opportunities and learning experiences, but it's the people and the collegiality that come from doing good work together that have kept me in consulting.
What does leadership look like for you?
For me, leadership is about trust.
I believe in empowering people to make decisions, backing them to do so and helping them work through challenges rather than stepping in with all the answers. My role is to provide guidance and support while allowing people the space to develop and grow.
I'd hope my team would describe my leadership style as approachable, constructive, supportive and ethical.
What drew you to Beca, and what keeps you here?
Beca was a company that had been recommended to me several times throughout my career. I was excited by the opportunity to help grow Beca's environment, planning, heritage and complementary services capability in Australia, and to do so within an employee-owned organisation.
What keeps me here is Beca's values-led culture. It's important to me that we focus on our people, celebrate diversity and inclusion, and strive to create better environmental and social outcomes through our work.
I’m loving how we’ve been able to grow our teams in Planning & Environment while maintaining the level of care, kindness and sense of fun I experienced from the beginning when starting a year ago.
When you think about your work in the environment space, what are you most proud of?
I've always been a strong advocate for helping clients avoid and minimise environmental impacts as early as possible in project development.
One project that stands out is the Fiona Stanley Hospital project in Perth, where I was Project Director for Environment. Despite the constraints of the site, the project delivered significant environmental outcomes, including habitat conservation, fauna and flora translocation, material reuse, native roof gardens and innovative offset initiatives.
The project was recognised by then Environment Minister Peter Garrett (and Midnight Oil lead singer) as setting a new benchmark for environmental mitigation in Australia.
More broadly, I'm proud of the many opportunities I've had to work with clients and project teams to improve outcomes for both the environment and the community.
If you weren't doing this job, what would you be doing?
I'd probably be leading an environmental or community-focused not-for-profit organisation.
I've built up a lot of governance and leadership experience throughout my career, and I think I'd enjoy applying those skills to an organisation focused on delivering positive environmental or social outcomes.
What keeps you busy outside of work?
Travel is a big passion of mine. I love exploring different parts of Australia and visiting other countries whenever I can.
I also make it back to Perth as often as possible to spend time with family, especially my niece and nephew, who I'm completely devoted too.
And we have to ask, being from Perth, do you support West Coast or Fremantle in the AFL?
Fremantle, every time.
I've been a supporter since the club was established and was an official foundation member. It's been a good year and I'm hoping to see the Dockers lifting the cup this season.
