Dennis Wilson MICOB, operations director at Lend Lease, was last night named as Construction Manager of the Year 2015, winning the coveted award that has represented the peak of professionalism in the construction industry for the past 30 years.
He was lauded for his role in delivering a low-key but highly successful £48m rebuild and refurbishment of an architectural icon, Sir Denys Lasdun’s National Theatre on London’s South Bank.
Competing against some of the UK’s most talented construction professionals, Wilson beat 69 other finalists and nine other gold medallists to land the trophy.
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The full results, which included three category gold medals for Kier, can be viewed here. The other gold-winning contractors were Bouygues, Brymor Construction, Denmark & White, Morgan Sindall, Willmott Dixon and Berkeley Homes.
Sisk’s Lianne Broderick, one of two women in the final, won a silver medal in the Residential Over 6 Storeys category.
“I’ve been very fortunate to work on a project that comes along only once in a lifetime, but I had a fantastic team – the commitment they showed was 24/7. And we were very fortunate to have a fantastic client in the National Theatre.”
Dennis Wilson, Lend Lease
At the awards ceremony last night at London’s Marriott Grosvenor Hotel, host Natasha Kaplinsky (pictured right with Wilson) asked Wilson how he felt as the room rocked with applause.
“I feel I should have invited my wife!” he replied. But he went on to credit the project itself and his 12-strong Lend Lease team for his achievement.
“I’ve been very fortunate to work on a project that comes along only once in a lifetime, but I had a fantastic team – the commitment they showed was 24/7. And we were very fortunate to have a fantastic client in the National Theatre.”
The multi-faceted NT Future project on London’s busy South Bank involved plenty of drama – heavy demolition, the remodelling of production and performing spaces, and the reimagining of public areas.
Wilson had to ensure that the Grade II* listed icon – and its three theatres – remained fully operational throughout the three-year transformation, when it welcomed up to 2,500 visitors daily.
According to the awards citation, Wilson inspired the 350-strong project team to work to excellent standards, clocking up an exemplary safety record and producing a high-quality finish. He also encouraged all workers to treat the theatre “as if they were a guest in someone’s home”.
He also had to respond to the particular challenges of removing 70 tonnes of asbestos from the building, another fact mentioned by awards host Kaplinsky. “You’ve done your homework!” Wilson joked.
Lisa Burger, executive director of the National Theatre, highlighted Wilson’s unique management skills as key to the success on the project, saying: “Dennis was a pillar of strength throughout the construction period. Consistently calm under immense pressure, he was never confrontational and constantly looking for a solution. He was always able to see the bigger picture and focus on our project goals and vision.”
The three-year National Theatre project involved remodelling of production and performance spaces
Chris Blythe, chief executive at the CIOB, said: “The NT Future project was fiendishly complex, with surprises that could have sunk a lesser team, but Dennis’s five-star performance and outstanding leadership mark him out as one of the most tenacious, versatile and talented leaders working in construction today.
“Winning this coveted trophy earns Dennis a place in history and on the CMYA roll of honour. He is an inspiration to all who work with him and will be an incredibly difficult act to follow.”
The judging team of 22 senior industry professionals spent six months visiting projects and interviewing candidates. Chris Blythe added: “Once again, there was an extraordinary array of talent on display at CMYA this year and standards were sky high.
“CMYA has always been a showcase of contemporary best practice and it’s heartening to see the dedication to innovation and continual improvement demonstrated by construction managers on projects of all sizes. Congratulations to all our finalists and medallists, your achievements have made the industry extremely proud.”
The Queen visited the National Theatre during the project
