Helen Shapcott

Describe what the Mott Mac Life means to you in three words

Our business is… [intelligent, hard-working, down-to-earth]

Tell us about your specialism and why you chose it

I started out at Mott’s after graduating from Brighton University with a degree in Business and Finance, and I wanted to join a company where I could build my career. Since joining all those years ago I’ve built my career as a management consultant, working on lots of projects for our clients, mostly in the public sector and completed by MBA. More recently, I’ve worked in some internal roles, one of which was working with colleagues all over the world. I specialise in organisational change and take pride in being able to engage with people across cultures and geographies to foster a safe and engaging environment to enable teams to deliver. Working for a consultancy is great, as it gives me the opportunity to work on a mix of projects, and secondly and more importantly for me, to gain insights into how other organisations are led and managed.

What do you enjoy about working here?

One of the best things has to be the people I work with, both my Mott MacDonald colleagues, and our clients. The culture at Mott MacDonald is one of intelligent, hard-working professionals who are enthusiastic about the work they do, but are down to earth, social and in my view have the right take on the ‘work/ life balance’. I’ve also had the privilege of working with some fascinating and challenging clients, who I’m pleased to say always keep you on your toes!

Where in the world has your role taken you?

When working on the implementation of a new company-wide system, I got to stay in Dubai twice. Mott MacDonald colleagues there were really welcoming, and it was great to learn about how our Middle East business operates. As well as visiting Dubai, I got to work remotely with colleagues across lots of countries all from the UK and Dubai, but most definitely across time zones and during the pandemic! This included, Australia & New Zealand, India and Hong Kong – which I have very fond memories of.

What are your career highlights and achievements?

Studying for MBA with Mott MacDonald was a highlight, as was working on my dissertation which I was fortunate enough to do with clients within the emergency services sector. I got to research why collaboration was challenging across different agencies; fire & rescue, ambulance and police services. As a result, I had an article published, and got to speak at a number of conferences.

I think that what we do outside of our day jobs, is also important. With my highlight being opening and running a boxing fitness studio in Brighton – and stepping into the ring!