M E E T T H E T E A M
“Coming together is the beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” – Henry Ford
Dan Ives | Commercial Manager
With 20 years in the industry Dan brings together a rounded experience from different sectors and a passion for construction with special attention given to fit out and refurbishment.
Dan had a dream of becoming an astronaut or lawyer and has full admiration for Bruce Willis – always in the right place at the right time! If Dan wasn’t here you’d find in him Fiji – if it were possible he’d have used his Superhero power of ‘flying’ to get there. He enjoys the tranquillity of sitting by a river and is pretty sure he was a Fungi in a previous life! The first thing Dan would do if he won the lottery is count it and ensure it was in the bank.
A piece of advice from Dan, “Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents P!ss Poor Performance.”
Sarah Pettican | Business Development Manager
Sarah has a slightly different background to most in the construction industry, most of her career was spent as a Primary School Teacher. Sarah brings many skills and attributes from the classroom to the office! She is organised, pro-active, patient and has great communication skills.
Sarah’s 10 year old self dreamt of being an Olympic sprinter, she even wrote to Jim’ll Fix it asking for a training day with Linford Christie! Once she realised this wasn’t to be she resigned herself to running for fun and ran the London Marathon instead. When not working she would ideally be laying on a beach in the Maldives sipping Rose! Sarah has been known to bungee from a bridge and jump out of two aeroplanes, maybe this is why her Superhero power would be ‘Flying’.
A piece of advice from Sarah, “Always drink two pints of water before bed after a big night out!”
Ross Driscoll | Construction Manager
Ross has successfully delivered various fit-out and refurbishment projects as a construction manager. Ross communicates regularly, mediates fairly and takes a proactive approach to identify potential issues before they arise.
When Ross isn’t managing projects he enjoys a spot of golfing in the sunshine followed by his favourite tipple, a Cuba Libre. He loves sending time with his son and would choose the super power of Teleportation, so that he could be anywhere without the hassle of travelling! He wanted to be a footballer for West Ham and believes he was taller in a previous life!
A piece of advice from Ross, “Never Judge a book by its cover!
Gregg Smith | Project Manager
Gregg has more than 20 years of experience as a project manager with a wide knowledge of both fit out and construction. He prides himself in leading his team from the front and has fastidious attention to detail.
When not working as a Project Manager for Defined Interiors - exactly what he dreamt of being at the age of 10 - you will find Gregg swimming in a River or clocking up the miles on his bike! Join him at happy hour for a Vodka, lime and lemonade and he’ll tell you about the time he hoped on the back of a motorbike travelling 120mph! If Gregg could choose a Superpower he’d choose ‘youth’ so that he could be a kid every day.
A piece of advice from Gregg, “Be nice to the people you see on the way up, they will still be there when you are on your way down!”
Allen Fitchett | Health & Safety Officer
Allen is responsible for all health and safety matters and identifies and implements safety training requirements. He reviews and authorises site specific project safety plans and lifting plans and investigates and reports on all major injuries and dangerous occurrences.
When Allen isn’t implementing safety measures you may find him on the golf course, ideally in the Algarve, or spending time with his family. Allen’s 10 year old self dreamt of being a professional footballer and to this day is a supporter of the ‘mighty’ Tottenham Hotspurs. Allen believes he could have been a Viking in a previous life and is unable to disclose the craziest thing he’s done……he is a safety man after all!
A piece of advice from Allen, “You get what you put in!”.
Pat Gethings | Project Manager
Pat’s career started at William Verry Construction where he started as a Charge Hand and worked his way up to site manager. He has since been working on structural refurbishments, new builds, fit outs, ranging from £200k - £12m. Pat prides himself on his attention to detail and being incredibly organised.
Pat enjoys spending time on the golf course with his son and if he could be anywhere he’d be in the mountains in Zakynthos enjoying the views and peace. If you ever want to buy Pat a drink, it’s a large Jameson’s on the rocks (a true Irish man!), he might then tell you about his childhood dream of being a drummer in a band!
A piece of advice from Pat, “learn from your mistakes, if you do not make mistakes you are not trying hard enough”.
Sarah Stephens | Financial Administration
Sarah started her career as an Office Manager, working most recently as an Advisor for a Debt Charity. Sarah brings her experience in administration and finance, along with her attention to detail and organisational skills.
Sarah has huge admiration for the person who invented ‘pigs in blankets’ and always wanted to be a Spice Girl, Baby Spice to be precise! If Sarah could be anywhere, other than at work, she’d be on the Amalfi Coast sipping Aperol Spritz by the sea. Sarah is happiest cuddling puppies and making memories with her nearest and dearest and if you want to buy her a drink at happy hour, make it a Raspberry Bellini.
A piece of advice from Sarah, “Forget the mistake, remember the lesson!”.
Richard Goodey – Project Surveyor
Richard is pragmatic, extremely positive and very highly driven. He has over 8 years of experience in the construction industry, beginning his career as a Graduate Quantity Surveyor.
Richard holds a BSc Hons in Quantity Surveying from The University of Greenwich.
Richard has fantastic communication skills; he is clear and concise enabling him to deliver information to a diverse range of people. He can think analytically with excellent attention to detail.
Alastair Kerr | Commercial Manager
Alastair has over thirty years’ experience in the construction industry , starting off working in a Professional Quantity surveying office , then moving over to the Construction side after five years. Worked on various projects both in the United Kingdom and other parts of the world , projects from Data Centres , Office fitouts Cat A & B , as well as refurbishment projects.
When not working Alastair enjoys being outside gardening , walking , family time and enjoys traveling anywhere which is warm and sunny with places of interest , with Barcelona and various places in France as top of the list.
A piece of advice from Alastair , Respect people for who they are , plan and prepare will achieve better end results.
Nathan Walker | New Business Development
Nathan has more than 23 years of experience in Business Development, Sales and NBS Specification gained through working for some of the UK's most established interior fit out and manufacturing businesses. His specialist experience is in the commercial office sector, but he has also worked in other sectors including Hospitality, Education, High End Retail and High End Residential.
Nathan's work ethic means he consistently goes above and beyond to fulfil his responsibilities and always puts his client’s needs first. When not in work Nathan loves to travel with his wife. One of his favourite places is Casa Pacha on the beautiful island of Formentera in the Balearic Islands, drinking a Negroni while watching the sun go down. Nathan enjoys watching Manchester United and has a large collection of football memorabilia consisting of mainly Manchester United signed shirts and match programmes.
A piece of advice from me would be - Every passing moment is another chance to turn it all around.
Tom Parsons | Commercial Manager
Tom joins the Defined team with over 14 years of experience in the construction industry. He began his career as a trainee quantity surveyor while pursuing his MSc in Quantity Surveying at London South Bank University. Tom thrives on the dynamic nature of the construction sector, appreciating that each project presents unique challenges and opportunities for continuous learning.
Tom’s chosen career path may have something to do with the admiration for his Father, a DIY pro who can fix anything, although his 10 year old self had the dream of working with Robotics as an inventor……never say never!
Tom’s chosen superhero power would be teleportation, making travelling easier, cheaper and more environmentally friendly – first port of call would be Japan. It might have saved him hitchhiking to Morocco back in the day too!!
In his spare time Tom enjoys spending time with his family, pottering in the garden and maybe enjoying a pint!
The best piece of advice Tom has been given; ‘Be open to learning new things because knowledge is like a ticket that can take you places when the opportunity comes’.
Daniel Donovan | Project Manager
Daniel has over 22 years of experience in the construction industry, starting his career as a carpenter apprentice and working his way up to Project Manager. Daniel has worked in both commercial and residential sectors he is adaptable in any situation and enjoys working on complex projects, showcasing my problem-solving skills.
Daniel’s 10 year old self dreamt of becoming a carpenter, following his Father around the house with a toolbox…..dreams can come true! In his spare time Daniel enjoys spending time with his family and if he won the lottery he would travel the world with them. The craziest thing he has sone is skydive in Mexico which has given him a new found fear of heights!
The best piece of advice Daniel has been give is “take every opportunity offered to you!”
Louie Stedman
Louie is ambitious and works hard to ensure all jobs he works on are completed to the highest standard. Louie has spent the past 2 years working within a bespoke joinery business and has developed a great eye for detail and has adopted a host of new skills that are now transferable to his new role. He is keen to learn and continue his professional development at Defined Interiors. Louie admires his Dad as he has always inspired him, always looking on the positive side of things. He enjoys travel, especially relaxing on the beach with friends, laughing and joking. Louie enjoys keeping fit by playing football and hitting the gym but also enjoys a cocktail with friends! If Louie could have a superhero power, he would love to fly so that he could enjoy seeing the world. He enjoys helping people and tries his best to do this daily!
The best piece of advice Louie has ever been given is ‘Don’t worry’. He believes everything happens for reason, so don’t worry!
Max Hirons | Construction Manager
Max joins the Defined team as a Construction Manager. With 8 years’ experience in the Construction Industry and four years in a managerial position, Max’s goal is to advance his career further with the guidance of our experience team. Max is a dedicated individual with a strong passion in the field. Max is a very driven and passionate individual who operates well in a group setting and alone when necessary and flourishes in challenging situations.
It is clear where Max’s hunger to thrive and succeed in the Construction Industry originates from, as his father, whom he greatly admires, built a construction company from scratch.
Max enjoys traveling the world, from skiing in the French Alps to exploring the jungle and snorkelling the turquoise waters of Bali. Max’s hobbies also include canoeing through the countryside with pit stops at the local pubs overlooking the river sipping a pint of Guinness.
He likes to live life of the edge, supporting Spurs is a prime example!
The best piece of advice Max has ever been given is ‘ To give everything a go, what is the worst that can happen?’