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Career path: From Liverpool, via Birmingham, to Doha

From university in Liverpool, via Birmingham and then to Doha, Steven Yule, business development manager for Amey in the Middle East, talks about his career.

What is your job? 

I’m the international business development manager for the Middle East; based in Doha, Qatar, with responsibility for managing the delivery of regional business plans to develop Amey’s international growth aspirations in the region across a range of sectors, including highways, rail, utilities, aviation and asset management.

Why did you decide to go into engineering?

I always wanted to pursue a career that would enable me to make a lasting beneficial impact on society and it was clear that civil engineering would give me the skills to make this a reality. 

What did you study? How did that lead to your career at Amey? 

MEng Civil and Structural Engineering at the University of Liverpool. Amey was a clear favourite choice for me during my final year of study, partly due to the enthusiasm they put into the graduate programme and the vast range of opportunities to work in infrastructure maintenance and asset management. 

Who was your first employer? 

I completed summer placements with Arup during my university studies. Amey was my first full time employer after I graduated and I joined the structures team in Birmingham, where I helped design and project manage bridge rehabilitation schemes across a variety of projects including the Midland Links, for Highways England. Later I moved on to Amey’s Graduate Management Development Programme before heading out to the Middle East. 

What is special about where you work? 

Having the opportunity to develop value-led solutions for our existing and potential clients. It is a pleasure to work with people across Amey’s business to cultivate solutions that help our clients balance cost, risk, and performance when managing their infrastructure. 

What is exciting? 

No day is ever the same in Qatar and there is never a dull day, frustrating at times maybe, but certainly not dull! The country has been experiencing a massive construction boom in the lead up to the FIFA World Cup 2022 and Qatar National Vision 2030. Quite simply it is an engineer’s dream, both in terms of the scale of projects and the challenges involved. It is great to have the chance to work with clients to harness UK best practice.

What about the work that keeps you interested? 

The variety of challenges our industry faces and the opportunities Amey gives me to tackle them. I feel privileged to have the chance to make a lasting impact in developing solutions to support the long term sustainability of places where I work.

What is the best thing so far in your career? 

Before moving into my current role, I was the project manager for our client in Qatar, developing and implementing their highway handover procedure for several billions of pounds worth of infrastructure from scratch has to be a highlight. This project allowed me to complete my professional training to sit my charter professional review for CEng MICE, which I will be taking this autumn in Dubai.

How are you able to engage with the wider industry through your role?

I work very closely with the Amey business in the UK, to share best practice and draw on our global expertise. I also work with Ferrovial, our parent company as well as a variety of other organisations in Qatar. I’m also a committee member of the ACE Middle East Group (ACE MEG), which forms part of ACE’s International Business Group, which meets twice yearly in the UAE to discuss regional opportunities and issues facing ACE member companies.