Stronger Together. Preparing for FY23.

More than 220 Taylor employees congregated at Royal Randwick Racecourse, to reflect on a successful, although challenging, FY22 and prepare for the coming fiscal year. With the construction of this venue completed in December 2021, it was fitting to come together in a state-of-the-art facility built by our own.

Taylor welcomed Leslie McLeod, a Yuin, Dharawal and Ngarigo custodian and loreman to lead the smoking ceremony to mark the start of the event. After this, Leslie led a traditional Welcome to Country to show respect to Elders past and present.

Mark Taylor, Managing Director, George Bardas, Chief Executive Officer and Clive Wickham, Chief Financial Officer took to the stage to lead the State of the Nation address. Reflecting on the unprecedented nature of FY22 due to COVID-19 escalation in pricing and inclement weather impacts, they acknowledged the resilience shown across the organisation in the face of shifting industry regulations and unforeseen lockdowns, thanking staff for their ongoing commitment to safety and wellbeing throughout.

An esteemed panel of Taylor leaders were invited to reflect on site-based challenges, innovations and wins from the past 12-months. Moderated by Tim Christie, General Manager – General Build, the panel was focused on conversation between Adam Vassallo, Project Manager, Damian Fisher, Senior Site Manager, Ian Short, Project Manager and Katherine Barrionuevo, Senior Design Manager.

Reflecting on what set Taylor apart when tendering for the Sydney Opera House project , Adam Vassallo said, “We acted with honesty and integrity, respecting the client’s boundaries. Collaboration and communication is essential, so we focused on building a strong relationship with them during pre-construction.”

Discussing challenges in FY22, Ian Short commented, “COVID-19 lockdowns had a big impact on the industry. Relying on virtual platforms was a big shift – it’s nice to be connecting with our people and subcontractors onsite again.” Katherine Barrionuevo added, “COVID-19 really highlighted the importance of face-to-face communication with clients.”

Closing the segment, Damian Fisher explored the positives that arose during these uncertain times, “It taught people to show compassion across the industry. Construction can be tough – for everyone, it was a really challenging time on both personal and professional levels. I saw people leading with compassion and kindness to their peers and wider teams – we got through it, together.”