Eoin O’Suilleabhain is a Contracts Manager with Cleary Doyle and a member of the company’s senior management team. He has vast experience in managing large-scale projects across the world. In 2020, Eoin returned to Ireland to take up his position with Cleary Doyle after many years in Malaysia, Australia and the Middle East.
What is your history with Cleary Doyle?
I joined Cleary Doyle in March 2020 as a Contracts Manager just before lockdown commenced after returning to Ireland from a spell of 22 years working overseas.
Where did you work before Cleary Doyle?
My last job overseas was a two and half year project in Malaysia, working for a Government body on the high-profile TRX financial district in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. TRX is an integrated 70-acre development and Malaysia’s new International Financial District.
On this project, I was the Construction Director for the government body developing the large brownfield site as the new financial district of Kuala Lumpur to rival nearby Singapore and Hong Kong.
I managed a number of international and local contractors/consultants along with stakeholders for infrastructure and building works to a very demanding deadline.
Before that, I had worked on similar large-scale infra/new-build projects in Australia and the Middle East.
What is your job with Cleary Doyle?
I am a Contracts Manager on several projects with values ranging from €1m to €13m. My work on these involves putting the teams and systems in place to allow for the smooth running of the works and hitting key milestones.
What are you currently working on?
I am managing Cleary Doyle projects that include:
- Cherrywood Business Campus, South Dublin; Several architectural/structural/landscaping improvements to the campus. The client is Spear Street Capital, and the architect is Mola.
- Farmhand Ltd machinery workshop extension in Dublin. The architect is Paul Byrne Architects.
- Henkel R&D lobby extension in Tallaght; New lobby extension along with refurbishment of the existing building. The engineer is Prochem, and the architect is Brian Dunlop Architects.
- Newbridge Leisure Centre extension. The client is K Leisure, and the architect is Mackay Architecture and Design
- Institute of Education refurbishment; the architect is John Fleming Architects
What are the most rewarding aspects of your work?
I take great pleasure in building teams by bringing together individuals from various backgrounds with different abilities and working with these individuals to help them gel as a team. If and when issues arise, my success can be measured by how these individuals work together to address the issues to complete projects in a timely manner.
How has Covid-19 impacted your work?
Covid-19 slowed down our productivity. However, as I was only back in Ireland a short while when the first lockdown happened, it also gave me time to catch up and re-educate myself on building regulations in Ireland.
Why would you recommend a career in your field of construction?
Construction has enabled me to travel all over the world and work with the most diverse teams of people on some significant large-scale projects. It has also enabled me to make a decent living along the way while bringing my family with me on new adventures.
What motivates you?
Managing construction projects for me is about building relationships and facilitating talented individuals to come together and become strong teams. I relish the challenge of overcoming critical issues and mentoring people in the early stages of their construction careers. I also enjoy seeing a project, which I have been part of, completed. Having said all that, it is important to keep work in perspective and keep a good work-life balance. That is why I also love to go home at the end of the day to spend time with my family and help young people in my community develop their sporting skills.
What is it like to work for Cleary Doyle?
I have worked in many places over the years. Since returning to Ireland, I have enjoyed being part of the dynamic Cleary Doyle senior management team, where I get to make critical decisions. Despite all my experience, I still challenge myself in areas where I have not worked before.