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James Garner, Global Head of Data, Insights and Analytics, Gleeds

James Garner, Global Head of Data, Insights and Analytics, Gleeds

Describe your career to date

I have been on an interesting journey that could be described as arriving where I first started. I wrote my university dissertation on data and digitalisation in the construction industry, before graduating with a first-class honours degree. My journey began in 2000 as a quantity surveyor, gaining experience in the field and building a strong portfolio. I was accepted as a member by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in 2002.

In 2012, I was elected as a fellow of the RICS for my writing contributions to technical standards (RICS Black Book). I believe that data and analytics will play an increasingly important role in the future of the RICS, given their ability to drive decisions and inform strategies and that my continued involvement as an influential data leader will be of value.

While working as a quantity surveyor for Gleeds, I became head of the education sector for London, working on many prestigious projects, including buildings for Imperial College and various Oxford University Colleges.

In 2020, I took on a new challenge at Gleeds, becoming head of insights and analytics. This opportunity allowed me to further my skillset, qualifying as a data analyst in 2022 and helping to launch the company’s data analytics and research capability.

What stage has your organisation reached on its data maturity journey?

Gleeds has demonstrated a firm commitment to data maturity and innovation by launching its data analytics capability, qualifying many professionals as data analysts through its data maturity courses. With years of expertise in the field, Gleeds has started to build a robust data platform that incorporates predictive analytics and machine learning technology, demonstrating commitment to using data effectively in driving decisions and informing strategies.

In addition, we are investing in data solutions that enable us to better understand customer responses to our products and services. Advanced analytics ensure our employees access key insights that allow us to better understand our customers’ needs.

Tell us about the data and analytics resources you are responsible for

Our central data department is made up of a global team, with around 20 data analysts, surveyors and research consultants located in London, Peru, Dubai, India and Portugal. We have an extensive network of external partners who assist with data collection and analysis, ensuring that our internal data resources are maximised.

What challenges do you see for data in the year ahead that will have an impact on your organisation and on the industry as a whole?

Many challenges remain in the data landscape today, as have done for some time, such as a lack of maturity with data practices, failure to ensure the quality of data is up to standard, as well as a reduced accountability for ownership. To best equip an organisation to manage its data resources, there must be a clear understanding of its current capabilities and a commitment to create proper processes.

In these changing times, many have boarded the data train without understanding their own objectives, mistakenly believing that being “data literate” is only about generating dashboards. Our challenge for 2023 is to better understand the value of data and ensure that it is contributing to making real decisions in the organisation and industry. We are always looking for ways to improve our offerings and make data-driven decisions.

The industry as a whole must also continue its investment in data. Companies must ensure access to key customer insights and advanced analytics solutions to accurately measure their impact. Establishing the Construction Data Trust is a fantastic move towards progress.

Have you set out a vision for data? If so, what is it aiming for and does it embrace the whole organisation or just the data function?

Two years ago, we kickstarted an ambitious five-year data and digital mission – and it’s been a great journey so far. It is our mission to ensure the entire organisation is data-focused because we understand the potential for data to revolutionise the industry and we view data as fundamental to the success of our organisation.

As more of our processes become automated, getting to grips with the massive quantities of information generated by construction projects will be key for us in moving forward. Our mission is to ensure Gleeds is the most forward-thinking organisation when it comes to data and to turn our data into a real asset.

Have you been able to fix the data foundations of your organisation, particularly with regard to data quality?

Our goal is to transform the data culture of this organisation over the next five years. This transformation has less to do with data itself and more about creating a team that understands the domain sufficiently to drive cultural change. Therefore, we work alongside key stakeholders to equip our teams with the necessary competencies needed for our success.

James Garner
has been included in:

100 Brands 2023 (EMEA)

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