TZL 1611 (web)

BUSINESS NEWS NARRO ASSOCIATES EXPANDS FURTHER SOUTH WITH OPENING OF A NEW LONDON STUDIO Narro Associates, a leading structural and civil engineering consultancy renowned for its expertise in conservation engineering, announced the opening of its seventh location, this time in the heart of London. Building on the success of its existing offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Stirling, Aberdeen, and Newcastle, the London studio marks a significant milestone in Narro’s continued growth and commitment to delivering specialist structural and civil engineering consultancy services across the U.K. The London team will be led by Managing Director Ben Adam and Associate Director Lily Erskine. Both Ben and Lily are Conservation Accredited Engineers, having demonstrated their commitment to the preservation of the

built environment, and the protection of historic structures. The studio will build on Narro’s four decades of experience by focusing on conservation-led projects, as well as opportunities in the cultural sector, such as museums, galleries, and events spaces. “Opening a studio in London is a natural next step for Narro,” said Adam. “We’ve built a strong reputation for our conservation and cultural sector expertise, and we’re excited to bring that experience to a city with such a rich architectural heritage. We have one of the largest teams of CARE engineers of any practice in the U.K. We also have a fantastic team across the Practice. While Lily and I are heading up the initial London team, we will also have an extensive team of over 80 engineering staff across our other locations. I’m confident that Narro is well-positioned

to contribute meaningfully to London’s built environment, and that we have the capabilities and experience for projects of all sizes.” Erskine added, “I’m absolutely thrilled to be part of this new chapter for Narro. We’re passionate about working with heritage infrastructure, and London offers an incredible variety of historic buildings and cultural institutions. I’m excited to work on projects that celebrate and protect that heritage.” With a team of 100 professionals across the U.K., Narro Associates continues to champion sustainable and sensitive engineering solutions. The London studio will serve as a hub for collaboration with architects, heritage consultants, and cultural institutions, reinforcing Narro’s dedication to thoughtful design and technical excellence.

I’ve also seen plenty of new executives feel frustrated when they have ideas that the business doesn’t pursue. Sometimes it comes down to a leader who isn’t listening (which sucks, by the way), but more often it comes down to the fact that you’re new in the position, and while your ideas are appreciated, they don’t fit with the direction of the business right now. In both scenarios, I’ve noticed that new executives will stop speaking up; they don’t ask for help or bring new ideas to the executive team like they used to. They start to get sad, frustrated, or upset because of all the new things going on around them. While I can totally relate and appreciate that feeling of keeping quiet in the face of struggle, I think the other key to being a new executive is to speak up. First, no one can help you if they don’t know you’re struggling. Second, no one can know you’re frustrated about not having your ideas heard if you don’t speak up and say something! Third, the business will never pursue your ideas if you don’t say them. If you notice yourself getting quiet, I would urge you instead to speak your mind. I think you will find it to be a rewarding experience that reinforces your executive abilities rather than detracting from them. GO GET IT. Remember: if you want to achieve great things, it is going to take great effort. You’re going to need to do things you’ve never done before, work with people to accomplish serious goals, and learn every step of the way. If you can handle change with grace, be flexible, and speak up, you will set yourself up to succeed. Go get it today. That’s the only way to get started. Matt Verderamo, MS is a consultant at Well Built Construction Consulting. Connect with him on LinkedIn.

MATT VERDERAMO, from page 9

BE FLEXIBLE. For leaders and business to succeed, they must stay agile and open to change. And I’m not talking about the unnecessary change that comes with not being able to make up your mind as a business – because there are companies like that and it’s definitely frustrating. I’m talking about change like evolving market conditions that hurt backlog, key people leaving for one reason or another, or new, awesome people joining and giving your business a jolt of energy and a compelling reason to pursue new service offerings – maintaining your strategic direction through all of this is a challenge! No matter who you are. As an executive, you typically have two options: 1. You can pout and complain. “Why do things keep changing?! Why can’t we just stick to one direction?!” 2. You can be flexible. Flexible executives are highly valuable because they maintain their composure in the face of change. Which means their teams maintain their composure too! And when you have large teams of people holding strong in the face of change, you’ve got a business ready to reach the moon. It’s really simple: To be a great leader and executive you must be flexible. SPEAK UP. It’s hard to be a new executive. It’s a whole new set of responsibilities and expectations for yourself and others, which can be stressful and confusing. And since you’re trying to prove you can do the role, you may consider keeping that stress and confusion to yourself.

THE ZWEIG LETTER DECEMBER 1, 2025, ISSUE 1611

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