Happy Anniversary Danny!
Happy Anniversary Danny!
At Apollo we’re hugely proud of the fact that our people are what make us, so when Danny recently hit his five-year anniversary, it was time to sit down for a wee blether (that’s a chat for all you non-Scots!)
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I love getting outdoors and in my spare time you’ll often find me chasing balls around the golf course then balancing things out with a cheeky drink or two. I came to NZ from Scotland in 2014 and have been pretty busy ever since, including becoming a citizen last year, so I officially have a black passport now. In 2018, I entered the NZ Open Golf in Queenstown as an amateur – that was my 40th birthday present to myself and I play every year at interclub level for my local club Russley. I’ve bungee jumped, sky dived, cage dived with great whites off Bluff and walk/ran the mountain stage of Coast to Coast last year. For the last couple of years, I’ve been putting all my airpoints from travelling to good use and flying to various Pacific Islands.
What is your favorite thing about working at Apollo?
Probably the openness of it all, you can talk to just about anyone and ask stupid questions and get the help you need…and sometimes you get the stupid answers you deserve! I’ve got to mention the people who work here too, it's the people that make the team.
What was the first project you worked on at Apollo?
The Hawke’s Bay Regional Aquatic Centre. What a project to start on - it’s a world-class facility that can host international swimming events, and we completed it despite both COVID-19 and some major weather events trying to derail us, so a proud achievement.
What has kept you at Apollo for the last five years?
Someone said to me recently that people leave their managers, not the job. True statement.
What is your proudest moment over the last five years?
I was going to say meeting Jacinda at the opening of the Hawke’s Bay Regional Aquatic Centre but thinking better of that now! I’ve got a couple of firsts for Apollo that I’m proud of – I delivered our first 50m pool in Hawke’s Bay and now our first multi-story development down in Dunedin. Keep them coming I say!
Key learning about yourself professionally over the last five years?
I really enjoy being part of the design and build approach that Apollo is known for, it’s way more fun and rewarding than traditional construction.
