What makes a company truly stand out in the construction industry? Meet Ben Davies from Oander. Ben is part of the Invest Gatwick Diamond consortium, which is making its debut at the UKREiiF event in Leeds.
Oander, a property and construction consultancy based in Horley, is ten years in the making. The consultancy has navigated challenges, built a dedicated team, and consistently delivered exceptional results. What’s their secret?
Oander’s story is about growth, commitment, and unwavering pursuit of excellence. Invest Gatwick Diamond caught up with Ben as he prepares for UKREiiF.
What does Oander hope to achieve in Leeds? It’s more than just networking. This event could be the key to unlocking new partnerships and innovative collaborations. How will they make their mark among public sector organisations? What unexpected opportunities might arise for the future of Gatwick Diamond?
Join us as we discover the intriguing details behind Oander’s success, the potential of the Gatwick Diamond region, and the exciting possibilities that lie ahead at the UKREiiF event.
Hi Ben. Tell us a little bit about Oander.
So where do I start? We’re a property and construction consultancy based in Gatwick. We work throughout the UK and have done a few little bits internationally. We like to think we’re slightly different in that, as a business, we’re all primarily project managers, engineers, and quantity surveyors, but we’ve come from the contracting side.
So we’ve been there in the muck and bullets. We’ve been on the projects. We’ve been there trying to get the jobs done. So we know what contractors want, what they need, what works, what doesn’t work. And dare I say it, some of the tricks they sometimes pull (or try to!). So we can see, be that, sort of, poacher turned gamekeeper, really.
So that’s the business. Last year we celebrated 10 years in business, so that was quite a nice achievement and we’re continuing to go on from strength to strength. It’s been a challenge, but it’s been a good challenge. We’ve built a good team. We’ve got some very dedicated guys and girls, some of whom have been with us from day one.
So it was nice last year to have a bit of a celebration as a thank you for them as well, to have an opportunity to reward everyone’s hard work, and just say thank you for the dedication.
What does Oander hope to experience at UKREiiF?
There are a few things, really. I suppose, as a business, we’ve never really done much work locally. We’ve always been everywhere else: Stockport, Exeter, Bristol and everywhere in between.
So it’d be nice to build a bit of a rapport with the local, with the other partners that are going and just understand locally what’s going on a bit more. But also what’s nice with these events is that you get the opportunity to meet anyone and everyone from the built environment spectrum. And everyone’s there in some respects to do the same thing: meet people and have a conversation.
So you’re getting to meet people that you wouldn’t traditionally. Sometimes, the day job, shall we say, gets in the way where they wouldn’t be able to spare the time. So it’s a real mix, really.
And, what’s nice, I think, is that with it being in Leeds, it’s open to a lot of public sector organisations. The public sector is quite hard to get in front of, on a general day-to-day basis, just because of procurement processes and tendering.
So again, hopefully, it’s going to be an opportunity to be able to talk to local authorities, show how we can add a bit of value, what we’re doing and maybe bring in some of the private sector experience to the public sector. We can also show how that’s working for some of our clients and how they might be able to utilise that in some of the regeneration.
What’s the potential for Gatwick Diamond at this event?
I think there’s real potential for the Gatwick Diamond. When you look at all the partners, you’ve got everyone there that you need if you want to go and buy, build, regenerate and develop in the region. If you’re looking to relocate, you’ve got everyone from the lawyers to the property agents and ourselves there to manage the refurb. You’ve got the local authorities who are there going to be actively encouraging and providing opportunities.
So, hopefully, it’s going be a nice prominent beacon for those who are looking for new areas to potentially invest in. You’ve got almost one of every discipline to make the dream happen if someone turns up and says: “Right, we’d like to relocate”.
If you were a potential investor, what would excite you most about the Gatwick Diamond region at the moment?
I think the exciting thing is just the diversity. Gatwick is only one part of the Gatwick Diamond. You look at the calibre of the other businesses in Manor Royal, Gatwick, and further down in Brighton.
You’ve got the likes of Elekta who do all the MRIs and a lot of scientific proton therapies. You’ve got the likes of Thales, you’ve got American Express down in Brighton, and you’ve moved out further afield with the universities as well. So you’ve got the real gambit there, and it’s not just aviation focus. That’s a big chunk of it, but it’s not the exclusive opportunity.
What might that mean the collaboration at UKREiiF mean for the future of Gatwick Diamond?
Well, hopefully it will accelerate some of the opportunities I’d like to think because you’re going to be bringing a diverse mix of disciplines who’ve got a real mix of experience and background. And I suppose talking from a Oander perspective, when we’ve worked with other local authorities in the region, we’re able to bring, shall we say, what the private sector and what some of our private clients are doing.
I’m hoping that it will be the springboard to keep some of the local businesses and local stakeholders to keep that collaboration, keep that communication going. And hopefully opening a few doors or sharing some opportunities.