The Specialist View

Colin Wood & Damien Clifford - Technology doesn’t build trust. People do.

In the first episode of Season 2 of The Specialist View, we sit down with Colin Wood and Damian Clifford, Partners at Ethos EQ, to explore the intersection of AI, emotional intelligence and fair play in modern consultancy. With more than 40 years of combined industry experience, they came together to build an independent cost management and strategic advisory practice grounded in collaboration and trust. From the big question; Will AI take our jobs, to the realities of integrity and collaboration under pressure, this is a grounded conversation about what technology can’t replace: people. They discuss why EQ is becoming the real differentiator, how principled pricing builds lasting trust, what breaks collaboration fastest, and why doing good still matters in business. Sharp, honest and practical — this one will resonate with anyone leading teams, managing risk or navigating complexity in today’s built environment.

Daniel Hill - “Designing for Corporate Offices.”

This week, we’re joined by Daniel Hill, an experienced Associate Director who has dedicated the past 15 years to MCM. A great friend of Specialist, Dan has led multiple project and design teams and played a key role in delivering several award winning schemes. Known for always going the extra mile, he creates spaces that not only reflect his clients’ identities but consistently exceed their expectations. Today, we’ll be diving into the topic of “Designing for Corporate Offices.”

Adam Strudwick - Importance of Designing for Disassembly in the Industry

This week we are joined by Adam Strudwick, an experienced Design Principal at Perkins + Will.With over 20 years’ experience working in the global Architecture and Interior Design industry. Adam is skilled in Strategy, Design and Delivery for multi sector clients across the EMEA and is leading the way in voicing the actions the industry needs to make to ensure a more Sustainable world. With action needed now and a need for green washing to start we discuss what the industry needs to do and the “Importance of Designing for Disassembly in the Industry”.

Celebrating National Apprenticeship Week - Sean McAvoy & Karen Trainor

Episode 6 of The Specialist View podcast touches on all things regarding apprenticeships. Featuring Sean McAvoy, Associate Partner at CoreFive and our very own Karen Trainor, Group Operations Director. Both Sean and Karen began their journeys as apprentices, between them they have 43 years in the industry and have progressed throughout to their senior roles today. As we are celebrating National Apprenticeship week, it is great to feature Sean and Karen and to find out what benefits have they got from the apprenticeship route and what benefits apprentices can bring to the industry.

“Interior Fit Out and How it has Changed over the Years”.

In this weeks episode we’re joined by Laura Warholic, Senior Associate & Technical Director at @Gensler, as she shares her insights on the topic of “Interior Fit Out and How it has Changed over the Years”. With over 25 years of experience in Interior Design, Laura has worked on some of the industry’s biggest projects across the UK and America. Over the last 20 years she has been a key leader at Gensler, a world renowned design firm. Founded in 1965, Gensler has built a team of 6,000 professionals who collaborates with clients in over 100 countries each year. Everything they do is guided by their mission: ‘to create a better world through the power of design’. For more information on the Specialist Group story, contact us here: W: specialist-group.co.uk/contact-us Follow us on our social platforms here: Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/specialistgroup Facebook: facebook.com/specialistgroup88 Instagram: instagram.com/specialist_group88 [http://instagram.com/specialist_group88]