Emerging Leader Programme + Q&A with Gordon Magilton
Continuing their journey of creating purpose, our Emerging Leaders have been focussing on Market Analysis. Developed by our Talent and Leadership Partners, Ashley Baxter and Marc Muir, the session focused on honing our Emerging Leaders presentations skills and building their understanding of the importance of market analysis.
The session took place at Ross County Football Club where Iain Sinclair, Executive Director of Renewable and Energy Transition and Ewen Pryde, General Manager for North Fabrication, shared their views on the importance of market analysis and how this impacts strategy. Both Iain and Ewen also shared insights from their leadership journey.
Session Feedback
"Market analysis was a new topic for me, so very interesting."
"Very informative. Enjoyed the knowledge Iain shared with us."
"Interesting talk. Good slide content. Presentations were engaging."
"Good insight from Ewen and great idea to have feedback forms for the presentations."
Q&A With Emerging Leader, Gordon Magilton
Tell us about you… what’s your work history to date?
I’m a chemical and process engineer by background with a 1st class Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering. My engineering journey really began on a summer placement at a whisky distillery; where I really clocked my passion for problem solving and safety. After scratching my wanderlust itch post-graduation, I joined Wood as a Technical HSE engineer. I worked on some huge projects and loved my time there. However a COVID-19 world shifted my personal priorities, which ultimately inspired me to apply for the Glasgow-based Mabbett team as I’d heard great things – cue me stalking the Mabbett LinkedIn page.
Then I saw the post I was waiting for “Process Safety Engineer Required”, then something I didn’t want to see “Minimum of 5 years of experience required”. Despite only having 1.5 years’ experience, I went on to explain why I thought I was the right person for the job. Naturally, as you might expect, I was rejected due to lack of experience and the role was filled by someone else. Thankfully, I must have done something right as further down the line Mabbett reached out to me, inviting me to apply for a role. Fast forwarding to now, I’ve been with the team since August 2021 and since then have supported clients with all things process safety. I’ve now got experience in industries ranging from fish farms, to forklift truck manufacturing, to offshore oil platforms.
I also have to give a special mention to the near 6 years I spent volunteering and working at Hope for Autism (an incredible charity which supports those diagnosed with, and affected by, Autism Spectrum Disorder) and flipping burgers at McDonalds. Without these roles I don’t know if I’d be where I am today. I learned so much about leadership, adaptable communication skills, teamwork, and working under intense pressure! I also met some incredible people along the way who I continue to draw inspiration from today.
Who or what inspired you to peruse the career you have today?
Sincerely, I wouldn’t say it was a particular person or event which inspired me to be a process safety engineer. I love working with people and I love solving problems. Those two defining characteristics seemed to influence my decisions and my position in the safety team almost grew organically from there.
That said, I definitely did not arrive here through chance. The values I draw from my parents, family, and the people I have met along the way in life have equipped me with the tenacity, courage, and passion to seize opportunities I may otherwise not have. So in a way, I guess the answer to that question is the people I have met, interlinked with trying new things, seeing what I like, and taking it from there.
Can you provide details of a professional accomplishment in the group that you are proud of?
Due to the relative infancy of my role, I wouldn’t say there is one particular accomplishment I’m proud of; rather, I’m proud of my personal growth in the role and the positive feedback I have received from clients and the Mabbett team. This has equipped me to take on greater responsibility and work on some projects that I am really proud of.
Drawing on one particular project, I was able to successfully complete a very comprehensive report in a short timeframe (while balancing a range of other projects) which supported the client in ensuring legal compliance and improving their site safety; they were under a lot of pressure from HSE at the time! I am pretty proud of that one.
What inspires you, and do you have any personal goals that you are hoping to achieve?
People and making a positive impact in society are my drivers. I aspire to be as kind as my Dad, and as uncompromising (in the best kind of way) as my mum. These, alongside the personality traits of my friends and idols continuously challenge me to better myself. And I’m pretty competitive, even with myself, so I’m always inspired to be the best I can be at whatever I am doing.
Engineering is a really effective tool for self-improvement and making a positive impact in the world; whether that’s pushing myself out my comfort zone and tackling new engineering challenges or doing that extra bit of unpaid overtime because I know I could reduce the likelihood of harm at a client’s site even further.
My personal goals include:
- Being chartered within the next 2 years, by utilising IChemE resources to identify and pursue the required experience.
- To continuously minimise my negative impact, and maximise my positive impact, on the planet and the beings in it – by learning from others and sharing my lessons learned with others.
- To continuously identify and develop my engineering passions by tackling new engineering challenges and seeking more responsibility in my role.
- To put myself in a position where I can better lead and support a team in getting the best out of themselves.
What motivates and energises you at work?
A combination of problem solving, challenging myself, and working alongside a great team.
Seizing new challenges which demand greater responsibility (e.g. chairing a HAZOP study) is a source of continuous motivation – the more experience I have the bigger the impact I can make. I genuinely enjoy problem solving, so troubleshooting and brainstorming activities really help make the work more enjoyable. Finally, working alongside bright individuals, whilst making a little bit of time to laugh along the way, really catalyses my productivity – positivity breeds positivity as they say!
Which of our Core Values means the most to you and why?
Definitely integrity (demonstrate integrity and respect)! The importance of honesty, respect, and strong moral principles is invaluable both in and out of the workplace. An adherence to your guiding principles and demonstrating transparency not only keeps you on the right track in life from a morale perspective but, when executed, is an observable character trait which can help build the foundation of solid relationships. I feel friends, family, colleagues, and clients genuinely value integrity, and this tends to encourage loyalty, which is something I really value.
