Doris Stroh
Company: Aurecon
Job title: Technical Director
Doris Stroh
About Doris
I am a Technical Director and owner at Aurecon, where for the last 2.5 years I have been Operations Leader of our Transport Unit. To advance my career I am now transitioning into a client leader role.
Whakapapa pepeha
I was born and raised in Germany, but after university my husband and I decided to spend some time travelling around New Zealand, and it didn’t take us long to realise that Aotearoa is an amazingly beautiful country and we wanted to stay. Twenty years later we are still here.
We are still very closely connected to our families and travel back to Europe each year, but New Zealand is our home and we can’t imagine living anywhere else. Our kids are incredibly lucky to have the best of both worlds - a fantastic lifestyle in New Zealand, and the ability to connect with European history and culture when we travel back to see family.
Our families have visited us here several times and they love seeing regions like East Cape, Rotorua, and the South Island’s West coast where the history and landscape are so different to Europe.
Strategic vision
The engineering sector is experiencing unprecedented change, with pressure from a longstanding infrastructure deficit, climate change, and digital transformation. Here in New Zealand, we are also seeing major change to the policy environment, with the reform of the water sector and RMA.
The pace of change will not slow down, and the success of our consulting firms depends on their ability to adapt, pivot quickly and seize opportunities. As a board member, I would focus on supporting members and ACE New Zealand to become future-ready.
Here are the areas where ACE can make a difference and support our members to not only adapt, but thrive:
- Project management - the last 18 months have been a stark reminder that we need to plan for the unexpected. I would work to build a culture of innovation within ACE New Zealand where consultants feel confident to test, listen, and learn, so that they can deliver projects that meet our clients’ and communities’ changing needs. Projects are becoming more complex, contracts more sophisticated, and consultants are taking on greater levels of risk. Digital technology is already transforming the way we deliver projects, manage information, and engage with stakeholders and we need to equip members with the tools to effectively manage projects and maximise digital technology
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Climate change and sustainability - climate change is New Zealand’s most urgent priority, and this has seen a real shift in the way projects are planned and delivered. The public expect projects to benefit the environment, support decarbonisation efforts and provide resilience to external pressures. It requires us consultants to develop and acquire new skills such as sustainable design and construction, carbon reduction and resilient infrastructure
- Future of the industry - emerging technologies and innovations will bring new opportunities and jobs which don’t yet exist. Companies are investing heavily in AI, machine learning and big data which will revolutionise the way we work. Engineers who can develop these applications are in high demand but short supply. How can we support consultants to fill these roles? More broadly, what other support and training do our engineers need to succeed? And what role does ACE New Zealand have to play in that? The entire industry is pressured, and with borders closed, competition is high to attract talent. How can we work with clients and Government to bring more resources into New Zealand?
Strengths
Through my different roles within the industry I am well connected and respected by stakeholders and the wider industry. I relish the opportunity to connect with other consultancies and government bodies to understand what their challenges are and how best to support them.
For the last three years I have had the privilege of chairing the ACE New Zealand Transport Group, which has afforded me a valuable understanding of how ACE operates, it’s aspirations and goals, as well as established relationships with CE Helen Davidson and others. Through this role I have also had some experience in advocacy and Government relations, including successfully securing an invitation to meet with Minister Michael Wood.
ACE New Zealand’s membership comprises both very large and very small engineering practices. Having spent time in both large firms Aurecon and Beca, and small practices, I have insight into the nuances and challenges of both, which will be beneficial in engaging with members. I am skilled at collaborating and am recognised within Aurecon for my ability to successfully align disconnected teams.
I have a passion for increasing diversity in the engineering sector and ensuring our sector reflects the communities we serve. To succeed, we need ‘diversity of thought’, which requires a diverse workforce that brings different genders, cultures, and teams from different disciplines together. Aurecon has a strong focus on diversity, and I aim to be champion for diversity within Aurecon and the wider industry.
I was fortunate enough to be part of an Aurecon internal Ascend + female leadership course. A course that inspires women in leadership positions to build an influential and collaborative community of female role models across Aurecon, who empower other female talent to step up, find their influential voice and proactively drive their careers forward. It will also work to evolve the thinking and capability of the senior leaders to drive an inclusive culture and support diverse talent. The course helped me to become a role model to other emerging leaders and to support our Managing Director Tracey Ryan in building a diverse workforce within Aurecon.
Building and mentoring other leaders is important to me, so I share learnings I have taken from the leadership course with Aurecon’s emerging female leads through lunch and learn sessions. If I were successful in joining the ACE New Zealand Board, sharing leadership skills and learning would be a key focus of mine.
What does diversity and inclusion mean to you?
Being from Germany and speaking English as a second language, diversity and inclusion are things I care about deeply. Our world is changing rapidly and to create infrastructure that reflects the diverse communities we serve, we need access to different perspectives, knowledge, and experience. We need to bring a human-centred approach to the way we design projects, to ensure that our infrastructure and built environment work for everyone, all the time.
To me a diverse and inclusive work environment is one where everyone feels valued and has a sense of belonging. This kind of environment is not only more interesting to work in, it also makes businesses more successful. In my role as Team Leader my aim has always been to create a high performing culture where everyone can be their full authentic selves, so I intentionally recruit a diverse range of inspiring people.
The challenges our industry is facing are increasingly complex, and we will need creative solutions to solve them. To develop creative solutions, we need diversity of thought. Diversity of thought is enabled through inclusive workplaces where everyone – regardless age, gender, sexual orientation, skill set and culture – has a sense of belonging and feels their contribution is valued.
The industry has made significant inroads to improving diversity in the past few years with the Diversity Agenda Accord and other initiatives, but there is still much work to do. I am particularly keen to see increased participation for Māori and Pasifika in our industry, and this is an area I will be actively pushing if I am successful in securing a board position.