Jim Allen

Having left home at 16 and travelled the world for a decade as a diving instructor, a health scare made me realise I needed a backup plan. Various career questionnaires gave a 97% compatibility of being a geologist, so I enrolled as a mature student at Durham University and the rest is history. Starting a new project is always exciting, as the ground conditions below a development present a set of unique challenges. This inspires me and my team to develop bespoke, best value engineering solutions.

If not managed well, ground risk can often lead to the greatest delays and/or cost overrun. Realising this early in my career has driven me to ensure my work is always to the highest technical standard. It also inspires me to mentor and develop my team to deliver the same.

Another great aspect of delivering ground engineering solutions at Cundall is working in a true multi-disciplinary environment. This allows me to provide effective, timely advice to colleagues in other disciplines, ensuring the best engineering solution is produced for our clients.