Mike McNicholas, Managing Director for Infrastructure, UK & Ireland at AtkinsRéalis, was invited by Manchester Airports Group to write the following foreword for its new report looking at the role aviation plays in enabling business growth
AtkinsRéalis is one of the growing, international professional services companies that a new report from Manchester Airports Group (MAG) talks about. And we can say first-hand that international connectivity, physical and digital, is absolutely vital to the future of our business, our growth plans and our ongoing success as a global operator.
As a world-leading design, engineering and project management organisation, being able to connect people is critical for us. Our key markets include the UK&I, US, Canada, Asia and the Middle East and it is part of our strategy to ensure that we can draw on the best global talent for the job at hand.
Overall, we know that people like people – whether that is in our team, with our clients or in meeting our prospective business partners. In-person engagement is a crucial part of creating new relationships and getting things done. Sustainable aviation is a central part of this for an international business like ours.
We know that when we have the right people in the room together, relationships grow and ideas flow, and where those ideas are from the most diverse perspectives, solutions become real for people.
This is a critical part of the design process in particular, but is also relevant for the whole of our business. Being in the same place at the same time is about sharing capabilities and knowledge, bouncing off one another to take our thinking to new levels.
We do a lot of routine business online, but bringing different people and teams together is a key part of how we deliver for our clients. That said, this is not just about meeting people. We also partner internationally to provide the best possible solutions – and doing that means finding complementary partners and making sure that we will work together well.
Regional connectivity is important here too, as it means we can bring more SMEs into local delivery. Global recruitment is also key to how we work – both in moving people around the world for new opportunities and bringing new talent into our global team. This is underpinned by international connectivity, as it means we can draw on a global knowledge and talent base.
For example, we operate a graduate exchange between the UK and India, which provides great value for those taking part and brings new experiences into how we work.
Of course, we cannot talk about international aviation and connectivity without talking about sustainability. We think about that carefully as a business and make sure that the trips we take are the right ones. At a macro level, investment in sustainable aviation fuels is critical, but on a more micro level, so too is managing single car trips to and from airports, for example.
The recovery in the number of people flying for business shows that people seek out this in-person international connectivity – decarbonizing these journeys should be the priority for policymakers, so that connectivity can act as a stimulant and facilitator of growth.
As a business, we know how important international connectivity is for our future. We believe it is crucial for policymakers to recognise the value of high quality links to global trade that air connectivity provides. As an exporting island-nation, it is so important to get this right.
Click this link to read the MAG report in full: Services superpower - How the aviation industry supports fast growing export sectors
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