We are excited to launch Built Perspectives, our new Thought Leadership series, which will highlight the philosophies, approaches, and insights that shape how we design, manage, and deliver our work. This month, we put the spotlight on our site team, with Resident Engineer Joe Agnew sharing his perspective from two decades of experience in Dubai.
Currently leading the Tilal Al Ghaf project, Joe reflects on resilience, adaptability, and the importance of leading teams with accountability and positivity. From the invaluable experience he gained in the early days on the landmark Madinat Jumeirah development, to building positive and accountable site cultures in the years since, and balancing timelines with uncompromising quality, Joe shares the lessons that continue to guide his approach today.
"For me, as site team leader, it’s about striking the right balance. The real challenge and the ‘excitement’— is in bringing the works together to achieve the final creation: coordinating with designers, consultants, contractors, and the developer, while also making sure our DSA site team delivers the level of design quality that DSA is well known for."
"I still think back to my very first project in Dubai, back in June 2003, when I arrived as part of a small vanguard group from South Africa with DSA. At that stage, DSA wasn’t even registered in the region, we had no head office, no local backup—just a brief to deliver the landmark Madinat Jumeirah resort. It was a real baptism by fire. None of us, including the developer and contractors, had worked in Dubai before. We were learning the rules, regulations, and way of working as we went along, often figuring things out under pressure. The work was tough, the learning curve was steep, but the experience was invaluable. That project taught me resilience, adaptability, and how to navigate uncharted territory with limited resources—skills I still draw on in my work today. And now, 22 years later, the Madinat stands as a true Dubai landmark, which makes the lessons learned on that journey all the more rewarding. DSA got firmly established as a company that can deliver and the rest is history."
"Even with the heavy workload and all the site challenges that come with it, I’ve always felt the DSA site office must be a positive, happy place to work. Everyone needs the flexibility and responsibility to really own what they do, and when our people have that scope, they grow. It also creates a sense of camaraderie—people pull together, support each other, and that’s what makes the tough days worthwhile."
