We’re excited to introduce you to our Co-Chair of the Industry Advisory Group, Nicky Luis!
Nicky Luis is a strategic marketing professional with fifteen years of international experience in B2B and B2C communications who has joined us as Co-Chair of the Industry Advisory Group. What gets Nicky out of bed in the morning is the opportunity to create meaningful experiences that challenge, inspire and enrich people, so that they can reach their potential and more.
When asked about the potential of Industry 4.0 and Construction 4.0, Nicky explains that “Improved productivity and efficiency, better flexibility and agility, and increased profitability, will ultimately lead to a better customer experience. If we take the approach of ensuring that all our collective efforts are geared to a more sustainable outcome, then the Construction and Industry sectors can play a substantial part in helping to reduce New Zealand’s carbon emissions.”.
But that’s not all there is to say. Let’s dive even deeper into the strategic mind of our Co-Chair of the Industry Advisory Group!
What will the construction sector need to do to prepare itself for its adoption?
Education and mindset. The sector needs to be open to change, to doing things differently, to being curious, to adopting technology, to working collaboratively with all communities. Equally legislation will need to change to support, and lawmakers will need to be equally as innovative and agile as the industry it is supporting and collaborating with.
What are the really exciting opportunities in this area that you see?
The job opportunities that will open up in this sector that we have not even imagined yet. With every revolution of an industry there is a new wave of craft specialists that develop which is incredibly exciting. Particularly for younger people and women who will be entering the workforce in the coming years there will be a new range of skills that will be highly sought after, and I hope that this will help to drive equality in the construction industry.
How do you feel about Co-Chairing that reflects Te Tiriti o Waitangi?
I feel it is an honour and a great responsibility to co-chair alongside Saul Roberts. I believe that it is vital that as New Zealanders we work collaboratively to discover the best outcomes for all of our people.
What do you see as the value that partnering with mana whenua has?
No one knows a place, community or the land like the people who have been there for generations. The co-creation that can take place when partnering with mana whenua is priceless because whatever we collectively create already has the community’s commitment, so momentum is that much more powerful.
What are you hoping to bring to the Industry Advisory Group?
As a Pākeha woman I hope I can offer a different perspective and voice to the group. Having worked closely over the last few years with Kiwi businesses and organisations understanding their challenges and how IoT can help solve these, has given me practical examples of how the Internet of Things can be applied right here in Aotearoa to help make this country more productive and sustainable.
What has your personal journey been towards engagement with industry 4.0/construction 4.0?
It has been interesting, five years ago I really didn’t know much about technology and how it could help the construction industry. My first learning was how 5G, cameras and drones could be used on construction sites to help detect hazards and health and safety issues. I then got to work with a company that creates digital twins. I now work closely with companies that produces IoT solutions to measure dust, vibration, noise and run-off on sites. I get to pop on my steel cap boots and visit sites and talk to site manages about compliance issues and what that means for them from a productivity and community engagement perspective. All of these are great examples of how technology can help and is certainly on the path to construction 4.0, but much of it is compliance driven. What would it look like in the future when all these types of technologies are joined up and are implemented because it is the best way to run a site (not because of compliance)?
What excited you about being part of this project and being part of the Advisory Group?
I feel that I can offer a slightly different perspective because of my day-to-day interactions with Kiwi organisations that are implementing IoT and other emerging technologies to help improve productivity or sustainability. I think to be able to share some of these insights back with the group is exciting and I hope will be of value. I think that I will also learn a lot from the group which I am equally excited about.
We’re stoked to have Nicky onboard this kaupapa (initiative) with us! Nau mai haere mai e hoa.
