26 Mar 2025
Dr David Carter FEngNZ trained as a civil engineer and has been part of the Beca whānau since 1987. As well as working on engineering projects across Aotearoa, Asia and the Pacific, he has held various leadership roles at Beca including Managing Director – Australia and Managing Director – Corporate.
Serving as Executive Chair since 2017, David plays a vital role in the firm's long-term strategic direction. He received the Outstanding Leadership and Contribution to Infrastructure Award at Infrastructure New Zealand’s Building Nations 2024 Impact Awards.
What attributes make you a good leader?
A genuine interest in people, a love of the profession and the satisfaction that comes from making a difference. An ability to operate comfortably both within the detail, as well as at a governance level has also been key.
At the end of each day, what tells you whether you’ve been successful?
I think if we let ourselves feel, we ultimately know in our hearts whether we have contributed our best and whether it has made a positive difference. But the real test comes from firstly engaging with stakeholders to define what success looks like, then circling back upon completion to confirm what was actually achieved.
What inspired you to become an engineer?
My father, Sir Ron Carter ONZ KNZM DistFEngNZ, was a fantastic role model and always seemed to love his job. To a teenager, civil engineering seemed like an opportunity to remain an overgrown child in a sandpit – just with much bigger toys – and I still feel that way. I have absolutely loved every minute.
Who opened a key door for you?
I am fortunate in that, throughout my career, I have been surrounded by people operating at all levels who have contributed to my development. I never really had a career path mapped out, rather I tended to grab opportunities of interest as they came along and, thankfully, people trusted me enough to let me take them.
How do you connect your work with a sense of greater good?
All infrastructure shapes places; great infrastructure enhances communities. Early on in your career, you are able to explore project-specific opportunities to make a difference such as the recycling of concrete airport pavements, or the stabilisation and reuse of dredged sediments. However, as you become more senior, by putting in place sets of guiding principles, you are able on occasion to influence the types of projects to be pursued and enable broader impacts to be made. Lastly there is the commitment of personal time to initiatives that are close to your heart – education and helping reverse nature loss are two such causes.
What mistake have you learned from most?
There have been numerous mistakes. One that comes readily to mind is a project design lead role where a key component was being addressed too slowly, so I dove into fixing it. The issue was duly resolved, but it took many months to get my actual role back under control. As projects increase in size and complexity, they can only be delivered by a team, and everyone within the team needs to deliver their role. What I should have done is agitated for others to resolve, rather than seeking to fix it myself.
How do you approach a difficult conversation with someone you lead?
By being empathetic, open and honest. Do your homework before raising any issues so that you can speak to them firsthand, as opposed to relying on hearsay.
Who is a leader in Aotearoa you admire?
Izzy Fenwick is one, for both continuing the legacy of her father, the late Sir Rob Fenwick, who was an environmentalist and businessman, while remaining true to her ideals and charting her own course. Her irrepressible energy helps.
What questions have you been asking yourself lately?
How do we get Aotearoa to the state where we’re valuing nature and regenerating biodiversity? When thinking about my children, who are teenagers, what state does our country need to be in and what vision needs to be espoused, for them to want to continue to call Aotearoa home?
This article was first published in the March 2025 issue of EG magazine.
