Karen Conachan

Name: Karen Conachan

Position:  Sales Director

Which newsletters/ bulletins do you receive? Construction View, Scottish Housing, FSM, Construction Enquirer

How did you get started in the industry? Started in direct sales, then got a job with a small fixings company owned by Martec, called Marfix. Soon moved into Martec and developed my knowledge of manufacturing and construction in the following 14 years.

Biggest professional achievement: My appointment as Sales Director with Martec

Best advice you received: Be dogmatic but calm down! As long as you have the pipeline built up correctly if one project falls out another will take its place.

What is the most important part of the industry? Most definitely investors and government policy, ensuring buildings are being upgraded or built is the seed that drives everything in construction and manufacturing.

What do you like most about your job? The buzz of gaining a prestigious contract. Knowing that the dogmatic bit of my character ensured it eventually dropped.

And the least? PQQ’s – procurement is turning into a paper exercise and companies like ours are judged on how well they can fill in a form rather than do the job.

What you would most like to change in housing/construction? Far too often new housing requires the new resident to have a car to get to amenities, schools etc. Public transport should be included when thinking about out of town developments, this is the only way to significantly reduce carbon footprint of the new estates.

How is your organisation preparing for Brexit? Although Martec do not export, we do buy in from other European Countries. Martec have been working with the suppliers to allow for enough stick to be in the UK.

How would you change Scottish Housing News/ Scottish Construction Now? It looks good as it is!

Do you read a daily newspaper? Only if someone else has bought it! I don’t think they are very relevant in today’s online world. I mainly watch BBC online news channel on my lunch break if I want to catch up.

Which social media sites do you use and which do you find the most useful? Linkedin is definitely the most useful for business for me. I also use Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter in my own time.  

Hobbies and interests: I love to play golf, and my family time and my dog are also very important. And socialising.

Favourite holiday destination: Turkey, but only because my Fiancé proposed to me there, so I have to say that!

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