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Delivering our clients’ vision: COO Frank Quirk on what sets Mercury apart as the European leader in construction solutions
Mercury continues to make significant progress in delivering the visions of their global client base across a range of sectors. The company’s diverse portfolio of works helps deliver technologies and life-changing advancements which connect people, communities, and businesses.
Chief Operations Officer Frank Quirk notes that it’s a group-wide “attitude of innovation” which sets Mercury apart. “It’s ingrained in every team that we always deliver and that the dedication we have to our clients is paramount.” Quirk is invigorated by Mercury’s strategic direction, noting that “it’s a particularly exciting time for us as we continue to grow and offer our people fantastic opportunities to work in empowering team settings across increasingly expanding territories and markets.”
A dedicated leader and innovator, Frank joined Mercury in 2021 and boasts a track record of delivering large-scale projects, bringing an expertise that he has garnered over a thirty-five-year career in civil engineering, general contracting, and leadership positions, which will add further consistency to their operations as the company reaches even higher levels.
Positive results
The group has carried out extensive works across the hyperscale and co-location data centre sectors. Their commitment to embracing change and the future is clear, with an increased expansion into the Semiconductor, Live Environment, and Life Sciences sectors and delivering projects in 13 jurisdictions overall, showcasing strong client relationships with 85% of Group Revenue generated from repeat projects with existing clients.
When discussing the achievements made so far Quirk affirms the results are down to the expertise of Mercury’s dedicated global teams. “We provide our people with challenging opportunities, and I can say with certainty that they always deliver on our commitment to the client.” The company has a direct workforce of over 3,700. “It was a year marked by acknowledging the momentum we have harnessed that’s led to this moment and reflecting on our growth over the past five decades as we look towards the future and the plans outlined in our Beyond50 strategy start to come to fruition.”
Emerging markets
Quirk noted that a key component of these plans includes “growing our market share over the coming years” and moving into emerging markets, to “develop and cultivate our plans to ensure we can provide greater value to our clients, both old and new.” Mercury has long been a major player in the Life Sciences sector across Europe and it’s an area they are “consistently passionate about providing expertise in” Quirk notes, pointing to their technical capabilities and widespread Life Sciences team.
The company have also made considerable progress in the semiconductor sector and showcased a dedication to growing its presence in this area with the appointment of Stefan Zoeller as Managing Director of Mercury Engineering & Building Services GmbH. Quirk notes that Stefan’s appointment “further realises our commitment to expanding in semiconductors as well as Germany as a whole.”
Strengthening our structure
The past twelve months have seen a number of changes to Mercury’s corporate structure which reflects their continued evolution and commitment to increasing efficiency across their operations by strengthening the leadership team. They recently welcomed Mr Albert Manifold to their Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer of CRH brings “global market knowledge and experience, which will assist in our strategy to improve and expand our offerings to clients” Quirk notes.
Frank himself was promoted from Managing Director of the Hyperscale Data Centres Division to Chief Operations Officer towards the end of 2022. In this role, he is responsible for leading Mercury’s European operations, policies, and procedures to expand the company’s capabilities and services to a diverse and growing client base.
Frank describes his role as “multi-faceted” and involves “working with our clients to understand what they value the most to ensure we can fully deliver and execute their needs while meeting the requirements of the evolving markets we operate in.” He notes that this involves Mercury being “an industry leader at every stage of the construction process,” from design, build and planning to construct and commission, through to post-construction facility maintenance. When asked what excites him most about the future of Mercury Frank comments, “If I had to pinpoint just one thing it would be the opportunities for growth across the board as we continue to expand.”
ESG practices
Another key focus area for Mercury is the adoption of best practices related to environmental, social and governance which Frank is very passionate about. “Climate action has never been more of an urgent concern and our commitment to sustainability is embedded in our Beyond50 strategy” he notes. The company have made significant strides in reducing their carbon footprint with a firm commitment to science-based carbon reduction targets. “We achieved a “B” rating from the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), which is above the industry average and recognises the impact of our coordinated efforts to tackle issues related to climate change” says Quirk, noting that Mercury “is taking our responsibility as an industry leader seriously as we continue to drive for positive change across our operations.”
Work Safe, Home Safe
Mercury’s anchor value of safety is highly regarded across the company. “Before joining Mercury, I knew they were the gold standard when it comes to safety,” he says. “Mercury’s Work Safe, Home Safe ethos is applicable across every project, no matter the territory. It goes to show that when everyone commits the results can be exceptional.”
Safety is embedded into everyone’s mindset from training and processes to delivery, “it’s a fundamental component of every facet of our business.” He credits Mercury’s safety team with pioneering an “all in” behaviour-based approach to safety. “When you get onsite and see safety treated with the respect and reverence it deserves and this attitude being viewed as the norm, it’s impressive to witness.”
Employee wellbeing
A key element of the company’s approach to safety is prioritising the mental and physical wellbeing of their teams. All Mercury people and their families, as well as subcontractors, are offered access to a fully independent, confidential Employee Assistance Programme, and also have the opportunity to undertake a one-day Mental Health First Aid training course. “Happy teams achieve more and it’s important to us that our people can be their best selves at work,” Quirk comments succinctly.
Frank describes the past year as a “standout one for Mercury.” “We once again achieved a solid safety performance, as well as moving forward with a comprehensive restructure which allows us to further develop our critical divisions to offer premium results for our clients.” He notes the company’s achievements in their approach to environmental, social and governance processes as a highlight of the past year and “to round it out by marking our fiftieth year in business was very special.” Frank is also positive that the future of Mercury will be just as exhilarating and dynamic while the company continues to drive evolution as Europe’s leading data centre provider.
ABOUT MERCURY
Mercury is the European leader in construction solutions. We build and manage complex engineering & construction projects for the world’s leading corporations. Our solutions help deliver technologies that connect people, communities, and businesses, giving them the power to achieve incredible things. Our people have the courage to be innovative. Their determination and sharp focus enable us to deliver with certainty, time and time again.
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