Joe was probably the closest thing I had to a “work dad” when I first joined Arup.

He was hard on me at times, but looking back I’m genuinely grateful for it. He had high standards and he pushed me to be sharper, more attentive, and more practical as an engineer. I still remember printing drawings on A3 and taking them over to his desk, where he would pull out his roll of tracing paper and work through the issues with me one by one. During Sky Labs, my desk was often covered in those marked-up sheets, but they taught me lessons that have stayed with me ever since.

Joe later trusted me to project manage the Sky Public Realm project, which was a big step for me at that stage of my career. It was not always easy, and we probably butted heads a few times, but I learnt so much from him through it. He pushed because he cared about the work being done properly, and that helped shape the engineer I became.

I also have fond memories of walking the Sky site with him, listening to him point out the things I might otherwise have missed – poor workmanship, shortcuts, and the small details that matter. Away from work, I always enjoyed our football chats, even if he was Forest and I’m Liverpool, and I’ll never forget the Christmas poster in the old No. 13 office where we turned him into Father Christmas.

Joe challenged me, trusted me, and taught me a huge amount. I feel very lucky to have had him as a mentor, and I’ll always be grateful for the impact he had on me. Rest in peace Joe.