Hamish Race

Hamish Race, Divisional Manager at Chick Civils covering Nelson and Blenheim, discusses building a people-first culture while keeping the business commercially viable. Hamish went "too empathetical" early in his leadership journey and watched profit fall through the floor, learning that profit is the oxygen a business needs to survive. His purpose statement, "Be the best person I can be to give everyone the best chance to succeed", drives his approach. The conversation covers his use of Cody AI for programmes, ITPs, and plans, the reality of civil subcontractors winning work at 3-5% margins in a race to the bottom, Nelson City Council's progressive direct procurement approach, and a powerful section on mental health where Hamish describes breaking through the "I'm tougher than that" mentality to seek help.

Key Topics Discussed

• People-first culture vs profit. Hamish champions a people-first approach but learned the hard way that going "too empathetical" without commercial discipline causes profit to fall through the floor. Profit is the oxygen the business needs, without it, the people-first culture dies too.
• Construction Digitalisation / Cody AI. Hamish uses Cody AI for programmes, ITPs, and project plans. Demonstrated by asking "What am I doing August 3rd?" and getting an hourly breakdown complete with safety requirements. Andy adds that 4D visualisation as one-minute TikToks for construction is coming, "I've already trialed it, it's here."
• Supply Chain and Procurement / Nelson City Council. Nelson City Council uses direct procurement with open-book, early ECI approaches, described as "leading the way" in progressive procurement for civils.
• Civil subcontractor margins. Civil subs are winning work at 3-5% margins in a race to the bottom. The commercial pressure on the supply chain is unsustainable.
• Mental Health in Construction. Hamish describes how the "I'm tougher than that" mentality broke down and he sought help. He also did a buzzcut fundraiser for a colleague with cancer. Emphasises that seeking help is strength, not weakness.
• Communication failures. Powerful story: a foreman told a labourer to "burn the rubbish", the labourer burned the truck. Illustrates how unclear communication on site creates costly mistakes.
• Purpose statement. "Be the best person I can be to give everyone the best chance to succeed."

Notable Quotes

• Hamish Race: "Be the best person I can be to give everyone the best chance to succeed."
• On early leadership: Went "too empathetical", profit fell through the floor.
• Andy on 4D: One-minute TikToks for construction, "I've already trialed it, it's here."
• Nelson City Council: "Leading the way" with direct procurement and open book ECI.
• Communication story: Foreman said "burn the rubbish", labourer burned the truck.

Guest Background

Hamish Race is Divisional Manager at Chick Civils, responsible for the Nelson and Blenheim regions. He is a people-first leader who learned through experience that empathy and commercial acumen must coexist. He is an early adopter of AI tools in civil construction, a CCNZ conference speaker, and a mental health advocate who openly shares his own journey of seeking help.