Behind every successful organisation is something less visible than strategy or growth.
It is the people who choose to help others succeed.
Growing an engineering consultancy is easy to describe and much harder to achieve. Projects can be won. Markets can expand. But sustainable growth depends on people. Their expertise, their collaboration and their willingness to support one another.
Since 2020, EDC has grown by more than 120%, expanding to 120 staff across Ireland, the UK and internationally. Growth at that scale only works when culture grows with it.
One principle has helped guide that journey: Give to Gain.
When people give generously, (their time, their knowledge and their support) the return is exponential. Teams become stronger, ideas move faster and opportunities multiply.
Across EDC, we see this principle in action every day through the people who shape how we operate and how we grow.
Quality & IT Manager
Marina’s leadership in Quality, IT and ISO standards forms a critical backbone of our consultancy. Governance, compliance and digital resilience are essential in our industry. The systems and standards she leads underpin the confidence our clients place in us. Rigour in these areas is rarely visible externally, but it is fundamental to maintaining consistent engineering quality and operational discipline.
Associate Director - HR
As EDC continues to grow, maintaining a strong and healthy culture requires structure and intent. Bernie’s leadership in HR plays a central role in this. Through development programmes, engagement initiatives and a strong focus on wellbeing, she helps ensure that our People Experience Promise (Engineering Excellence, Together) is something our teams experience every day.
Talent & Engineering Services Specialist
Recruitment and resourcing remain one of the biggest challenges facing engineering consultancies today. The market for experienced engineers is highly competitive and every firm is competing for the same pool of skilled professionals.
What differentiates businesses is not whether they face this challenge, but how they respond to it.
Val Small’s work in recruitment has been critical in helping EDC grow while protecting the culture we have built since 2003. Recruitment for us is not about filling seats. It is about identifying people who will contribute positively to our ‘ambitious’ company value and culture of the business. Technical capability is essential, but collaboration, attitude and a willingness to grow with the organisation are equally important.
That approach allows our growth to remain structured and intentional rather than reactive.
Executive Director - Cork, Limerick, Galway
Across our regional offices and digital initiatives, Sara’s leadership reflects the type of progressive management required to scale a modern consultancy. Expanding geographically requires strong communication, commercial awareness and clarity of direction. At the same time, digital transformation requires the confidence to challenge established processes and modernise how we work. Balancing both is not easy, but it is essential as our industry continues to evolve.
Mechanical Engineer - London
Recognition also plays an important role in sustaining high performance.
Our Engineering Excellence, Together Award Winner for 2025, Sinem Mandiraci, exemplifies the professionalism and commitment that strengthen any organisation. Her technical delivery is consistently outstanding, but just as important is the example she sets through accountability, reliability and leadership amongst her peers.
It has also been a significant year for Sinem personally. Alongside her professional achievements, she has recently purchased her first home and been granted UK citizenship. Milestones that reflect dedication, resilience and the building of a future beyond work.
These examples represent only a small number of the many women across EDC whose contribution strengthens our company every day. Across every office, discipline and role (from project delivery and design coordination to finance, administration and engineering leadership) women’s impact is both visible and significant.
Engineering has historically been a male-dominated profession. Today, women represent approximately <15% of the engineering workforce (26% at EDC), and that number continues to grow as the profession evolves.
Different perspectives strengthen decision-making, improve problem solving and ultimately lead to better outcomes for clients, projects and communities.
International Women’s Day provides an opportunity to recognise that contribution, not as a gesture, but as acknowledgement of the real leadership, professionalism and commitment that help our business succeed.
To all the women across EDC, thank you. Your contribution strengthens EDC in ways that go far beyond job titles.
Richard O’Farrell, an ambitious Managing Director and highly effective Technical Review Director, brings over 22 years of invaluable experience in contracting and consultancy to his role at EDC. With expertise in supervising projects across diverse sectors, including pharmaceutical, industrial, commercial, and residential, Richard’s firsthand experience underscores his strategic acumen, contributing significantly to the company’s prominence in the industry.
Leading a dedicated team of over 100 professionals, Richard’s leadership style reflects a fusion of strategic foresight, community engagement, and a relentless pursuit of excellence, establishing him as a driving force in the success and growth of EDC. Beyond his role as Managing Director, Richard actively engages in community initiatives, demonstrating a robust commitment to corporate social responsibility. Whether championing sustainable practices within the company or supporting local causes, his holistic approach extends beyond profit margins.
As EDC continues to thrive under his guidance, Richard remains dedicated to pushing boundaries and exploring new opportunities in the ever-evolving landscape of engineering and business.
