With over 26 years of industry experience as a Computer Systems Engineer, Richard Morrison is a SmartScore accredited professional, leading AECOM’s Technology Advisory Group for Asia Pacific and Global Smart Building practice.
Q. What is your favourite AECOM project that you’ve worked on and why?
A. Without doubt it was the initial concept of operations for Al Ula in Saudi Arabia.
Al Ula has borne witness to 200,000 years of human history. The city’s Hegra Archaeological Site (Al-Hijr / Mada’in Salih) was the first World Heritage property to be inscribed in Saudi Arabia. I was fortunate enough to join a group of AECOM technical directors across the business to spend a week in Al Ula to assess the existing infrastructure. My role was to deliver Smart Cities infrastructure planning, including 5G mobile coverage, wireless, and broadband telecommunications.
It was a privilege to work on a groundbreaking infrastructure project in such a key historical location.
Q. What career advice would you like to share?
A. Gain experience in foreign markets throughout your entire career. Not only will you be able to take the best approach from each market, standards and thinking, but you will appreciate the cultural diversity and values.
Contribute to the development of international and key local standards. Mid-career, I benefited from volunteering my time to the development standards in my field of practice. The experience further developed my international network and exposed me to innovative technologies, enabling my clients to access them before their peers. It also opened a world of travel where I spent a couple of weeks a year in the US or Europe.