It says something about Richard that his favourite Pure Project wasn’t the biggest or most exclusive (although as ‘employee number 3’ on the Marina Bay Sands project in Singapore, it does hold a special place), it was the one that “tested the core of my character the most”. It was the Kwinana shopping project in Perth, a project Pure turned around despite severe financial and contractual difficulties.
 
Retail developments are a specialty of Richard’s. Perth born, and with a degree in Construction Management from Curtin University, he’s also spent time in Dubai and now Singapore.
 
Exposure and immersion to new cultures is something Richard loves. Rather than necessarily hang out with expats, he goes the other way, making local friends and trying new experiences.
 
That ‘embracing of the local’ plays out in Pure’s Asian offices and gives them a point of difference. “We have good young people coming through the ranks in Asia, a great mix of local and international staff.”
 
He also points to Pure’s ability to be nimble and fast acting. “We’re independent so we don’t have a convoluted nest of different lines of communication. When there are problems, things are fixed quickly. You have to be open-minded and adaptable.” That includes keeping up to date with technology and industry changes.
 
As Richard sees it, Pure are a “client’s eyes and ears on the ground. There’s a lot of trust and faith involved. We take full responsibility and don’t look to blame. The buck stops with us.”
 
He’s a determined character. If you tell him it can’t be done, that’s a red rag to a bull. As a kid he’d keep working at a problem until he got his head around it, and that hasn’t changed.
 
His favourite building in the world is New York’s Solow building, notable for its graceful concave slopes, front and back. Passionate about, food, travel and especially music, he’s also a ‘mad keen surfer’, although Singapore’s Sentosa wave pool will have to do for now.

Richard Coney

Regional Manager, Singapore