Anjali is a Project Planner who works on Housing and Public Infrastructure projects within our Planning team. Originally from India, she relocated to Ireland in 2019 and joined MKO in 2024. Anjali discusses the training opportunities at MKO and the variety of projects she works on.
Can you share a little about your background and what brought you to MKO? ?
I’m from Pune, a city in the state of Maharashtra in southwest India – about 150 kms from Mumbai. My academic journey began with a Bachelor of Commerce in Cost Accounting, but my interest in economics led me to pursue a Master of Science in Economics (Urban Development) in India. My first professional role was with a Not-for-Profit firm focused on urban governance, where I was first exposed to urban planning and the critical need for it in Indian cities. In 2019, I moved to Ireland to pursue a Masters of Regional and Urban Planning (MRUP) at UCD. This was all part of the journey that has brought me here to MKO. I started my planning career in a large consultancy as a Student Planner, later advancing to a Graduate Planner. My work primarily focused on development management projects, including planning consents, master plans, local area plans, and development plans.
My interest in MKO was sparked while working on an application for the Yew Point Eco Tourism Resort, where MKO was the planning consultant, and the consultancy I was working in at the time were the economic consultant on the project. This project was particularly interesting as it explored sustainable tourism. The Economic and Social Impact Analysis piece we developed focused on the future of nature-friendly tourism, which deeply resonated with my personal interests. One of the main objectives of this project was to promote sustainable tourism with a focus on conservation and preservation of nature and its habitats and creating the necessary environmental and cultural awareness. Ultimately, it was the opportunity to be involved in such unique and forward-thinking projects that attracted me to MKO. I’ve also found a fantastic team of friendly, dedicated, and approachable people who are committed not only to their work but to preserving the environment and finding a healthy work-life balance.
What skills or experiences from your previous career have you found transferable to your current role at MKO?
Having worked as a planning consultant previously, I’ve found that most of my skills and experience have been directly transferable to my role at MKO. Planning consultants are often required to be adaptable, so I continue to hone my project management skills and expand my knowledge of the ever-evolving planning field, with its frequent legislative changes. The most valuable skill I brought with me is report writing, which I’ve found makes reviewing reports much more efficient.
How has MKO flexibility helped your work-life balance?
MKO’s flexibility has been a huge benefit. MKO’s flexibility has allowed me to better manage my time before and after work. I appreciate that we don’t have fixed office days, as it allows me to plan my personal life more effectively. I have a better work-life balance now than at any point in my previous years of employment.
How does cross team collaboration with our in-house multidisciplinary teams enhance your work?
I find that MKO’s cross-team collaboration offers a fantastic range of skill sets to explore and even choose from to specialise in. The knowledge-sharing sessions give you a great overview of topics, for example, from an ecology perspective, that can come in handy when you’re about to brief a client. Just chatting with other experts in the office or attending these sessions has helped me with everything from reviewing project requirements to scoping out new work. And, of course, it’s pretty cool to be able to tell people outside of work that you get to collaborate with experts who study things like bats, hedgerows, or even underwater excavations at the Avoca Historic Mines.
MKO offers remote working and has people based nationwide. How do you stay connected and collaborate effectively with your colleagues, whether they’re in the office or elsewhere?
MKO is truly ahead of the curve when it comes to flexibility and remote work, which has been a huge benefit for me, being from India it allows me to plan longer trips home. My team and I stay connected through Teams, whether we’re discussing projects or just catching up. For the Planning team, the ePlan Portal has been a game-changer, allowing us to submit planning applications online from any part of the world. With Councils increasingly preferring online meetings, remote working has become seamless.
What kind of training opportunities are available at MKO that have directly impacted your professional journey?
I’ve been fortunate to have Pamela (Harty) as my mentor, who is wonderful at guiding us through our responsibilities within the planning team. The combination of our knowledge-sharing presentations and the MKO Academy is also incredibly beneficial, as it provides a valuable overview of the work across different teams. As planners, we are required to know about a wide range of subject matters. MKO’s greatest asset is the broad internal expertise, which not only facilitates on-the-job learning but also allows us to advise clients on the variety of services we offer. One aspect of leadership development that immediately stood out to me is how every team member from graduate level and up has the opportunity to produce and scope work for projects they are interested in.
What excites you most about the variety of projects you get to work on at MKO?
What I love most about working at MKO is the sheer variety of projects I get to work on. In my first six months at MKO, I’ve had the chance to work on some truly unique projects, including Yew Point Eco Tourism Resort, Crown Square Mixed-Use Development and the new Primark store in Ennis.