David Bromley Walsh promoted to SHEQ Director

Can you share a little about your journey with KTL? How long have you been with the company?

I joined KTL in January 2021 as Head of SHEQ (Safety, Health, Environment and Quality) for Telecoms Ireland and the UK. I started my career many years ago working in construction, rail and highways and eventually moved into telecoms as a rigger and eventually became an installation and commissioning (I&C) engineer. I completed my NEBOSH qualification and then moved into the world of health, safety, quality and environmental.

I had previously held positions at Turner & Townsend as Head of HSQA managing compliance across the MBNL, BT and Three UK networks. Prior to that I worked for CommScope as European H&S Manager for Construction Services.

What specific skills or qualities do you believe played a significant role in your promotion, and how have you developed or honed those skills over the years?

Apart from the technical knowledge of construction, telecommunications and legislative requirements, this role is all about being able to communicate with people at all levels. That may be giving board or client presentations, speaking at industry events, or chatting to the teams on site. It also requires you to understand that no matter how well trained, people can make mistakes. This is why at KTL; we fully embrace the theory of ‘Just Culture’. This is about encouraging the truthful reporting of incidents. When we promote honest reporting, it can help us better understand why those incidents happened, what truly caused them, and how we can prevent similar occurrences in the future.

How has KTL supported your growth and development?

KTL as a business promote personal development and offer plenty of opportunities for growth within the business. On a personal level, I have been encouraged to take on more responsibility over the last 18 months and I’ve been fully supported throughout, not only by the directors of the company but also by the project teams who are at the coalface when it comes to SHEQ.

As you transition into your new role, what are some of the key responsibilities?

My main responsibilities as SHEQ Director, will be to provide leadership and support to KTL to further develop and improve the culture of the business. At KTL, there is a desire to do things the right way, this is already in the company’s DNA and my job will be to guide that ethos and ensure we are headed in the right direction.

What advice do you have for other employees who aspire to grow and advance within KTL?

If you want to progress in your career, then this is the company that can help you do it. There are plenty of opportunities as KTL grows and they will invest in you and your future.

Can you share any memorable experiences or projects from your previous position that have helped shape your journey with KTL?

My previous role was really varied. Dealing with not only safety issues on the network but also quality assurance, the introduction of new products, cabs, antennas etc, fire risk assessments across the estate and even structural issues.

I’d say that the diverse nature of the role and my position as advisor to the mobile network operators (MNOs) gave me a broader understanding of how the industry worked and allowed me to influence how the industry operates like the introduction of mandatory rigging and lifting training for riggers. My role at KTL also enabled me to think more strategically, where before I’d primarily looked at operational improvements.

What are your goals and aspirations for the future, and how does this promotion align with those ambitions?

I want to keep learning and progressing, and I feel fortunate that KTL not only supports this but also actively encourages it. I’m hoping to study a master’s degree in organisational psychology next year, which will help me to understand why people and organisations act or react the way they do, which will further develop my skillset and hopefully bring value and benefit not only to KTL, but to our employees and our clients as well.

To find out more about KTL careers go to: ktl.ie/careers