By Business & Finance 
By Héloïse Chaudot
What was your first job?
My first job was in retail while I was still in school. It gave me an early appreciation for customer experience and problem-solving, and for how much the small details matter when you’re trying to create value for people. It was a great introduction to the world of customer experience!
What are your main priorities and goals in your current role?
My role sits at the intersection of sustainability, digital transformation, brand, and customer experience.
The focus is on enabling the Kingspan Group to continue to thrive while accelerating the transition to a net-zero built environment.
That means using data, digital, and AI to unlock new opportunities and efficiencies, strengthen our market position, and deliver greater value for our customers.
A key priority is ensuring that sustainability is embedded across the global business. We do this through our group-wide environmental programmes, which we first introduced in 2011 to drive long-term progress.
Our current decade-long initiative, Planet Passionate, sets ambitious targets across carbon, energy, circularity and water.
The aim to reduce the environmental impact of both our business and products, which in turn supports our customers to reduce the carbon footprint of their buildings.
Since launching the programme in 2020, we have made significant progress, which is both encouraging and motivating as we continue to build momentum and focus on the work still ahead.
What pushed you to pursue a career in this field?
I began my career with Kingspan in a technical role in the Australian business. As my career progressed, I became increasingly interested in how businesses could accelerate climate action.
That focus then naturally broadened into an expanded leadership role which spans key areas – sustainability, digital, brand and customer experience – which are central to how companies innovate, grow and create long-term value.
How do you motivate yourself and your team?
I find that purpose is a powerful motivator. When people understand the impact their work can have – both for the business and the wider industry – it creates real momentum.
In our case, the transition to a net-zero built environment is both a huge challenge and an enormous opportunity, and that shared mission helps energise teams across the organisation.
Through our Planet Passionate programme, we strive to engage and inspire our teams worldwide.
We provide e-learning on topics such as climate change and the circular economy, and initiatives like Planet Passionate Week bring employees together around sustainability, helping connect day-to-day work to that wider purpose.
I also strongly believe in empowering people to take ownership and encouraging curiosity and experimentation, because that’s where the most meaningful innovation tends to come from.
In one sentence, how would you define success?
Success is building something that creates lasting value for business, people and the planet.
How do you relax?
I value having space to think. Walking in nature, travelling, and reading help me reset and reflect. Spending time with my husband, our dog, and close friends is what keeps life feeling balanced.
What is your favourite (non-business) book?
I tend only to read non-fiction, and autobiographies are a particular favourite.
Books like A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Ardern and Source Code by Bill Gates stand out. I’m fascinated by people’s stories and the decisions, challenges and turning points that shape their journey.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Stay curious and keep learning. I believe it’s important to stay authentic to yourself, trust your instincts and develop a strong understanding of who you are.
How do you handle adversity?
I try to step back and understand the situation before reacting. My career has moved quite quickly, so I’ve often had to learn as I go, and I try to treat challenges as opportunities to reflect, adapt and take the lessons forward.
What are the aspirations for the future of the business
The opportunity ahead lies in combining sustainability leadership with digital innovation to help reshape the future of the built environment.
The sector is entering a period of significant transformation, as it works to reduce emissions, use resources more efficiently and rethink how buildings are designed and delivered.
Data, technology, and AI will play an important role in accelerating that progress – helping improve transparency, optimise performance and support the development of lower-carbon materials and solutions. We have seen how this is possible at Kingspan through coordinated effort and a clear shared mission.
Ultimately, the challenge – and opportunity – for the industry is to continue finding practical ways to deliver buildings that are more efficient, lower carbon and better aligned with the needs of both the planet and its people.
Read more 60 Seconds With:
Danielle McConville, VP at Greenhouse Software
