CEO Monthly Issue 5 2018

6 CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 5 2018 , GJ Building and Contracting (GJ) is an Australian owned and operated building company with headquarters at Sydney Olympic Park. We spoke to CEO, George Boumoussa, who explains more about his role and his subsequent success. Respectability, Quality and an Excellent CEO. GJ has a strong partnership focus and approaches all parts of the Construction delivery process in a collaborative manner, something which CEO, George Boumoussa (aged 31) is proud to highlight. He starts off the interview by walking us through his career milestones, touching base on his education, his first job role and how his career path has led him to become CEO Monthly’s CEO of the Year in Australia in 2017. “GJ’s history has been one of advancement and diversification. It began in 1985 when my father Raymond Boumoussa, who is the founder of GJ, established one of Sydney’s largest formwork companies with over 200 employees delivering 1,500 apartments annually working with tier 1 and tier 2 companies. “Firstly, I began working with my father for a few years, both in Australia and abroad which allowed me to gain the necessary exposure and skills required in the industry. Alongside working with my father, I studied Building and Construction and obtained my Certificate III in Carpentry as well as my Certificate IV in Building and Construction. “As time progressed, I began to manage projects and the company, and found that I could create innovative methodologies to work more effectively. In 2013, we decided to open GJ which drew together my experience and the many decades of professional building experience from my father across Australia and abroad. To date, we have grown steadily into a respectable managing contractor with a quality portfolio of residential projects across Sydney.” Outlining the overall goal and vision of the firm, George discusses the commitments of the company and how it works with its partners and clients. “Here at GJ, our goal is to build long standing relationships with all our stakeholders by being transparent and respectful in all dealings. The Construction industry is a competitive market and we believe that our experience and skills are what provides a completive edge. “Essential to the team’s success, GJ is committed to building quality, cost effective and sustainable buildings and we will continue to progress and pursue our vision of being a leading NSW residential apartment builder.” With everyone working towards achieving the same vision for the company, it is George’s role to make sure this mission is reached. He explains his particular leadership style, alluding to which factors of his leadership ensure a happy and thriving work environment at the company. “As CEO, it is my responsibility to lead the people and developments of my company, and in turn execute the organisational goals. This includes formulating policies, planning strategies, coaching motivating and building teams, encourage work towards goals, innovating, problem solving, decision making, advocating and acting as the interface between the organisation and the community. “In relation to leadership, I generally adopt a democratic leadership style however, given that Construction is an extremely dynamic industry, I do not believe one leadership style will effectively manage all teams, projects, and environments we encounter. Therefore, I believe in switching between leadership styles to effectively cater to different situations. “ Regarding his success, George believes that there are a variety of attributes and characteristics which have contributed to the achievements of the firm. He emphasises how important his team are to his and the company’s work, believing there would not be success without them. “The key to success is a mix of a myriad of things. It is about setting and focusing on goals; practicing patience, perseverance, honesty and integrity; making difficult decisions; accepting that problems inherently exist in any business and therefore maintaining endurance skills against challenges and remaining focused and determined. “With this being said, as a CEO of my own company I think the most important thing in a business is to understand that it is the people in the company that I lead which ultimately determine the success or failure of any venture. “As a leader, I choose to surround myself with great people that I can cultivate into a team of ambitious, confident 1802CE02