Over the past 16 years, Paul Hughes has built a career defined not only by his own growth, but by the opportunities he creates for others. From his early days in the mining industry to leading multiple long-term contracts as a contract manager, Paul's journey reflects the power of continuous learning, strong relationships and investing in people.
Since joining UGL, Paul has progressed through a range of operational and leadership roles in the industrials and resources business unit, developing experience across different industries, clients and teams. Starting in mechanical supervision before moving into management, each step provided new challenges and opportunities to expand his skills.
"My managers recognised my leadership potential and my passion for building strong client relationships," Paul said.
"UGL invested in my development through project management training, leadership programs and professional development opportunities that helped prepare me for the next stage of my career."
While career progression has been a key part of his journey, helping others develop has become one of the most rewarding aspects of his role.
"For me, leadership is about creating opportunities for people to grow," he said.
"I enjoy mentoring and supporting the next generation of leaders. Seeing someone develop their skills, take on greater responsibility and succeed in a new role is incredibly rewarding."
Today, Paul works closely with operational teams and clients to navigate challenges, improve performance and deliver long-term outcomes. His leadership style is built on collaboration and empowerment, encouraging team members to contribute ideas and take ownership of solutions.
"I'm very solutions-focused, but I don't believe leaders should always provide the answers," he said.
"When people are encouraged to work through challenges themselves, they build confidence, capability and a stronger sense of ownership. That's how teams continue to grow and improve."
Reflecting on his career, Paul says one of the biggest advantages of working at UGL has been the variety of experiences available across the business.
"Every role has presented new challenges and opportunities to learn," he said.
"With UGL’s diverse business, you're constantly developing new skills and gaining new perspectives. That's what has kept the work interesting and rewarding for me."
After more than a decade and a half with the business, Paul remains motivated by the people he works with and the opportunity to make a positive impact on both clients and colleagues.
"The diversity of the work and the people I've worked alongside have made this an incredibly rewarding career," he said.
"Looking back, the most satisfying part of the journey isn't just the roles I've held. It's seeing the people I've worked with grow, succeed and build their own careers."