Teamwork makes the dream work
11 February 2022
2021 was an exhausting, yet satisfying, year for Frankie Lao, Senior Commissioning Manager in Singapore. He commissioned a single datacentre site with more than 11 rounds of HLT, six rounds of Integrated System Testing and over 40MW last year.
When we asked Frankie his secret recipe for resisting pressure and succeeding through hard work, he said having the right mindset is the key to solving all challenges. “Embrace new knowledge every moment and never assume things will always go right”, said Frankie.
Frankie recently joined the Singapore regional team and worked on a project together with colleagues from other regional teams. “It’s really exciting to reunite with my team members across the globe and work on the same project (especially during this challenging time). Having the opportunity to interact with different team members and stakeholders is always a great learning opportunity, and undoubtedly, client satisfaction is always our driving force,” said Frankie.
Frankie is also a certified energy manager who gained industry recognition by demonstrating and sharing energy efficiency principles, practices, technologies and insights. All these experiences gave him the fundamental energy management knowledge that benefits his everyday work.
Can you tell me something about yourself?
I’m a chartered mechanical engineer in UK who specialised in HVAC and energy efficiency management before starting my role in Commtech Asia. I’m currently living in Singapore with my family and taking care of two young boys outside of work.
We learned that you have worked at the company for over seven years. Can you tell us more about this journey?
I joined Commtech Asia SG back in 2014 as a commissioning manager. Over the last seven years, I’ve gained substantial knowledge on the commissioning process and management, and critical systems functionality and operation with consistent guidance and support from colleagues and learning on the job through a huge variety of projects.
Describe your job as a Senior Commissioning Manager. What does an average day look like for you?
Basically, I need to understand the client’s requirements in terms of design, operation and commissioning, and making sure the project team is complying and fulfilling those requirements via various Cx stages passing criteria. Depending on what stage a project is at, my day-to-day involves typically planning and tracking Cx progress / process / sequence vs team members resources.
“I need to understand client’s requirements in terms of design, operation and commissioning.”
Describe Commtech Asia in three words?
Independent, pride and versatile.
Three words to describe your 2021?
Exhausting while satisfying.
What advice would you give to anyone who would like to enroll in this same role as you?
Have a mindset to:
Accept new knowledge and not limit yourself to your previous work and study background
Never assume things always go right (I know it’s not easy!)
Think logically and critically. Issues could be identified if things are not making sense
What is the most rewarding aspect of your role? Any memorable moment / project so far?
I enjoyed and was satisfied with a client’s appreciation and respect of the commissioning process and standards in a build construction project. Having the opportunity to learn and deal with new challenges was hugely rewarding. Every project I go through is memorable with new lessons learned, and I always enjoy interacting with my team members and stakeholders.
Finally, what will be your 2022 resolutions?
Stay healthy and mentally strong, having quality time at both work and in my personal life.