Meet Our New Chief Operations Officer: Martin Leeper

Oktra is pleased to welcome Martin Leeper to the team, as our new Chief Operations Officer (COO).

Martin joins us from LTB, having supported WeWork in the development of many of their iconic coworking spaces, as well as with over thirty years’ experience in the construction industry (“Thirty years – how did that happen?”), and with a tangible enthusiasm for his new role and the future of Oktra.

Of his appointment at this moment in time, Martin says: “As we all know, we are in a very different environment to where the world was twelve months ago, and as such we have to guarantee that the way in which we operate ensures the best outcomes for our people, our business and our clients. As a former Managing Director within LTB, the group responsible for the delivery and development of 6M sq ft of commercial office space over the last five years, I bring a wealth of experience, and my focus is to work with and support each of the business units to achieve their vision and goals, and to drive group performance.”

When asked what brought him to this position, and how his experience will support his work as COO, Martin cites a decorated list of prestigious clients with whom he’s previously worked as design and build project manager, including complex projects that span from data centres to trading floors, and beautifully executed Cat B works for businesses such as HP, Facebook, HSBC, and Goldmann Sachs.

Martin’s evident expertise and understanding of the key players in the design and build industry is clear to see: but what is there about him that we might not yet know? What are his passions outside of the world of design and build? “This may be hard to believe, but back in the day I was a keen rower, training six days a week and competing at international level for England,” he says, before moving on to also declare a great love for boats and cars. Maybe most surprisingly, Martin professes an admiration of fish: “they’re calming, and actually quite intelligent,” he says, admitting to a couple of indoor fish tank “disasters”, which eventually led to his current (and exclusively outdoor) garden pond project.

While this year has been an uncertain one for businesses across all sectors, Martin is confident about Oktra’s continued position as design and build industry leaders, crediting Oktra’s high-calibre staff and working culture: “It’s great to be back at Oktra and I’m really excited about my new role and working with the teams…I’ve always admired the passion and culture of the people who work at Oktra. There’s a real determination to thrive and succeed.”

As COO, Martin will be responsible for Oktra’s daily operational functions, to which he plans to bring his characteristic drive and leadership, as well as a strong belief that all business procedures should be continually challenged and optimised. “We’re in very different times, so I know that I won’t have seen everyone face-to-face yet, but am very much looking forward to what we can all continue to achieve together. Oktra has always presented opportunities to team members that are unrivalled in our industry. We have such a great opportunity to influence, shape and fine-tune our business and continue our successes.”

To learn more about Oktra’s thoughts on the workplaces of the future, read our article on how office design is being shaped by COVID-19 for emerging generations.