Geraldine Fleming, 38, vice-president and executive director, Knowles

What has been the hardest challenge you鈥檝e faced to get where you are?
Trying to keep my motivation up while doing my law degree part time, and missing social and family events because I had to study.

What has been your high point so far?
When a client phones you back for more advice on another project - it shows that they were happy with the work you did first time round.

And the low point?
Being rejected for sponsorship by Wimpey in 1990 - however, this disappointment quickly evaporated as I was given a summer placement job at Balfour Beatty in 1991. They subsequently gave me a year-out placement and sponsored me during my final year, and then gave me a job on completion of my degree.

Who is your hero?
My dad, who was an ex-JCB driver and gave me the best possible career advice - to be a QS. He didn鈥檛 get it quite right as he said that QSs earned loads of money and got company cars! But I have certainly enjoyed every day at work.