Howard Kennedy鈥檚 head of construction has very strong opinions鈥�

What is your preferred means of communication? (email, phone, text, video conference etc)
Lately, it鈥檚 all been hour long conference calls listening to the parties鈥� agents trade insults while on 鈥榤ute鈥� trying to do something else, but ever alert and ready to jump in. Possibly not the most efficient way of doing business. I like email, though if I want a client to sit up and listen I鈥檒l post (and email) a letter. Some clients like text, the impermanence of which gives me the heebie geebies.

Are you into social networking? (LinkedIn, Facebook, twitter)
Facebook strictly for far flung friends and rellies only. I distrust Twitter鈥檚 ostensible anonymity. I鈥檓 a big devotee of LinkedIn and it鈥檚 great for keeping track of longstanding contacts as they move onwards and upwards. I get a lot of invites from, let鈥檚 face it, the Competition, and politely point out that I think they may be rather missing the point.

Favourite digital gadget?
Blackberry. No contest. You can do anything anywhere. You can even download a PDF, convert it to text, amend it and send it back while scheduling a reminder for 6.30 am in a month鈥檚 time (please see page 50347 of the manual鈥�..) I鈥檓 learning to love my Kindle though.

Blackberry, android or phone?
Blackberry. I am mildly amused by all the consultants who wax lyrical about what the iphone can do, offer to demonstrate, and then can鈥檛 get enough signal to do so. But it鈥檚 all a bit of a fetish isn鈥檛 it? One of my favourite developer clients signs off emails 鈥渟ent from Pioneer 10 spacecraft wireless service鈥� because 鈥淧ioneer 10 was sent by NASA 40 years ago to explore the Galaxy and not only it has not come back but we lost communication with it eight years ago鈥�. Quite. PS what鈥檚 an android? I know I should know.

Mac or PC?
You should ask 鈥淎pple鈥� or 鈥淢icrosoft鈥�? Microsoft because a) with me, usually Apple鈥檚 hardware breaks down 3 and half minutes after expiration of the warranty and b) I object ethically to the alleged lack of 鈥渨ealth trickle down鈥� to Apple鈥檚 software partners. Ooh, is that a bit political?!

Favourite app?
Intermediate Welsh course and iPlayer

What is your favourite/worst website?
Fave: for instantly being able to check the age, critical reception and background of any media event I鈥檝e just experienced (though I was disappointed to discover that even Neil Young doesn鈥檛 know what 鈥淎fter the Gold Rush鈥� means because 鈥渋t depends what I was on at the time鈥�. Worst (for me) and iTunes because of the instant availability of everything all the time (see below).

What did you last buy online?
A girly pink leather Kindle cover with a light. Wildly overpriced but gorgeous.

What鈥檚 top on your iPod?
Complete statistical honesty? Apparently it鈥檚 my poppy bubblegum gym selection including Mark Ronson and Rihanna, my son Ed and his mate Cam鈥檚 Snow Christmas 2010 EP and Two Suns by Bat for Lashes. So there you have it.

Karen Kirkham is a partner and head of construction at Howard Kennedy.

Topics