Article written by Olly Steele – Service Leader, Advisory
If you’ve never heard of project controls, you’re not alone. It’s one of those behind-the-scenes roles that can quietly make or break a project but rarely gets the spotlight.
It’s the control tower of a project, helping teams stay on track, spot risks early, and keep projects moving with confidence. And once I stumbled into it, I knew I’d found my place.
My path into engineering wasn’t exactly a lifelong calling. I chose Civil Engineering because I liked the idea of contributing to large-scale projects that shape the world around us and, truthfully, because my parents strongly encouraged something ‘practical’. If I had my way back then, I might have pursued something more creative (fun, sure, but possibly not as financially viable!).
Ironically, creativity still found its way in, just in a more technical form. Over time, I realised that what really energised me wasn’t design or construction, but the challenge of coordinating complex projects. That’s when I discovered project controls: a discipline that blends logic, systems thinking, and data into clear direction. It helps teams cut through the noise, see what’s coming, and stay in control from start to finish. For someone who loves puzzles, problem-solving, and bringing order to chaos, it felt like the perfect fit.
A highlight of my career was working on hyperscale data centres for Google in Europe. These were high-stakes builds where speed trumped cost and innovation was constant. It was our job, as consultants, to manage delivery teams and streamline progress. Project controls became the bridge between site operations and Google HQ. Their approach to data and reporting was next level, and it showed me just how powerful data engineering can be when it comes to unlocking fast, informed decision making. Delivering a €400M data centre in under 12 months still blows my mind!
Today, I’m proud to be part of Vitruvius in Auckland. Before I joined, I kept hearing about Bradley Jones (Business Leader in the Auckland office) and the strong reputation Vitruvius had in project controls. The more I learned, the clearer it became that this was where I wanted to be, where I could keep learning, contribute meaningfully, and work with a genuinely supportive team.
The culture here is excellent. There’s a real sense of mutual respect and openness, and I appreciate how transparent the leadership is, it makes it easier to trust the process and stay aligned.
As part of growing our Advisory offering, I was committed to bringing in a dedicated Data Engineer, someone who could bridge the gap between traditional project controls and smarter, data-led delivery. It’s about more than just shiny dashboards; it’s about turning complex project data into clear, actionable insight that supports faster decisions, reduces manual effort, enhances visibility, and frees up delivery teams to focus on the work that really matters.
That’s where Noel Argoseputro steps in. A talented Data Engineer with a background in statistics, computer science, and business analytics, Noel joins me in the Auckland office and brings strong expertise in developing end-to-end reporting solutions and leveraging automation to deliver real-time project insight. His work is already helping us streamline reporting and build a stronger foundation for project certainty.
Looking ahead, I’m excited about growing the Vitruvius capability in project controls and bringing this level of service to clients around the country. We have something special here, and I want to see it make an even bigger impact.
If I could give one piece of advice, it would be this: stay curious. Don’t be afraid to change direction or follow a new interest. You never know where it might lead.
If you want to speak further about Project Controls or Data Engineering at Vitruvius, please contact olly.steele@vitruvius.co.nz.