Own the Build Leadership Series #4: Anil Rai, Commercial Director at M Group Water (£900m+ Contractor, part of £2.5bn Group)

In the fourth episode of the Own the Build Leadership Series, Paul is joined by Anil Rai, Commercial Director at M Group Water, a £900m+ business within the wider £2.5bn M Group. Anil’s journey offers a clear view of what it takes to build a leadership career in a large, complex Tier 1 environment — from early progression through commercial roles to leading at scale across a major infrastructure business.The conversation focuses on what effective commercial leadership really looks like in 2026, including:building consistency and standards across large teams;creating alignment between commercial, operational and client objectives;leading with accountability while empowering others to take ownership; andnavigating the scale and complexity that comes with major frameworks and long-term programmes.Anil also reflects on the mindset shift required to step into a Commercial Director role — moving beyond individual performance to driving outcomes through people, structure and culture.A practical and grounded discussion for QSs aiming for senior leadership — and for Commercial Directors operating in large, multi-project environments.---------------------------------📥 Plus: Grab Paul’s free new eBook Mastering Construction Procurement — link below:Mastering Construction Procurement Strategies for Supply Chain Integration, Tendering, and Commercial SuccessSend us Fan MailWant to connect with Paul?Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at [email protected] or through, C-Link. C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Quantity Surveyors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here.