Martin Valentine

The former lighting group director of AECOM (Faber Maunsell) is moving to a new position in Abu Dhabi. He discusses the reasons and the ramifications

What’s the new job?
Not exactly sure what my job title will end up being once the dust settles, but currently it’s along the lines of ‘lighting expert to the municipality’.

Why Abu Dhabi?
I think we’ve all seen how quickly Abu Dhabi has appeared on the lighting scene. For me it was last year’s inaugural F1 Grand Prix at Yas Island that opened my eyes to the scale and quality of what’s happening. When the municipality approached me to work with them alongside their growing team of urban planners and city designers, it was a unique chance to set up an in-house lighting division for a very forward-thinking client.

Why now?
For my partner and I it was a perfect time for the offer to come along [Valentine is getting married in May]. We were both ready for a change of scene. She had already decided to change career and study for a degree, while I felt I had gone as far as I could with AECOM.

What does the new job involve?
The main role is to design the lighting for the new city as part of the overall master plan for Abu Dhabi, due for completion in 2030. All of the commercial, financial and government bodies will move to form the heart of a new capital city inland from the current city centre. Lighting will form an integral part of the design from street level to the way the city appears from the air. Changing the present city centre is also part of the remit. I will also be addressing Abu Dhabi’s lighting standards and codes, and assist in planning.

“It was a unique chance to set up an in-house lighting division for a very forward-thinking client”

Is this short term or long term? In other words when will we see you back in the UK?
Long term, most definitely. Dubai will be home for the foreseeable future. I will be travelling quite a lot in the new role and I’m sure the UK will be one of the destinations I need to visit occasionally, so you are not completely rid of me I’m afraid.

Will you miss Faber Maunsell/AECOM?
When I finally move it will have been five and a half years. I learnt a lot, coming in as I did to start up their specialist lighting division. I’ll miss all my lighting team for sure and some really exceptional individuals on the engineering, sustainability and specialist side.

What will you miss most about the UK?
I am really tired of the daily commute. I’ve done it for 24 years and the novelty has worn off. What will I miss? Proper pubs with real ales, sarcasm and ‘taking the piss’, lighting social events, swearing, my Ebay activities, BBC iPlayer, bacon, Richmond Park, Stephen Fry, Scotland and, of course, my relatives. But I think being able to hold hands and kiss in public may be top of my list.

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