5 minutes with … Margherita Pende at TFT

Why did you choose construction as a career?

From a young age I was fascinated by imagining how people might live in their homes in the future. When I was around 10 years old, I used to create an imaginary family and design their ideal living environment. I would start by drawing the plan and then move onto the elevations. It was like an old-school version of The Sims video game, I guess!

This interest led me to apply to study architecture at university, eventually qualifying as an architect.

After a few years in that role, I decided to move into project management following an interest in the wider project picture. I still have a strong fascination with imagining an initial concept and bringing it to life.

What are you most proud of in your career to date?

Becoming a director at TFT. I feel it recognised the hard work and commitment I put into my job every day. With a well-supported and clear career path at TFT, I was able to achieve this milestone in October 2025.

It is important – once in a while – to remind ourselves of our professional journeys and how we reached certain milestones. I tend not to celebrate past achievements too much and focus on the future, but sometimes it is important to pause and acknowledge how far you have come, noting the successes you have achieved and the challenges you have overcome along the way.

For me, it was reminding myself that, despite being an immigrant woman under 40 with a three-year-old daughter working in the UK construction sector, I could still aspire to – and achieve – a senior leadership position. I will be forever grateful to those colleagues who helped me to get there for believing in me on my journey.

What has been the biggest challenge of your career to date?

Transitioning from an architect role to project management.  When I moved to project management, I definitely had strong foundations from my architecture studies and work experience, but my brain was not trained to process the immense amount of information a project manager handles daily.  

As a project manager you usually manage multiple projects, with different teams, at different stages and all with different challenges. The mental gymnastics required are complex and it took a while to build up the necessary level of resilience in my brain to be able to operate successfully as a PM. 

If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be?

Mental health. The construction industry can be very stressful and demanding and sometimes it can feel like it is just too much. I have experienced some of these feelings myself, especially after coming back from maternity leave and having to navigate a new work/life balance. 

Very often we forget that we all have our own battles to fight and yet, in a meeting room or on work emails, we don’t usually focus on the personal side. I have seen people struggle: some had to take time off, others have even decided to change career. More can – and should – be done before people get to the point when they think: “The only way is out.”

One thing that helped me massively was to talk openly about my challenges. It sometimes meant exposing my human side, including my flaws. Structure and dedicated support can help with this. I work closely with TFT’s senior leadership and HR teams on our structured mentoring programme for all staff levels, providing space for challenges to be understood as early as possible and for individuals to be supported throughout their career.

What is the most helpful advice that you have been given?

Never make assumptions. There is always a very good chance that your assumption will be wrong!

Name your favourite building in the world?

I recently visited the V&A East Storehouse in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London, and found it to be an absolutely brilliant design.

Which famous building do you most dislike?

22 Bishopsgate in the City of London. I find it disproportionate to the setting.

Which famous building do you wish you had worked on?

Either Coal Drops Yard at King’s Cross or Battersea Power Station, both in London. I love working with the existing fabric of a building and looking at how it can be brought back to life while still making it relevant to its modern context.

What single piece of advice would you give to someone starting out in your profession?

Always challenge and be curious. There are never any stupid questions.

Who do you most admire in the construction industry?

Female leaders such as Michelle Anthony at Oxygen or Daisy Narayanan at the Crown Estate. They are some of the most energetic and inspiring people I have ever met and definitely role models I aspire to follow. 

What is it like being you (and doing your job)?

One could say there is a lot of overlap between my private life and my job… I love making lists for both! I like to be on top of things and into the detail, although I admit that this can sometimes be to my detriment. I should try to delegate more and be stricter with my boundaries.

What do you think your best quality is?

Friends often tell me that I am a very conscientious person. Certainly, I don’t like to do things by halves and I always hold myself ultimately accountable for my actions and how I live my life. 

What trait do you most dislike in yourself? 

I take myself too seriously. I should soften some of my edges.

And in other people?

I cannot tolerate those who tell lies.

Name three things that you like

A walk in the woods with my dog. Going out for a meal at a nice restaurant. A lie-in at the weekends (at least before I had a child!).

Tell us about a secret skill that we don’t know you have

I trained as a ballerina from a young age, and I had to make a choice between becoming a professional or finding a different path.

What is your most prized possession?

My grandmother’s coat which she made for her own wedding day.

Early bird or night owl?

Neither! I like going to bed early and I love a good lie-in… oh dear!

What is your favourite food?

Pizza (what else did you think an Italian would say?). My name has a strong pizza connection, although I would rather say that the pizza has a queen’s name! Just like Victoria sponge is supposedly named in honour of Queen Victoria, the popular legend in Naples is that its well-known pizza Margherita took its name from the Queen of Italy and wife of Umberto I, Margherita of Savoy. 

What would your superpower be?

I could be a good witch.  Make of that what you will!