In this Q&A, we spoke with Tony Griffin, Civils General Manager for the Virgin Media (Morpheus) Contract, to hear about his journey with Kelly Group, our work with Virgin Media on the EVC Project to develop a scalable, integrated EV charging network for on-street residential parking, and his vision for the future.
My journey with Kelly Group is approaching 7 years, having joined the company on November 1, 2017. Currently, I serve as the Civils General Manager for the Virgin Media (Morpheus) Contract, overseeing North London, East Anglia, and the Home Counties. In these regions, we manage all civil work, supported by 10 civil crews, along with reinstatement teams, service drivers, and grab drivers.
How, when, and why did you get involved with the Virgin Media contract / telecoms industry?
I have been involved in the telecoms industry since I emigrated to England in June 1993. Over the years, I have alternated between telecoms and the electrical network, having worked with notable companies such as Fitzpatricks, McNicholas Plc (Brown Macs), Skanska, and Laing O'Rourke.
My journey with Virgin Media began through a recommendation from a friend, Gerry O'Shea, who had previously worked for Kelly Group. He informed me of the VM contract vacancy, and after going through the interview process, the rest is history.
In my current role, we are part of the EVC Project, alongside Virgin Media and other partners, building a scalable, integrated EV charging network for on-street residential parking. Liberty Charge, a part of Liberty Global (the parent company of Virgin Media), collaborates with local authorities, charge point operators, and other eMobility stakeholders. Under the VM Morpheus Contract, we handle all civil work for Liberty Charge in the London boroughs of Redbridge, Newham, Waltham Forest, and Ealing. Each borough has its own specifications, and we install EVC sockets on both footways and carriageways, while also ensuring power cabinets are in place.
Are there any unique or innovative techniques used while carrying out EVC work?
Working on EVCs requires a high level of coordination, although the work itself may not be unique. We maintain close collaboration with VM, providing daily updates on job progress. After every activity, detailed work programs are updated to ensure we meet joint dates for energizing cabinets. Additionally, white lining and signage signify the completion of bays, specific to the EVC infrastructure.
What are the keys to success when being a Project manager?
As a project manager, organisation, approachability, and problem-solving are key to success. Maintaining strong relationships with clients and local authorities is equally important, and I have found that an open-door policy fosters a sense of appreciation within the team. A talented team that understands their responsibilities is what truly keeps everything running smoothly.
What do you enjoy the most about your job?
What I enjoy most about my work is the variety it offers—no two days are ever quite the same. Interacting with the team and clients can be interesting, and it is rewarding to see the day run smoothly, knowing we are operating to our full potential. Sharing my knowledge with the team and supporting their professional growth is another aspect of the role that I find deeply fulfilling.
How do you ensure a smooth and supportive onboarding experience for new engineers?
In our line of work, we only employ experienced lead operatives who have prior experience working on the telecoms network. With them they will require a 2nd man as a laborer. The lead engineer will need to be accredited in the NRSWA for location and avoidance underground apparatus, signing, lighting & guarding, excavation in the highway, reinstatement, and compaction of materials. We have accreditation (CPCS) for operating an excavator, but this is not essential as we have hand digging crews also. We are lucky to have kept the same teams for several years. If we needed an additional team, we would promote experienced laborers who have worked with the lead operatives, who have obtained the knowledge and skills whilst working alongside them. We, as a company, would upskill and train all the operatives to achieve the necessary accreditation.
What does the future look like for the EVC project.
We’ve been supporting Believ, formerly Liberty Charge, as primary contractor since 2020, and since then delivered infrastructure for over 2000 charging points. In 2023, we delivered infrastructure for 437 sockets, whilst already delivering 627 so far this year. As we look forwards, there are some exciting projects on the horizon, working in conjunction with Uber and a number of London local authorities to deliver 1000’s of charging points over the next couple of years.
The trajectory for EVC roll-out is upwards, with the government committed to phasing out petrol and diesel cars by 2035. Believ, using the leverage of VMo2 as their build engine, are signing up agreements with Local Authorities nationally, to help them meet the needs of their residents throughout urban areas, who may not have access to off-street parking. With continued government focus, and funding available, the future of Electric Vehicle Charging is bright, with a huge dependency on organisations like ours to lay the infrastructure required to support the mass roll-out.
