Life@wood blog
Meet Chet
Throughout my career, I’ve built everything on one foundation: people. Showing up, lifting others, and creating meaningful connections has always been my compass.
I didn’t plan on a career in HR. I studied journalism after four years in veterinary medicine – an unconventional path but one rooted in a love for stories and a deep care for others. Supporting others has always been at the heart of everything I do.
Fresh out of university, I moved to the UAE and applied for an entry-level HR role at Wood in 2013, I had no formal HR experience, but I said, “I’m a quick learner. Just give me a chance.” That chance changed everything.
I found my niche in project mobilisation - supporting people from around the world as they transitioned into new roles at Wood and life in the UAE. Between 2020 and 2023, I successfully mobilised over 500 employees, with peak activity in late 2022 through mid-2023 during the front end engineering design (FEED) phase Habshan facility expansion project for ADNOC Gas in Abu Dhabi.
This project offered me an amazing opportunity to apply critical planning and steady coordination to ensure we had a skilled workforce in place to deliver for our client. This success was also made possible by the strong relationships I had built with my colleagues, whose support and dedication were invaluable.
Ivory was incredibly supportive throughout my mobilisation process. Her professionalism, responsiveness, and genuine care made the entire experience smooth and reassuring. She consistently addressed my requests in a timely manner and played a key role in helping me settle in comfortably within the company.
Francisco Entrena
Solar Energy Consultant
Project mobilisation is more than just logistics though; it’s about being the first face of the company. People place their trust in you, not just with their job, but with their home and family. That sense of responsibility deepened during the pandemic, and it gave me time to reflect. I realised I needed to take care of myself too - physically, mentally, emotionally. I realised that I couldn’t pour from an empty cup.
In 2024, I moved into my current role as HR Advisor. I support our project teams and act as a key point of contact for hundreds of employees across the business – and it’s a hugely exciting time as we now build and onboard our project teams for the engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCm) phase of project.
Beyond my core role, I’m honoured to serve as a health and wellbeing champion at Wood and I’m also part of the Abu Dhabi engagement committee, where I lead our health and wellbeing initiatives. From stress-busting yoga sessions to blood donation drives, I’m proud to help create space for connection.
Ivory is passionate about making Wood a better place to work for everyone. Her dedication to the employee engagement committee, specifically leading the health and wellbeing initiatives in Abu Dhabi, has been exceptional. Her efforts in this space have included coordinating onsite health checks, managing a full month of weekly stress relief sessions, organising a comprehensive Women’s Health Week, and most notably, delivering an incredibly well-executed blood donation drive.
Matthew Tyrell
Manager, Human Resources
Outside of work, I’m a mum to two amazing girls. My youngest daughter is autistic, and she’s completely changed the way I see the world. She’s given me more patience, more empathy and more creativity, and that’s a gift I bring into everything I do.
My journey hasn’t been conventional, but it’s been full of growth, purpose and people who believed in me. At Wood, I’ve found more than a career. I’ve found a place where I can keep learning, keep supporting others and keep becoming the best version of myself.
