We’re fortunate to have some long-standing team members at UPco – and this year, we celebrated three major milestones. Congratulations to Kate Foldi (Senior Associate) and Isobell Vescovi (Senior Associate) on their 10-year anniversaries, and Marc Ellenbroek (Director) for notching up 15 years with the business. Marc, Kate and Izzy took time out of their busy schedules to reflect on times gone by… and what may lie ahead.

It must feel like you started at UPco a long time ago! What do you remember from your first day?

Marc: I very clearly remember being walked around the office and introduced to the team. It would have been Kel or Pete giving me the tour, as I’d met them during the interview process. It was immediately evident from those introductions that there were some large personalities in the team! But overall, my first impression was that it was a friendly and welcoming environment. I’d come to a city I hadn’t lived in before from a role in the UK that I didn’t really enjoy, but I recall thinking ‘I reckon I’m going to really like it here’… which was pretty comforting and turned out to be true!  

Kate: When I came on board, I was returning to work after spending a fair stint at home raising kids. I can remember thinking how lovely it was to be in an adult environment again – and the clatter of keyboards was an entirely new soundbite! I already knew Peter and Kel, so that was a great start. After my interview, I’d also had a lovely chat to Amanda on the phone about being a working mum. Everyone was so welcoming; I can remember thinking I was in the right place. 

Izzy: I was still living at home when I joined, and I remember my dad dropped me off at the tram stop at Melbourne University. The tram route felt like the longest tram ride! It was a cloudy day and the weather was gloomy, plus I was extremely nervous and had a terrible head cold – not the recipe for a great first day, but it all went smoothly!

How do you think you’ve changed since then?

Marc: In 15 years, it’s fair to say I’ve changed quite a lot, both professionally and personally. But on both fronts, I’ve never felt more settled than I do in Melbourne and with UPco. With that, I think, comes a certain confidence and perspective. Probably the biggest change is that I’ve learned to better focus my time and energy on the things that I value and areas where I might have an opportunity to influence and improve.

Kate: I was so anxious when I first started back – there’d been so many changes and reforms in planning, I felt like I was starting from scratch. But I’ve learnt to trust my instincts and value the skills I bring to the table.

Izzy: I’ve become a lot more confident in who I am and accepted that I’m not perfect (nor will I ever be!). I think I have grown a thicker skin (thank you, Amanda Ring) and learnt not to sweat the small stuff (thank you, Kel Twite). And I’ve grown to trust my gut and not take life too seriously.  

What about Melbourne’s landscape – any key shifts that you’ve noticed in development / planning? 

Marc: I’ve been in the game long enough now to appreciate that the factors influencing development are perennially changing and evolving. I started at UPco as we were emerging from the GFC and I recall the sentiment in the development sector was really upbeat, especially compared with the UK where I’d been working previously. In those first few years, I worked on projects with such a diverse range of developer clients – corporates, family businesses, international investors, mum and dad property owners, total cowboys, the lot. It just felt like everyone was having a crack at it. But nothing ever gets easier in development or planning, and today’s tighter economic and regulatory environment means that our clients have had to become more and more savvy and sophisticated to make a good fist of development. So, the increasing professionalism of our client base has probably been the most noticeable change, for me.

Kate: I’d say way more red tape, and council planners don’t have as much confidence in their ability to provide advice.

Izzy: We are experiencing a huge shift in planning and its future delivery at the moment. Over the last decade, I think there’s been significant improvement in ESD and quality – cheap and cheerful just doesn’t cut it, and nor should it ever have. Having said this, I think the development scene in Melbourne has calmed down a bit due to the economic burdens and financial limitations currently imposed on developers, but I’m hopeful it’ll pick up again.

What’s a project that sticks out in your memory and why? 

Marc: Can I have two? The first stage of the Caulfield Village redevelopment is a memorable one for me. I recall hearing it discussed around the office, and I really wanted to be a part of it. I’d worked on quite a variety of project types by then, but never an inner-city regeneration project. It was also my first meaningful opportunity to work collaboratively with our colleagues at SJB Architects, and I remember it just felt like an exciting, important project where I’d have the chance to work alongside industry-leading people.

An earlier one that sticks in the mind for different reasons is a little apartment project in St Kilda called Luna. I still regularly think about this one. Upon reflection, I think this is because it was the first time I’d felt a proper sense of ownership about my role on a project. There were some curveballs to navigate along the way, but we worked through those as a project team and achieved a great outcome for our client. I remember heading along to the launch party when the building was complete and, honestly, feeling pretty proud about what we’d achieved together.

Kate: I loved working on the new STEAM building for St Columba’s in Essendon – seeing it out of the ground and looking so impressive has been really rewarding. But I also enjoy working on private residential projects for clients. I recently worked on 39 Carpenter Street, Brighton. Seeing that built and become a new three-storey home for our client’s family is super.

Izzy: The one that stands out for me the most is 661-663 Orrong Road, Toorak, which was a beautiful apartment building I worked on for David Lee. It was the second project I received in my time at UPco, and I finally saw its completion 5 years on!

Biggest lesson you’ve taken away from the last 10-15 years? 

Marc: I think planning consultancy is ultimately about teamwork – whether that be as part of the UPco team or a project team. Within those teams, every single person has different strengths, knowledge, experience and perspective, and you can learn something valuable from each of those people that can help you to grow professionally, personally, or both. I guess the biggest realisation for me after 15 years with the business is that you never stop learning from the people around you.   

Kate: As I said in question two, I’ve really learnt to trust my instincts better and understand what I contribute to each project.

Izzy: I’ve learnt that it’s important to know you’re running your own race, and that career and personal “milestones” happen at different times for everyone. A quote I love is that ‘you can have it all, just not all at the same time’. I hope to come across as a friendly and down to earth person who loves to see the funny side of things and treats everyone the way I’d like to be treated myself.

View all articles