E028: The Human Side of Engineering with Mark McBride-Wright and Iain McKechnie

The SAFE Leader with Mark McBride-Wright

In this episode, Mark McBride-Wright sits down with Iain McKechnie to explore the human side of engineering, where values like safety, care, and inclusion take centre stage. Drawing on years of experience across academia and industry, Iain shares stories of mentorship, bold career shifts, and the importance of designing systems not just for efficiency, but for the people who use them. From assembling diverse teams to embedding reliability into service-based models, the conversation invites listeners to reimagine what leadership in engineering can and should look like.

Together, Mark and Iain unpack how curiosity, empathy, and a commitment to impact can reshape the way we approach engineering challenges. Whether it's rethinking physical assets as services or ensuring that no one gets left behind in the design process, this episode offers practical insight for professionals, educators, and future engineers alike. Tune in for a powerful reflection on building better systems, and a better profession, from the inside out.