Mario Lara Ledermann is the head of our fast growing building safety and fire engineering department. In this conversation, Mario reflects on key industry challenges, lessons learned, and his perspective on delivering value in complex project environments.
Mario Lara Ledermann, Technical Expert and Head of Building Safety and Fire Engineering, UK
Q What is your role at Diales?
I am an Operations Director at Diales, where I lead our newly established building safety and fire engineering team. My role involves managing a highly specialised team of experts and ensuring that this new service is fully integrated into the wider business. I work very closely with the technical side of the organisation, making sure our building safety offering complements and strengthens Diales’ existing capabilities.
Q Who has been the greatest influence on your career?
I would not point to one individual as a defining influence. Instead, my career has really been shaped by the evolution of fire engineering as a discipline. I moved from Chile to Australia in 2008, which was a pivotal moment, as Australia had a very mature and forward-thinking approach to fire engineering at the time. Interestingly, I fell into the profession by chance, starting work in a fire laboratory without any prior specialist background. What kept me there was the technical depth of the field and the constant opportunity to learn and grow. That excitement around engineering and problem-solving has driven my career ever since.
Q What has been the best moment of your career so far?
Rather than a single standout moment, there have been several milestones that have shaped my journey. Early in my career, I spent years working in a laboratory environment, carrying out full-scale fire tests where we built and burned real structural elements such as walls and floors. That hands-on experience was invaluable.
Later, in 2012, I worked for a major property developer in Australia, where we pushed the boundaries of modern methods of construction. One highlight from that period was contributing to the design and development of 25 King Street in Brisbane, a ten-storey commercial tower built almost entirely from timber.
More recently, my work has taken on a global dimension, leading to engagement with senior stakeholders including politicians and investors, and ultimately an invitation to speak at COP26 in Glasgow.
Q What makes you tick?
At the core of it, I am motivated by the idea that my technical expertise can help create a better and safer industry, and by extension, a better society.
It is important to me to work for a company that shares those values and supports that mission. I also have a strong belief in lifelong learning. No matter how experienced you become, staying curious and keeping up with new developments is essential. The moment you stop learning is the moment you start falling behind.
Q Tell us a little-known fact about you
Outside of work, I am very active and play football two to three times a week. I also have a very international home life. I am Chilean, my wife is Australian, and we live in the UK. We also have a rescue dog called Leto, who came to the UK from a charity in Serbia. Despite having lived away from Spanish-speaking countries for almost 18 years, Spanish is still my first language.
Q What are you most looking forward to in your role at Diales?
I am excited about the future growth of our building safety and fire engineering service. One key ambition is to expand our proposition beyond traditional expert witness work and play a more proactive role in addressing emerging industry trends and challenges.
I am also looking forward to further developing the team, both technically and visually, particularly in how we present ourselves through the Diales website and to the wider market. As the service is still in its early stages, it will be rewarding to see how it finds its long-term fit within the business and continues to grow in capability and influence.
Diales welcomes Mario to the team!
This article was originally written for issue 30 of the Diales Digest. You can view the publication here: https://www.diales.com/diales-digest-issue-30
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