Eva Zamshina: championing digital initiatives in vertical infrastructure delivery

From macroeconomist to building services design and building information modelling (BIM) specialist, Eva Zamshina’s career has been anything but linear. Inspired to help with the Christchurch rebuild post-earthquakes, Eva moved to New Zealand and started a new career from scratch. Since then, she has gone from mentee in the Women in BIM programme to an internationally recognised presenter, lecturer and global BIM mentor.

Tell us about your role at Mott MacDonald

My official title is principal digital designer. However, I like to introduce myself as a project building services BIM lead. The person who can do the full circle of the BIM process: modelling, coordination and management. Who can plan and structure BIM workflow. And the last, and maybe the most important, who can lead and train the team and inspire engineers and drafters to create not just the 3D model but the building.

Why did you choose your career path?

Before migrating to New Zealand, I was a macroeconomist and had never been involved in building design or construction. My life changed dramatically in 2014 when my husband and I arrived in New Zealand for our honeymoon. It was just a year after the devastating earthquake in Christchurch, and although the city was heavily damaged, it had still kept its soul and energy. We felt inspired to return and contribute to the post-earthquake rebuild.

As you can imagine, the Christchurch community wasn’t in need of macroeconomists with overseas experience at the time — but it was urgently seeking specialists in design and construction. So, I started my career from scratch as a building services drafter.

I have been absolutely in love with what I do every day for about 10 years in a row now. In my opinion, building services coordination is the coolest game we can play in engineering. Just like LEGO, you are always challenged to stack pipes, ducts, and cable trays to function seamlessly as a system and coordinate them with architecture, structural, seismic and other design strategies. I especially enjoy working with cutting-edge 3D visualisation and coordination technologies, which allow us to anticipate and resolve design risks before construction begins, saving both time and budget.

What inspired you to join Mott MacDonald?

The team and the scale of the projects at Mott MacDonald are what truly excite me. I’m always seeking new challenges and chasing new dreams. When I decided to join, my dream was to be involved in designing an airport or a gallery—and the New Zealand team offered me an opportunity that aligned perfectly with that vision.

I also admire Mott MacDonald’s people strategy: hiring super stars and empowering them to maximise their potential while inspiring those around them.

What does a typical day look like for you at Mott MacDonald, and how do you find opportunities to excel in your role?

I always plan my month, week, and day in advance. To prioritise tasks, I use a three-colour pen system: red for urgent actions, green for tasks that require more time but significantly advance the project, and blue for secondary tasks. My planner also includes a dedicated column for personal goals, with a focus on professional development, networking, and social activities.

Last year, I was a part-time lecturer at ARA (Institute of Canterbury), a mentor in the global Women in BIM programme, and actively prepared for several global and local conferences. These commitments required time, but with a clear plan and structured work schedule, I always knew where I was headed and how to get there.

Of course, urgent tasks and emails arise constantly. I don’t like leaving things unresolved, so I either respond immediately or add them to my task list using the appropriate colour code.

What does being part of a global team mean to you, and how does it influence your work?

It helps me keep my mind active and open to new solutions, ideas, and approaches to problem-solving. I truly enjoy the feeling that, by working in a global company, I can be part of a dream project and have the opportunity to learn from some of the best leaders across the globe.

What have been some of your career highlights?

Two years ago, I joined the global Women in BIM mentoring programme as a mentee. After a few sessions, my mentor asked if I had ever presented at conferences to showcase my experience on mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection (MEPF) coordination and BIM workflow planning and management. His question inspired me to create and submit my presentation, “From 5000 to 50 Clashes: Three Key Strategies for Streamlined MEPF BIM Coordination,” to the prestigious BILT ANZ conference in Melbourne ‒ the biggest and most respected digital platform for engineering and construction professionals. This opportunity allowed me to participate in industry discussions, be recognised among the Top 10 speakers and foster stronger relationships with BIM professionals.

My presentation’s success continued at the Global REVIZTO Users Conference in Washington, where I joined a panel on regional construction challenges and received invitations from international firms for further knowledge sharing. My work was also selected for BILT Europe in The Hague, giving me valuable insights into digital technology integration in project coordination across government and business sectors internationally.

I can confidently say that all of the opportunities I have had to date have helped me grow professionally, improve my public speaking, time-management, analytical, and mentoring skills, connect with leading BIM, design, and project managers globally, champion Mott MacDonald’s digital initiatives in vertical infrastructure delivery, and build trusted face-to-face relationships across the NZ and Australian AEC industries — while contributing meaningfully to the wider BIM community.

What’s helped you shorten your learning curve, and what advice would you give to graduates?

Three things:

1. Always keep your mind open to learning
2. Ask questions
3. 15-minutes rule. If you don’t know something – spend 15 minutes trying to find the answer by yourself. If after 15 minutes you didn’t find the solution - spend 15 minutes Googling. If still nothing – talk to your college who is more experienced in the field of your query. If you spent 45 minutes and still didn't find the answer – take a 15-minute break and then try to reframe your question and find another way to resolve the problem.

If you started a company from scratch, what values would you build it on?

Interesting question... Professionalism and passion, trust, strategic and critical thinking.

What’s one thing few people know about you?

I was born in a country that no longer exists (collapsed), in a city that has been renamed. I studied at a school that has now been demolished and earned my degree at a university that doesn't exist anymore (merged). A funny background that taught me that there is only here and now, and you must rely on your own power to push the boundaries.