State of the State 2016: Mike Davis of Bergmeyer Associates

Mike Davis, Bergmeyer Associates

What lies ahead for the global economy?

It will be increasingly hard for governments to stay ahead of global business. Public policy will continue to play “catch up” as foreign investment changes the face of cities by driving development and supporting the growth of industries like travel and tourism that, in turn, drive even more development. Urban hotel and destination resort growth will push back hard against restrictive immigration, tariffs and taxation, and human rights policies and international capital markets will watch the struggle very closely.

The cities and countries that come out on top will be the ones that can find the right regulatory balance between delivering value to global investors and protecting the welfare and prosperity of their citizens.

What is driving the growth of your business in 2016?

In a word: technology. Communication technology is giving us greater access to our clients and their projects’ teams and sites. Our design technology has made us radically more productive driving net revenue per employee and allowing our people to develop their personal capabilities at a much faster rate than ever before. For some design firms, technology has provided an opportunity to enhance and differentiate our skills, create new forms of value for our clients, and has even opened new markets for us. In the near future, I would not be surprised to see architects and interior designers writing code and developing programs to solve unique design challenges, and even designing environments for virtual human experiences.

Mike Davis, FAIA, LEED AP, is the principal and president of Bergmeyer Associates.