Director for the Building Surveying team within the Project & Building Consultancy (PBC) division. Previously Matt was with Hollis for nine years, and has been bought in to deliver key Building Surveying projects and bolster this key service line. A Chartered Building Surveyor with 20 years’ experience in commercial property, Matt’s core expertise lies in the commercial office sector – particularly CAT A and CAT B fit-outs. He also has substantial experience in industrial refurbishments and building services/plant replacement projects aligned with client EPC improvement targets. Matt has a wealth of experience across all related disciplines with a current client base which includes Legal & General, M&G, James Andrew International, Guy Wilson Properties and Sir Richard Sutton. Reporting into team leader Tom Davey, Matt will join our existing 72 building surveyors advising on projects across the UK. Tom Davey, Director for Colliers Project & Building Consultancy Division said: “It’s a pleasure to welcome someone of Matt’s breadth and depth of experience into the team. He has previously worked for some of our key clients which is an added bonus and will be instrumental in maintaining these relationships going forward.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Women continue to be very underrepresented in council maintenance roles across the UK, with only three metropolitan district councils employing more women than men in these types of jobs. This is according to a freedom of information (FOI) request made by builder’s merchant Travis Perkins, which also revealed that the majority of local authorities surveyed had recruited more men than women in these roles over the past three years. In the 24 responses of the 36 metropolitan district councils asked, many councils do at least appear to be making efforts to increase female representation though. Number of women employed in manual or maintenance roles Liverpool City Council, Manchester City Council and Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council are the only three councils who responded to the FOI which currently have more women in manual or maintenance roles than men. There are 119 women out of a total of 153 employees in these types of jobs at Liverpool City Council, representing a 77.78 per cent split in favour of women. Manchester City Council has 1,535 women out of 2,283 total members of staff (a 67.24 per cent split) and Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council 608 women out of 976 overall employees (a 62.3 per cent split). On the other end of the scale, North Tyneside Council only has 14 women in manual or maintenance roles out of 587 employees in total – a 2.39 per cent split. Sunderland City Council (eight women out of 323 overall members of staff, representing a 2.48 per cent split) and City of Wolverhampton Council (ten women out of 311 employees in total) do not fare much better in this part of the FOI. Number of new hires which were female over last three years The numbers are a bit more appealing when councils were asked how many women they had hired into manual or maintenance roles in the past three years, as seven local authorities revealed they had recruited more women than men during this period. Liverpool City Council again come out on top when these statistics were analysed, with 17 of the 21 new starts in the last three years being women – an 80.95 per cent split in favour of women. The other councils to have recruited more women than men recently are as follows: However, a total of 16 councils which responded to the FOI request had recruited more men than women into manual or maintenance roles over the three-year period analysed. North Tyneside Council (five female new starts out of 162 total employees in the past three years – a 3.09 per cent split) and Sunderland City Council (again five female new starts but this time out of 130 employees overall in the last three years – a 3.85 per cent split) have shown particularly minimal progress when looking to get more women into manual and maintenance roles.   Are councils encouraging recruitment, retention & representation of women in manual or maintenance roles? An encouraging aspect of the FOI request is that 13 of the 24 councils which responded said that they had initiatives, policies or programmes in place which look to encourage more women to be recruited into manual or maintenance roles at the local authority. These schemes also aim to better retain female members of staff once they are in these types of jobs. Targets and strategies designed to increase the representation of women are also setup at ten of the local authorities surveyed. Efforts being made include: Natalie Ashcroft HR Business Partner at Travis Perkins and also member of the D&I board, commented: “Travis Perkins is always challenging ourselves, our colleagues and our peers on the gendered imbalance that still exists within our industry. Creating an inclusive environment where everyone belongs is an important message that we want to put across. “Our FOI request has shown some positive steps in the number of councils which have recruited more women than men into manual or maintenance roles in recent years. There appears to be a lot of effort being made by various local authorities to encourage more women to be recruited, retained and represented in these types of jobs. “However, more needs to be done. Only three of the councils who responded to our FOI have more women in the roles focused on than men, with many local authorities admitting they do not have any specific policies, initiatives, programmes or targets which could change this underrepresentation.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Chapmanbdsp, an independent design consultancy, specialising in building services engineering and environmental design is pleased to announce Riccardo Zara as Director of Sustainability and Building Physics, effective immediately. This appointment underpins the firm’s strong commitment to environmental responsibility. Riccardo Zara brings with him over 15years of experience in environmental management and sustainable engineering practices. Having begun his studies in Italy as a structural engineer and then completed his master’s degree in Sweden as an environmental and sustainability consultant, his early career was focused on building services design, building physics, and decarbonization strategies. He has since gained valuable experience in building services particularly in mechanical engineering as well as developing skills in strategic team management and business development in recent years. Passionate about creating an inclusive working environment, as well as focused on technical excellence, Riccardo has experience of working with world leading architects on cutting-edge building projects in sectors ranging from arts and culture to life sciences, commercial, residential, and industrial. Ray Upjohn, chapmanbdsp Chief Executive says, “We are delighted to welcome Riccardo Zara to our leadership team. His appointment comes at a crucial time within our change management programme as we continue gearing for growth. Riccardo brings exceptional experience and vision that will help us deliver on our ambitious sustainability objectives while creating additional value for our clients. The Board and I look forward to working with him.” Commenting on his appointment, Riccardo Zara adds, “The engineering sector has a pivotal role to play in decarbonisation and creating resilient infrastructure. I’m excited to join chapmanbdsp because of its strong technical foundation. That kind of deep knowledge is crucial to fully understanding and tackling the complexity of sustainability in the building environment.” This appointment represents another step in chapmanbdsp’s journey towards becoming the industry leader in sustainable engineering solutions, supporting clients in meeting their own environmental objectives whilst creating lasting positive impact for communities and the planet. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Landsec has appointed global media professional Alice Webb as Chief Executive Officer of MediaCity in Salford, reinforcing its ambition to position the destination as the UK’s leading hub for media, creativity and innovation. In this newly created role, Alice will lead both MediaCity and dock10, the UK’s leading television facility. Bringing these two brands under one unified leadership reflects Landsec’s commitment to a more joined-up approach across its media and studio operations, positioning MediaCity to thrive in an increasingly integrated and dynamic media landscape. Alice will be responsible for shaping and delivering a long-term vision that reinforces MediaCity as the home of future media – supporting new forms of content creation and digital innovation, and creating long-term value for Salford, Greater Manchester, and the wider region. She joins Landsec in September 2025 from Universal Music Group, where she served as the founding CEO of Mercury Studios, the group’s global film and TV production and distribution company. Before that, she held senior leadership positions at the BBC, including Director of Children’s & Education, overseeing CBeebies and CBBC – two of the UK’s most iconic children’s media brands. Earlier in her BBC career, Alice served as Chief Operating Officer of BBC North, directing the broadcaster’s landmark relocation to MediaCity in 2011. The move brought over 2,000 employees to Salford and cemented MediaCity’s place as a nationally significant centre for media production and innovation. Alice will formally take up the role in September 2025. As part of this transition, Mark Senior, who has served as CEO of dock10 since 2012, will step down on Alice’s arrival and take on an ongoing advisory role. Mike Hood, Chief Operating Officer at Landsec, said: “Alice’s appointment is a major milestone in the evolution of MediaCity. Her proven leadership in the media sector and ability to deliver large-scale transformation make her the ideal person to lead MediaCity and dock10 into the future together, under a bold new vision. “As we expand MediaCity into a hub for media, creativity, and innovation, uniting property and production under one leadership will unlock even greater value for our partners, tenants, and communities. We’re excited about what’s ahead.” Alice Webb added: “I’m delighted to be joining Landsec and returning to lead a community with a proven track record of creative ambition but with so much potential ahead of it too. Landsec’s commitment to that potential is compelling and I’m excited to pick up the reins and lead MediaCity into its next chapter. We have a very bright future of media, innovation, growth and creativity ahead of us. I can’t wait to get started later this year.”   MediaCity: A Destination for Future Media Located on 37 acres of waterfront at Salford Docks, MediaCity is home to more than 250 media, tech, and creative businesses. Landsec is investing in its long-term future – following the acquisition of the final 25% stake in November 2024 -with plans to expand the estate to 60 acres, delivering around 3,000 new homes and 800,000 sq ft of additional commercial space. As the UK’s leading media and creativity hub, MediaCity will serve as a launchpad for companies across all sectors that use media, content, and technology to communicate, innovate, and grow. Its next chapter will be defined by collaboration, co-location, and creativity at scale – a place for pioneers shaping the future of every industry. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

The Association for Project Safety (APS) has appointed Sofie Hooper as Deputy CEO. She joins APS from her role as Head of Policy and Research at the 11,500-strong global membership body the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM). Sofie Hooper has spent much of her career as a Public Policy Advisor across a range of policies and internationally, predominantly in the UK and the EU. While spearheading IWFM’s Building Safety policy strategy, she co-authored the key industry post Grenfell report Safer people, safer homes: Building Safety Management and provided regular liaison with the  Building Safety Regulator, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and other key policy units. This helped to influence the implementation of the Building Safety Act 2022. Sofie was also instrumental in securing the inclusion of The Building Safety Alliance into pre-legislative Parliamentary and Government reports. In her new role as Deputy CEO at APS, Sofie will report to CEO Andrew Leslie. This newly created position will give APS the firepower to advance the development and delivery of initiatives created as part of its strategy to provide a centre of competence for our community on all things Building Safety. Sofie will focus on policy, outreach, and strategy development, leading on initiatives such as the APS competence and training schemes and to collaborate with other professional bodies and business partners. Moreover, her past-experience is ideally suited to deliver on the APS strategic objectives on organisational capability and helping to design a broader upskilling offer delivering against our members’ upskilling needs to meet the ever-increasing demand for specialist courses on Building and Fire Regulations in the four UK jurisdictions. Commenting on her appointment, Sofie Hooper said, “For three decades, APS has been the driving force in improving health and safety standards within the construction industry. I’m thrilled to be joining an organisation that continually strives to put excellence and innovation in building safety front and centre of a progressive agenda. I’m looking forward to engaging with APS members and our stakeholders to ensure best practice in building safety is not just vigorously upheld but proactively sought after.” Andrew Leslie, CEO of APS comments, “APS is delighted to welcome Sofie to the APS team in the newly created post of Deputy CEO. Sofie has a proven track record within the built environment and will add considerable knowledge and experience to the APS senior management team, and in particular provide essential additional support and expertise to enable both the President and CEO to deliver the APS strategy.”   His words were echoed by APS President Mark Snelling. He comments, “APS is extremely privileged to have Sofie join us as Deputy CEO. Sofie is highly respected within the industry and has been closely connected with the changes that have followed the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower. I look forward to working with Sofie and Andrew our CEO to ensure the APS both supports our members and drives the change that is required to ensure that the tragedy at Grenfell Tower is not repeated.” Sofie Hooper takes up her new position with immediate effect. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Wallace Whittle, the ESG, sustainability and MEP consultancy, has announced three new hires to support a growth surge across its UK project base. The business, which has nine offices throughout the UK, has been working on projects including the £1bn all-electric University Hospital Monklands, the mixed-use Dyecoats destination project in Leeds with Latimer by Clarion Housing Group, and Manchester’s Plus Ultra Life Sciences and Health Innovation Hub from specialist developer Kadans. The new colleagues joining the Wallace Whittle team are: Andrew Thorne, ESG and sustainability associate, London office: An engineer by background, Andrew is an experienced ESG and sustainability expert with particular expertise in healthcare. Murtaza Mohammadi, ESG and sustainability consultant, London office: With a background in architecture and a PhD in building technology, Murtaza will work with the team to support clients using Wallace Whittle’s proprietary ‘PathWway’ software; a tool which allows detailed, customisable benchmarking and tracking of the ESG parameters in a given project. His work will help clients to integrate building facilities, optimise construction efficiency and predict energy performance. Lucy Thomson, principal sustainability consultant, Glasgow office: Lucy also brings an engineering background and is a specialist in sustainability strategy. She has experience across multiple sectors and expertise in areas including energy demand reduction, life cycle assessments, BREEAM and HQM. Nick Hayes, director of ESG and sustainability at Wallace Whittle, said the team was now recruiting for several other new roles to support client growth. He said: “Andrew, Murtaza and Lucy are all brilliantly talented people who each bring a unique set of skills to our client projects. They’re already making a real impression with clients and the wider Wallace Whittle team. “We’ve seen very exciting growth over the last six months, particularly in the area of sustainability consulting. We’re actively looking for talented new people to help us meet the demand.  We want to find the best people in the market – Andrew, Murtaza and Lucy are exciting additions to the team and an example of the kinds of people we want to join Wallace Whittle.”  Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

SafeSite Facilities has promoted Kerry Glyde to stock manager and has appointed Jack Lowdell as sales manager to support its growth strategy. Kerry, who has worked at SafeSite Facilities for 10 years, was promoted from the role of purchase ledger after working across numerous departments within the company. Jack brings a wealth of sales experience to support the business, which is considered a leader in construction, event site safety and security. SafeSite Facilities has also recently appointed Rob Blakeman, who will join the company soon as business development manager. Paul Goossens, operations director at SafeSite Facilities said: “We’re so pleased to promote Kerry, whose many years of experience have enabled her to know the business inside out. The appointment of Jack and Rob are exciting strategic new hires, supporting plans to expand our operations, build on client relationships and enhance our reputation for excellent customer service. I’m convinced they will all play a major role in delivering an exciting future for the business.” Kerry’s role will involve keeping a close eye on current inventory, managing replenishment, and making sure older stock is rotated or moved to avoid space issues, as well as ensuring the sales team can secure orders and deliver within tight time frames. Kerry said: “This new role is an exciting challenge that I’m genuinely looking forward to. “This position looks set to be fast paced, requiring constant adaptation and attention to detail as we ensure optimal stock levels for sales and hires. I can’t wait to put my experience into practice.” As sales manager, Jack will lead and support the sales team to drive revenue growth. He will also expand the business’ market presence, coach the team and ensure together they exceed their goals, while maintaining exceptional customer service. He joins the business with 15 years of hands-on sales experience and a passion for individual and team development. Jack said: “I was looking for the opportunity to join a company going through a period of growth. The chance to join a well-established team and be part of and contribute to that journey was a big driver in my decision.” Rob will soon join the newly formed external sales team as business development manager, bringing a proven track record of delivering results through a strategic, customer-focused approach. With extensive experience across both the construction and non-mechanical sectors, he is ideally positioned to drive growth and build strong client relationships. For further information please visit: https://www.safesitefacilities.co.uk/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Black & White Engineering, a global engineering design consultancy, has announced the acquisition of Homan O’Brien, an independent consulting engineering firm based in Ireland. This acquisition is a critical move in Black & White Engineering’s strategy to expand its global presence, particularly in the data centre and infrastructure sectors. Established in 1990 through the merger of Robert Jacob and Partners (founded in 1955) and Seamus Homan Associates (founded in 1978), Homan O’Brien specialises in mechanical and electrical engineering design services. Their expertise spans various sectors, including data centres, healthcare, education, laboratories, commercial, residential, and industrial facilities. Mick Cairns, CEO and Founder of Black & White Engineering said: “We’re incredibly proud to welcome Homan O’Brien to Black & White Engineering, a business that shares our values and drive for excellence. Dublin’s strategic role in the global data centre market makes it the ideal location for strengthening ties with our clients, and establishing a regional headquarters in Ireland is a significant step in our growth journey. Homan O’ Brien’s strong local presence and specialist expertise align perfectly with our ambitions, and I’m thrilled to bring such talented people into our global team. It’s a great fit that unlocks new momentum as we continue to expand internationally.” Steven Horn, Managing Director at Europe, of Black & White Engineering comments, “Homan O’Brien is well-established in Ireland and its trusted team of experts will further enhance our expanding capabilities in region and support our European data centre projects, enabling us to deliver even greater value to both our existing and new clients.” Black & White Engineering operates across 18 cities worldwide with over 700 employees. With over 15 years of innovation, Black & White has seen rapid growth, achieving a 500% increase in size since 2020, and is highly regarded across industry for its technical excellence, data centre sector expertise and sustainable delivery across complex infrastructure projects. Simon O’Brien, Managing Director of Homan O’Brien, commented: “This is an exciting next step for our business. We remain committed to our clients and the team we have built, while gaining the scale and support of being part of Black & White to accelerate our growth and deliver more for our staff and clients.” Joint Managing Director Brian Homan will be retiring from Homan O’ Brien on 30th April 2025. Brian comments, “Having been in the industry for over 40 years I have taken this opportunity to step back and wish my colleagues at Homan O’ Brien all the success in their new venture going forward.” The acquisition is backed by Waterland, an independent investment group that partnered with Black & White Engineering in 2024 to support its rapid growth strategy. Waterland’s partnership has been instrumental in enabling Black & White Engineering to expand geographically and pursue its first strategic acquisition. Wendy McMillan, Partner at Waterland (UK) commented, “We are delighted to support Black & White Engineering as it continues to grow, expanding its capabilities and international footprint. The partnership with Homan O’Brien is a strong strategic fit bringing together complementary expertise, regional strength and a shared focus on technical excellence.” The two businesses will begin working together immediately, with future plans to scale and expand the team in Ireland to deliver a growing pipeline of regional and international projects. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

HiiLIFE, a bespoke technology provider for the construction sector, has appointed Willie Robertson as Contracts Manager to spearhead business development across the firm’s construction channels. Willie’s role is a newly created position, and he will focus on expanding HiiLIFE’s footprint in Build to Rent (BTR), Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA), and hotel sectors. He brings with him over 50 years’ experience in sales and procurement, including a distinguished 16-year career at Samsung Electronics Ltd. Here he led the company’s commercial domestic appliance division to forge strategic partnerships with major construction clients such as Quintain Living, Moda Living, and Cortland Partners. Willie said: “After over half a century in sales and procurement roles, most recently within the construction industry, I’m delighted to join the HiiLIFE team. We offer a comprehensive range of products and services for many types of building projects, including Build to Sell, Build to Rent, and purpose-built student accommodation. I’m looking forward to working with brands such as Samsung as we deliver an affordable and smart proposition that covers climate solutions, audio-visual systems, digital signage, and domestic appliances.” This appointment marks a significant step in HiiLIFE’s ongoing strategy to enhance its profile within the construction sector and establish long-term value through experienced leadership and trusted partnerships. Tom Brittain, Managing Director at HiiLIFE, added: “We’re thrilled to welcome Willie to the HiiLIFE team as Contracts Manager. His success in building long-standing partnerships with industry leaders highlights the calibre of experience he brings, which will be an invaluable asset to our team. He is a highly respected figure in the industry and will play a key role in driving our expansion in the BTR, PBSA, and hotel sectors.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

United Living Group, the provider of infrastructure, affordable housing, property services, and telecoms, is pleased to announce the appointment of Claire Kershaw as CEO of its subsidiary United Living Property Services. Claire is an accomplished leader with over 20 years of experience in the social housing sector, covering property maintenance, refurbishment, and regeneration. She has held a variety of leadership roles in companies such as Mitie, Willmott Dixon, and Kier where she led business strategy and delivered operational, customer experience, work winning and procurement improvement programmes. Luke Anderson, Chief Operating Officer of United Living Group, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Claire to the team. Her professional credibility and strong leadership will be instrumental in driving our successful Property Services business forward, ensuring we continue to provide high-quality, innovative and sustainable solutions for our clients and communities and deliver on our ambitious growth plans. “We are also pleased to announce that Vlad Nedelcu will be joining Claire’s Senior Leadership Team as COO of United Living Property Services. Vlad has played a pivotal role in PiLON’s journey, which United Living Group acquired in 2024, growing the business from the ground up into the successful and respected organisation it is today. As PiLON continues to thrive under the United Living Group’s Property Services pillar, Vlad will bring his proven track record and deep sector knowledge to enhance our operational capabilities and support our continued growth.” Both Claire and Vlad are Members of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIHM) and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals