Judging process

2024 AWARDS JUDGES TO BE ANNOUNCED

Meet our CE SECBE Awards 2023 Judges

Adrian Shah-Cundy – Corporate Responsibility Director, VolkerWessels UK

A proven career history in the implementation and development of sustainable business practices, including the oversight of health, safety, environment, quality, and sustainability to maintain compliance to corporate, legal and stakeholder requirements.

At VolkerWessels UK responsible for the provision of a range of services including health, safety, environment, quality, sustainability, occupational health and wellbeing, integrated management systems, performance reporting, operational training, fleet, facilities, major incident management, strategic development, and collaboration.

VolkerWessels UK is sponsoring the People Development Category

Hana Hassan - Chartered Surveyor, Willmott Dixon

She has been in the industry for over 14 years, gaining experience in the education, commercial, healthcare and leisure sectors. 

Before working in the construction industry, Hana admits she suffered from the same misconceptions as many others do – never considering it as a viable career choice. However, after a fortuitous stint with the London & South pre-construction team, so many of the myths were dispelled. Hana now strongly advocates for an industry that is professional, dynamic and also exceptionally important – “the built environment defines the way in which human beings live their lives and being part of that is incredibly rewarding”.

Hana is passionate about changing the image of the industry, encouraging diversity, and working for a business that genuinely puts sustainability at the heart of the agenda.

Willmott Dixon is the Headline Sponsor of the CE SECBE Awards 2023

Vlad Nedelcu - Managing Director, PiLON

Vlad began his career in social housing over fifteen years ago and has been working at PiLON since 2011.

As Managing Director, his leadership has driven PiLON’s success and expansion in recent years. Vlad strongly believes in developing robust partnerships with clients and the supply chain and has fostered a culture of collaboration throughout the company. Over the years, his attitude has been embedded in the company’s culture and has led to collaboration being one of PiLON’s five core values. 

Vlad is a CIH L5 Housing Professional with impressive qualifications across Electrical Engineering, Strategic Management at Cranfield, Commercial Law, and Health and Safety. He is a natural leader and influencer with strong communication and interpersonal skills, providing all his employees with the opportunities necessary to succeed and excel.”

PiLON is sponsoring the Integration & Collaborative Working Category

Marco Bonelli - VINCI Building / Sektor Build

Marco is a passionate Tech and Digital Expert with over ten years of experience in construction and engineering firms who wants to improve the construction industry's efficiency and productivity through innovation and digitalisation.

His desire to do things differently, putting the user at the centre of the digital transformation process, is what drives him to innovate and digitalise the industry.

From 2019 to 2020, Marco worked as an Associate Lecturer at London Metropolitan University, focusing on technology and innovation.

 He began his career as a structural engineer with experience in designing steel and concrete residential and educational schemes.

VINCI Building is sponsoring the Innovation Category

Nick Wright (BA (Hons), MSc) - Senior Historic Buildings Advisor, Donald Insall Associates

Nick Wright is a Senior Historic Buildings Advisor at Donald Insall Associates, working in the Oxford office. Nick has a specialism in buildings analysis, on which subject he lectures at Oxford Brookes University. 

He is co author of a study of the medieval Lord Leycester Hospital complex in Warwick, which won the inaugural IHBC/SAHGB Heritage Research Award. 

Peter Dunn - Regional Director, Faithful+Gould

Peter is a Regional Director within Faithful+Gould’s Consult team and the Global Client Engagement lead for SNC Lavalin’s Decarbonomics workstream. Over the last few years, he has focused on providing robust decarbonisation programmes whilst helping client’s reduce their portfolio risk with changing legislation and market behaviours relating to environment, social and governance (ESG) priorities.  

Peter has significant experience working across the public and private sectors, delivering Programme Management, Project Management and Cost Management services worldwide. His experience has been centred around the improvement of offices, built assets and portfolios, including new build and refurbishment projects. He has in depth knowledge of writing business cases that link the outputs of ESG related programmes to the key benefits. Peter has been working on aligning these ESG priorities within the asset management context as a full solution. 

Peter is passionate and committed to helping the built environment and our offices drive ESG initiatives across the industry.

Faithful+Gould is sponsoring the Sustainability Category

Rachel Davis - Marketing & Business Development Director, Perega 

Rachel is responsible for marketing and business development at Perega. She has around 25 years’ experience working within the construction industry. Her varying roles in business development, bid writing, design and pre-construction project management across the offsite and engineering sectors, have given her key insights into many aspects of the construction market.

At Perega, she uses her strategic skills together with her technical and market knowledge to help the business achieve its vision and objectives. Along with delivering the business development and marketing strategy, her focus includes customer relationships, framework management, market presence and staff engagement.

Perega is sponsoring the Client of the Year Category

Brian Quinn - Legal Director, Hill Dickinson LLP

Brian is legal director at Hill Dickinson LLP. He acts as advisor on complex construction and infrastructure projects in the UK and around the world. 

Hill Dickinson LLP is sponsoring the Project of the Year Category

Jane Duncan BSc (Hons) Dip Arch PPRIB - Past President, RIBA 

Jane studied at the Bartlett (UCL) and Jane Duncan Architects was established in Amersham, Bucks in 1992 and now has 17 architects and interior designers.   The work load includes contemporary sustainable houses, to leisure and sports facilities, school and community buildings principally throughout the South of England. 

Jane championed small practices at RIBA establishing the annual Guerrilla Tactics conferences concerning business issues. She was VP Practice 2007-13, and RIBA’s Equality and Diversity Champion 2012 to 2014.  She served as RIBA President from 2015-17. 

She currently chairs three RIBA panels: the Expert Panel on Fire Safety, the Constitution Review Group, and a review of RIBA Awards. She remains a Trustee on RIBA Council and Board both of which she chaired as President. 

Adam Sandford - Hampshire County Council, SCF Operations Lead - South East & London

Adam is Operations Lead for SCF Frameworks delivering innovative project delivery frameworks across the South East and London. With extensive experience delivering capital projects for the public sector, Adam is a firm believer in two-stage open book and collaborative partnerships, promoting intelligent, data-driven supply chain management, and strives to improve efficiency through continuous improvement and innovation.

SCF is sponsoring the Value Category

Laura Katon – Specification Manager – Unilin Insulation

With over 20 years’ experience working within the construction industry, Laura has been involved in many complex and unusual projects over the years that has piqued her interest in the finding suitable solutions for unique projects and designs. The foresight and creativity, along with knowledge of the industry required has allowed Laura to advise and influence new products and innovations, as well as find suitable solutions for her clients.

More recently, Laura is currently working towards her certificate for On Construction Domestic Energy Assessor with Elmhurst Energy. Working with Architects, Energy Assessor and Designers on achieving SAP compliance, looking at decarbonisation and how to design this in to projects along with how to meet the Future Homes 2025 standards.

Unilin Insulation is sponsoring the Conservation & Regeneration Category 

Malcolm Clarke – Chairman & Managing Director, Baxall Construction Ltd

A well-known and respected name across the industry, Malcolm has over 40 years construction experience. Starting his career with John Laing Plc he joined Baxall in 1986 and within a few years became the Managing Director. He is passionate about Baxall #doingitdifferenty and being an SME disrupter for the ever-changing industry. He is a strong advocate of the CLC Road to Recovery, Construction Playbook and Value for Money Procurement model. At operational level, Malcolm promotes exceptional standards, a customer-focused culture and collaborative team approach to each and every project, leading by example and encouraging the same.

Baxall Construction is sponsoring the SME of the Year Category

Natasha Baum – Management Board, SECBE; Preconstruction Manager, Willmott Dixon

Natasha has extensive experience in both developed and emerging markets within the construction industry, having delivered projects in the UK, Russia and former CIS. As a Preconstruction Manager for Willmott Dixon, Natasha is currently responsible for the project delivery in preconstruction phase across Sussex, Croydon, Merton and Lambeth. 

Natasha is keen to raise awareness and promote the construction industry to younger people to bridge the skill shortage gap. She is also an active Women in Construction ambassador working on promoting inclusion and diversity within the industry.

Willmott Dixon is the Headline Sponsor of the CE SECBE Awards 2023

Paul Greenwood – Director, Greenwood Consultants, and Vice-Chair, London Constructing Excellence Club

Paul is a management consultant and engineer, with over thirty years’ experience of providing business improvement services to leading construction and service sector clients, and complex time-critical major projects, internationally.

After a decade in Europe, Middle- and Far-East, he returned to the UK and spent a decade with a housing investor, developer and contractor.  Here he pioneered their successful partnering and performance improvement initiatives, and became deeply involved with industry transformation through the Rethinking Construction organisations.

Paul now provides collaborative working and performance improvement consultancy to businesses in the UK and Far-East.  He is also a Constructing Excellence Collaborative Working Champion, an Associate Director of the Institute for Collaborative Working, and member of ISO TC286 Collaborative Business Relationships.

Sarah Mason - Regional Business Development Manager, VINCI and Constructing Excellence

Sarah has worked successfully in the Construction industry across multiple disciplines for over 15 years. Most recently, enjoying 8 years working for VINCI Construction UK and currently holds the position of Regional Business Development Manager for their Building division.

She is co-chair of the Cambridge Oxford Corridor Constructing Excellence Club and a Trustee for 50^th Cambridge Scout Group Executive Committee. Incredibly passionate about encouraging more diversity in our industry and if lost, likely to be found deep in the woods with a dog or two.

VINCI Building is sponsoring the Innovation Category

Simon Cooper - Technical Manager at Advantage Structural Defects Insurance

Simon Cooper is the Technical Manager at AHCI. With over 30 years’ experience within the construction sector, he is responsible for overseeing all technical aspects of construction projects backed by a structural defects warranty policy incepted by the company and providing technical support and management to both in–house and partnering approved inspectors together with all other professionals associated with the company such as brokers, insurers and their teams of underwriters.

Simon was appointed in 2015 and his achievements at AHCI include: Obtaining Stage 1 and 2 Consumer Code approvals; production and implementation of the associated documentation and the successful development of both the Technical and Compliance teams, instrumental in the writing and adaptation of the company’s Technical Handbook and overall national expansion.

Simon currently oversees AHCI's network of national surveyors and he is proactive in his work across all aspects of the business, from a technical and commercial perspective.

Advantage Structural Defects Insurance is sponsoring the Residential Project of the Year Category

Lubna Zwain - Design Manager, Galliford Try

Lubna is a Design Manager at Galliford Try, although fluent in English, German, and Arabic she believes that information science is the common language between all stakeholders, clients, designers and contractors and how the digital and built environments go hand in hand.  

Actively influencing the cultural shift towards digitization of the construction stage through using BIM and its implementation in practice. The 3D environment should not be exclusive only to the design team and design stage but also to use the COBie data embedded in the models for the use of construction operatives, quantity surveyors, and for quality checks and client approvals through implementing augmented reality on site and engagement meetings.  

With 10 years of professional experience, Lubna’s roles span in architecture and construction, and has been involved in projects from conception to completion in various sectors including; Education, Residential and Health.

Galliford Try is sponsoring the Digital Category 

Sarra Hawes - Director, Hawes Construction Group, Chair Constructing Excellence Sussex

Sarra has 30 years’ experience in the construction industry, starting out as a site engineer then site manager running a wide variety of projects for a national contractor. 8 years she set up her own construction company with her husband Bruce, they continue to cover the range of projects by working in health, education, commercial, retail and residential sectors.

Sarra is a construction ambassador for the CITB and an Enterprise advisor for a local pupil referral school, working with the East Sussex Careers Hub. She is passionate about and keen to promote the construction industry and its opportunities to young people, especially for young women.

Philip Baker - Director and Past President, Association for Project Safety (APS)

Philip is a Building Engineer with both design and construction experience who has spent the last 28 years focused on design and construction health and safety through the various roles identified in the CDM Regulations.  As well as fulfilling the principal designer role on a number of projects Philip is also currently providing support to a number of contractors.

In addition to his project work and training, Philip serves the industry in a number of ways.  Philip is a Director of the Association for Project Safety (APS) and a Past President.  Philip Chairs the Institution of Structural Engineers Safety, Health and Wellbeing Panel and serves on the management team of the equivalent Knowledge Network of the Institution of Civil Engineers.  Philip is an experienced judge and in addition to judging the Constructing Excellence Awards is a judge for the BSIF Innovation Awards.

Liz McDermott - Managing Director, QuickFix Profiles

Prior to Liz’s introduction to the Commercial Drylining Market, for 8 years she owned and operated a property development business where she quickly learned the value of high speed fit out and refurbishment.

When introduced to the Commercial Drylining market, with fresh eyes and foresight, she soon realised that the industry could use a “shake up” and that there were better ways of delivering drylining 1^st fix elements to a higher standard of quality, speed and health & safety to all present on site.

Liz is a firm advocate for Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and highly motivated in reaching all Drylining companies and Main Contractors with the news that there are better ways of building which are not only cost effective, but a safer and healthier option for site environments and the planet.

The company now being in its fourth year of trading has seen considerable growth and expansion under Liz’s leadership. Its product offering is now widely available from the majority of drylining material distributors to make life easier for all drylining companies to have access to this better way of working.

QuickFix Profiles is sponsoring the Modern Methods of Construction Category

Gary O'Brian - Director, Construction Clients’ Leadership Group

Gary is a Chartered Construction Manager, with extensive experience in design, planning and delivery of infrastructure projects with a proven track record of delivering single and multiple projects in challenging and demanding environments. Gary is currently a Director of the Construction Clients’ Leadership Group and its aim is a fit-for-purpose built environment, delivered by an excellent industry, which delights its clients and end users and adds whole life tangible value. 

Gary started his career in 1978 as an electrical apprentice at Gatwick Airport. In 1995 Gary was promoted to project manager and spent a long career delivering infrastructure projects at Gatwick and Heathrow Airports. Hs achievements include leading a programme of projects to move airlines from South to North Terminal at Gatwick Airport, which started the airport’s 10-year transformation programme. Gary also delivered Terminal 2’s Multi-Storey Car Park project which included the first road changes in 30 years in the busy Central Terminal Area of Heathrow Airport.

Cheryl Causebrook - Chair, Constructing Excellence Kent

Cheryl’s 35 years in the construction industry started with her working as a Quantity Surveyor and have seen her career develop in various directions. She works with many businesses across the supply chain, providing strategic and consultative guidance. Her knowledge and experience are recognised in the local industry, with her being appointed as chairperson for both Constructing Excellence’s Kent branch and the Kent Invicta Chamber’s Construction Focus Group. She also hosts her own ‘Building Kent Connections’ networking group.

Cheryl has taken on a number of voluntary roles which cover the following:

• Chair the Kent Construction Focus Group (the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce’s sector focused support group which has been going for over 15 years).
• Chair Constructing Excellence Kent Club (a national industry initiative).
• Building Kent Connection - sector focused networking group.

Graeme Forbes - Independent Consultant

His background is in the delivery of design and build projects in Pharma and other Hi-tech industries where he ran a specialist business for many years.

Graeme has been focused on applying technology driven solutions to the delivery of projects since the early 2000s and it is this background that led him to venture out and focus entirely on developing specialist technology for the AEC space.

Mandy Messenger - Managing Director, Advanté

Mandy took over as MD of Advanté in August 2020, after having been on the Advanté Board for 22 years. Responsible for creating and implementing the Oasis brand from inception in 1998, Mandy, together with her team, ensures the market leading position of Oasis is maintained. Mandy’s focus now is the continued development of the Advanté business in line with changing industry and client requirements with innovative, sustainable solutions.

Mandy is passionate about all things people, welfare and sustainability in its widest sense. She was selected as one of 12 people to take part in the first cohort of the Innovative Future Leaders Programme (IFLP) facilitated by the South East Centre for the Built Environment. Mandy is a Fairness, Inclusion & Respect Ambassador and is an active Partner in the Supply Chain Sustainability School.

Ben Pritchard, Senior Consultant – Invennt

Ben helps construction businesses to unlock value through taking a strategic approach to procurement and operational performance using data to make well informed underpinned business decisions.

His desire to see the construction industry improve has previously led Ben to be the national co-chair for G4C and with that a place on the Constructing Excellence board of management. Within these organisations Ben is involved in a number of initiatives aimed at improving the industry in particular the industry’s image and adoption of technology within the industry with a keen interest on how blockchain can transform the industry.

A big advocate for collaborative working, Ben believes that setting up a project right at the start is crucial to its success. The decisions made in how a project is procured can be so important to its success and is so often overlooked or not appreciated properly for the value that it can bring.

Emma Delaney LLB - HR & Sustainability Director, Knauf UK & Ireland

Emma is a retired GB athlete in the sport of judo, silver commonwealth medalist. 

She is a Professional MMA athlete, MBTI practitioner, ICF accredited executive coach, Employment law specialist with over 20 years’ experience in HR, delivering people strategies in a wide variety of sectors, including Defense, Construction, Education and Manufacturing currently HR & Sustainability Director for Knauf UK and Ireland.  

She drives the people and sustainability agenda but also coaches her peers through very complex scenarios, in these uncertain times addressing new ways of working through the global pandemic to, more recently, navigating through a global cyber attack. Emma believes that women in the industry now have a voice and she wants to continue to encourage talented women and men who are keen to thrive in the construction environment. Emma is passionate about sharing best practice(s) and learning lessons from all sectors and plans to bring these to the construction sector and contribute to the SECBE board. 

Knauf is sponsoring the Net Zero Category

Charles Haywood, MRICS CEnv Chartered Quantity Surveyor / Project Management Surveyor / Director

Charles has been with MacConvilles many years building experience and enjoying working in a broad range of sectors including education, residential and commercial. He joined the Board of Directors in 2002 to lead the QS side of the business and is now a Consultant to the business.

He specialises in dispute avoidance, risk management and best value. He is a former chair of the Sussex Constructing Excellence Committee He is also instrumental in seeking opportunities to use his professional experience to give something back to the community in pro-bono services.