Information supplied to or by the judges, or discussed between the judges and entrants, can be treated in complete confidence if requested.
Dr Christos Vidalakis – Senior Lecturer Construction Management – Oxford Brookes University
Christos has over 18 years’ experience in construction, research and higher education sectors. He has managed and led on a wide range of industry transformation programmes, R&D projects, innovation and knowledge exchange partnerships. From 2007 to 2012 he worked for Constructing Excellence in the South West. With a background in civil engineering, postgraduate and doctorate studies in Project Management, his research work on Asset Management, Information Modelling and Supply Chain Management has received several awards for excellence and impact generation.
Colin Briggs – Head of Quantity Surveying, Historic Royal Palaces
Colin is a chartered quantity surveyor responsible for procurement of conservation building repairs, refurbishments and new build at six palaces. For the last ten years he has been leading on the introduction of collaborative working under the JCT Constructing Excellence form of contract to this part of the industry in order to achieve overarching objectives of value for money in the use of charitable funds and managing risk, whilst paying a fair price for works that allow the businesses of suppliers to be sustainable.
Craig Cullimore – Director, ADP Architecture
Craig is an ADP board member, and oversees seven studios delivering ADP’s distinctive “people inspired” architecture throughout the UK. As one of the directors in charge of their vibrant and successful Oxford studio, he has been responsible for delivering many education projects, and has extensive commercial sector experience in retail, office, and residential developments. Through this experience, Craig has developed a nuanced ability to listen and engage with a client’s ideas, to understand their needs, and to contribute his own knowledge of the commercial world.
Craig enjoys, and is particularly skilled at, developing appropriate and imaginative designs in sensitive locations. This is often very challenging work, and Craig has been instrumental in managing such projects through all design and construction stages. He is particularly passionate about urban and landscape design, their relationship to architecture, and the ways in which they can create a sense of place and enrich communities.
Darren Colderwood – Development Director, Heathrow
Responsible for the strategic planning, operational management and timely delivery of the capital investment plan across the existing airport. I have overall accountability for setting strategic direction, design development, construction and implementation for all capital works, with a current portfolio of circa £2.5bn. I have a background in engineering and project management across a number of sectors, and have delivered a number of major projects and programmes at the airport. As a leader, I believe in creating a positive, safe, energised and open environment, that galvanises teams around common goals, encouraging collaboration and delivers great results.
David Weare – Partner, Fladgate
David has over 20 years’ construction law experience, in private practice and as an in-house legal adviser to Trafalgar House Construction Ltd.
He specialises in complex project work, litigation, arbitration, adjudication and various forms of ADR. David acts for employers, contractors, professionals and funds in the UK and further afield. He has particular experience in the Middle East, having been a resident construction lawyer in Abu Dhabi for a number of years.
Graeme Forbes – CEO, Clearbox
Graeme is the CEO of Clearbox. 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.
The result is Clearbox, a solutions provider which is driven to achieve ROI for customers by enabling the efficient and effective management of their projects through a collaborative environment that gathers, analyses and delivers context sensitive information wherever they are and whenever they need it.
Helen Patel – Chartered Building Companies/Consultancies Manager, CIOB
Helen has a background in Risk Management with responsibility for managing Risk strategies across EMEA and more recently completed a PGCE leading to teaching in Further Education.
As the manager to the Chartered Building Companies/Consultancies scheme, Helen drives the Institute’s Chartered company membership growth and retention strategies. With CIOB at the heart of professional construction careers, they do set high standards for the industry and the CBC scheme is a kite mark of quality and excellence, building professionalism and integrity in the industry.
Howard Hutchinson – Group Chairman, R&W
Howard joined R&W in 2006 and has been an instrumental part of the team, growing the business to where it is today. R&W now employs almost 500 highly-skilled employees across a group of companies specialising in civil engineering, highway infrastructure, traffic management, rail and defence estates projects.
Howard started his career 30 years ago, hand mixing concrete and laying drains on construction sites whilst studying. He graduated with a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering and progressed to become a Chartered Civil Engineer whilst working on large infrastructure projects.
Howard has always been passionate about training and developing people and ultimately finding industry future leaders. He recently championed a new apprenticeship initiative with a group of other regional contractors working closely with Fareham College. Together they developed the award winning bespoke facility known as the Civil Engineering Training Centre (CETC), which trains and fast tracks talented young people who may have otherwise not considered a career in civil engineering.
Ian Bailey – Director, Artelia UK
Ian is responsible for developing new business lines, clients and ways to deliver real benefit to clients through Artelia’s evolving “consciously unique” approach. Particularly focused on achieving outstanding customer satisfaction, Ian is a Chartered Civil Engineer and Project Manager with 35 years of experience in construction and property.
Jason Wickenden – Operations DIrector, Cheesmur
Jason has worked in the Construction Industry for nigh on 25 years, rising from Site Engineer through Site Manager, Contracts Manager and appointed Operations Director for Cheesmur Building Contractors on the 1st January 2017. Professionally qualified as a Chartered Builder and an Affiliate to IOSH, he has been responsible for developing all operational matters to the business, including achieving accreditation to ISO9001:2015, alongside raising the standards of health & safety throughout the business.
Jenny Stafford – Sustainability Consultant, Temple Group
Jenny Stafford is sustainability consultant responsible for projects in Temple’s Strategy, Sustainability and Planning teams. In recent years she has worked on the environmental assessment of some of the UK’s biggest infrastructure projects. She also leads BREEAM Communities assessments for major and smaller sites drawing on her previous experience in regeneration and master planning. Jenny has a particular interest in the value associated with ensuring sustainability in infrastructure and the built environment, for example through resource efficiency and in reducing project risk.
John Tieran – Operations Director, Waterloo Air Products
John has a diverse background spanning a wide range of engineering, manufacturing and service businesses including civil engineering, client-side construction, supply chain optimisation and contract management. For the last four years he has been a Director at Waterloo Air Products, an active promoter of collaborative working within the UK construction industry. As a supplier, Waterloo has built its strategy around the commercial benefits of delivering leading-edge customer service.
Jonathan Rickard – Head of Land and Planning, Radian
Jonathan is a chartered architect with more than 25 years’ experience in private practice and more recently in housing. As Head of Land and Planning, he is responsible for ensuring best value is integrated into the 600 homes built by Radian each year. His role also focuses on the effective procurement and value for money in both capital outlay and whole life costings. Jonathan works closely with the Zero Carbon Hub, is non-executive Director of SECBE, is past chair of the RIBA in Hampshire and sits on the RIBA housing group.
Julie Barry – Research & Development Specialist, RIFT
For the past 5 years, whilst working at RIFT, Julie has specialised in Research & Development in Construction, reaching across all disciplines within the sector from design, through construction and fit out to FM.
Julie has an in-depth understanding of the complex processes and procedures within the construction industry. This has resulted in an appreciation of the often unrecognised innovation that takes place on site and the ability to translate practical onsite work into a successful R&D Tax Relief claim.
Katherine Faulks – General Manager of Retail Delivery, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield
Having worked for Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield for 15 years and manoeuvring up through various roles in Project and Construction Management, to her current role as General Manager of Retail Delivery; Katherine and her team are responsible for driving the delivery of retailer fit-outs and refurbishments. Working operationally across both the existing assets of Westfield London and Westfield Stratford, but also any new development projects in the UK and Italy. Focus is on providing optimum technical and logistical support, through an experienced team of project managers, to offer retailers tailored solutions to their project delivery.
Having fallen into Construction (rather than it being a conscious career decision), Katherine is a strong advocate for diversity in the industry and a keen ambassador for STEM activities initiated by the business.
Keith Heard – Commercial Manager, Hampshire County Council - Category Development SCF Framework Lead, NACF Chair
Keith is a Chartered Civil Engineer with experience in all aspects of the procurement, design, delivery and commissioning of building and civil engineering projects, gained through a career working for contractors, project managers and client bodies. Keith is a Project Manager experienced in, and passionately supportive of, the integrated team approach to working, which was developed over 12 years with BAA. During the last thirteen years with Hampshire County Council, Keith has led on regional procurement and joint working initiatives. These arrangements have delivered around £500m building projects each year since 2006 for over 60 public authorities in the SE, and have delivered over £200m in efficiency savings. Keith is Chair of the National Association of Construction Frameworks, a new Public Sector collaboration sponsored by the LGA.
Mike Heptonstall – Head of Project Management South East, Turner & Townsend
Mike heads up Turner & Townsend’s infrastructure project management business in London and the South East. Mike has worked in lead roles on a number of major infrastructure programmes around the UK including Crossrail. Mike is one of the industry’s rising stars winner of the Young Achiever in the 2017 CE Awards, certain to bring many fresh ideas and contagious enthusiasm to the panel. Mike is particularly focused on driving innovation and inspiring many more high ability young people to choose a rewarding construction career.
Natasha Baum – Senior Project Manager, Willmott Dixon
Joining Willmott Dixon four years ago as a sustainability manager, she successfully transitioned into her current role as Senior Project Manager with responsibility for project delivery in the preconstruction phase. Whether it is a £10m or £40m scheme; Natasha demonstrates the same focus, attention to detail and a positive and proactive approach. She understands the drivers of different audiences and can tailor her message – from inspirational pledges in bid submissions and tender interviews to practical solutions and technical advice in project meetings. Natasha was co-opted onto the SECBE board in July 2018 for one year as winner of the G4C Future Leader at the 2018 Constructing Excellence SECBE Awards.
Navpreet Atwal – Legal Director, Blake Morgan
Navpreet is a Legal Director at Blake Morgan specialising in transactional matters across a broad range of construction and engineering projects from complex large-scale projects through to smaller scale developments. Navpreet has extensive experience of drafting all major kinds of construction and engineering contracts including design and build, EPC, EPCM, construction management, consultancy and service agreements. Navpreet also advises in relation to tender documentation and the negotiation of contracts for major construction projects. Navpreet advises owners, developers, contractors, consultants, private equity investors, and institutional lenders on projects in the UK and across the globe.
Nick Bradley – MCIOB, Head of Special Projects, Beard
Nick Bradley has worked in construction his entire career over 40 years, he has led the Special Projects team at Beard Oxford for 25 years. Nick’s team specialise in the restoration and preservation of buildings, particularly the Grade I Listed landmarks such as the Radcliffe Camera, Sheldonian Theatre and Ashmolean Museum. Nick is in his 12th year as framework manager for Oxford University working on a variety of projects across the estate including refurbishment and alteration works in research facilities, laboratories, teaching spaces, accommodation and offices. The team also carry out similar work for a host of Oxford Colleges.
Olivia Bateman – Partner, Fladgate
Olivia advises on the drafting and negotiation of project documentation including development agreements, agreements for lease, sale agreements, building contracts, appointments, bonds, warranties and guarantees. She has particular experience in the retail and leisure sectors.
Her practice additionally encompasses advising on sport-related construction matters including stadia redevelopments and venue use agreements. She has advised on a series of venue use agreements, including in relation to the 2012 Olympic Games.
Olivia also provides transactional construction support to the firm’s real estate and corporate departments, handling complex portfolio acquisitions and sales, and refinancings.
Philip Baker – Past President, APS
Philip Baker is a designer by training and has been heavily involved in CDM since 1995. Philip is a Past President of the Association for Project Safety and a Certified Fellow and is Chair of the Institution of Structural Engineers Health and safety Panel and Chair of the London North West Group of Working Well Together. Philip has been involved in a wide range of projects as CDM-C and Principal Designer and has advised the full range of duty holders on how they can discharge their duties effectively. Philip has kept close tabs on the development of the revisions to CDM2015 and speaks widely on the subject and the problem of occupational disease in the industry and is particularly focussed on prevention through design. Amongst his current commissions Philip is the CDM Compliance Manager working for London Underground on the Northern Line Extension.
Richard Bartlett – Head of Customer Experience, Willmott Dixon
Richard started his career in construction 11 years ago in the field of sustainability, moving through into project management he has now spent the last two years looking purely at the customer experience in Willmott Dixon, but also in the industry as a whole. With construction holding such a perception of poor service his ultimate aim has been to use the voice of customer to shape and adapt the service to drive the business with a value-led offering
Richard Knight – Associate Director, Hoare Lea
Richard has been working within building services for over 20 years and during this time has spent time on both sides of the industry. Following 10 years in contracting he joined Hoare Lea in 2007 and has played a key role in the growth of the Oxford office. Richard is now a member of Oxford’s senior management team leading teams of talented engineers delivering a varied portfolio of work across many sectors. He enjoys leading large projects is experienced in dealing with multiple stakeholders and liaises across larger estate portfolios. This is often very challenging work but Richard is passionate about delivering sustainable innovative solutions for his clients bringing a keen focus to design and a sound commercial awareness. Richard is also chair of the Constructing Excellence Oxford Club who are aiming to drive the change agenda in construction to improve industry performance in the built environment and local sector.
Richard Bielski – CoTrain Programme Director
Richard started out over 30 years ago as a trainee in the construction industry. He has spent most of his career client facing taking responsibility for strategy, business development, account management and pre-construction activities to ensure client satisfaction. In his new role Richard is responsible for the CoTrain programme. He works closely with local authorities, contractors and their supply chains to recruit, employ and support apprentices through a Shared Apprenticeship Scheme.
Rosemary Jerrit – Senior Asset Manager, Surrey County Council
Rosemary Jerrit oversees the capital programmes for schools and assets for Surrey County Council. Rosemary is a Chartered Civil Engineer with over 18 years of experience in project and programme delivery and has worked in both the public and private sector. Prior to Surrey County Council she worked for the Department of Education as a Deputy Director on the Free Schools Programme. Rosemary is one of the founding members of the Surrey Constructing Excellence Club.
Steve Hayman – Director, Cheesmur Building Contractors
Steve is MRICS and MCIOB qualified and has delivered high quality construction in the UK and overseas. This includes many award winning projects and in 2009 he and business partner Terry Nitman brought their extensive experience to the fore when they took on a failing business. Since then they have developed a successful team which has overturned the deficit and continues to deliver steady and controlled growth and profitability.
Tyrone Partridge – Group Head of Health Safety and Environment, Day Group
Tyrone, a Chartered Member of IOSH and Fellow of the Institute of Quarry, he joined the building materials industry in 1989. Since then he has moved through a variety of positions, at locations across the UK, leading to his current role of Group Head of Health Safety and Environment.
His key focus is safety leadership and changing the safety cultures of his organisation.
His role predominately centres around both liaison with external bodies including setting industry standards and his day to day role of improving health and safety within his organisation.
He has been involved with the judging of the Mineral Products Association Health and Safety Awards over the past six years.
Constructing Excellence SECBE Awards 2024 opening soon!
24 October 2023
London & South East
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