SFE Gala Dinner & Awards

Torben Østergaard is a Partner at 3XN and has been responsible for developing and delivering a range of designs in Denmark and internationally since 1995. Leading the oversight and delivery of major projects, he has played a key role in the international success of 3XN. Among the projects he has led are the award-winning cube berlin from 2020, with an iconic façade design, as well as the Deloitte HQ in Copenhagen and MuziekGebouw/BIMHUIS in Amsterdam.

Torben Østergaard is a graduate from Aarhus School of Architecture. Through a Master in Experience Management (MOL) from Roskilde University in 2013, he has further specialised in how architecture exists in the context of the experience economy.

Brody is the Head of Sustainability at McLaren Construction with over 10 years’ experience helping developers and principal contractors deliver sustainable construction practices. Specialising in the decarbonisation of site activities, embodied carbon reductions strategies, sustainable building certifications (BREEAM, LEED & WELL), circular economy in design and construction and the delivery of Net Zero Carbon buildings in construction.

Brody uses his experience to; develop companies net zero carbon targets and road maps, improve their work winning function, aid in consistent project delivery, achieve client and planning sustainability targets and pioneer initiatives to develop the circular economy. At the SHIFT Sustainability Award’s Brody has won the ‘Sustainability Champion of the Year’ and ‘Sustainability Strategy of the Year’ awards, recognising his extensive commitment to the delivery of sustainable practices in the build environment.

Claire is fifteen years into her career in the construction industry, starting as a quantity surveyor, she has spent the last half of her career working in a pre-construction role focused on the design and procurement of major projects in the London market. In this time, Claire has developed a technical expertise in the procurement of facades, alongside an in-depth understanding of their interdependence in delivering successful projects.

Claire has a keen interest in sustainability, creating positive legacies in communities and promoting STEM careers. At the WICE awards, Claire was shortlisted for “Best Woman Contractor” and awarded a Group Chairman’s Award for “Building Sustainable Communities – Community Legacy” recognising her extensive work with the Prince’s Trust.

Simon is an Architect, Board Member and founding director of FMDC. He is widely recognised as one of the most knowledgeable technical experts in UK facade consultancy, specialising in specification writing and in post-contract services. Simon leads our Sustainability and R+D activities at Board level.

He has excellent industry connections and has worked on projects in most sectors, in the UK and abroad. His client base includes architects, developers and main contractors, with whom he has built relationships with on many repeat projects over the last 25+ years.

Key projects for FMDC include Bloomberg HQ, 4 Pancras Square, Chelsea Barracks Phase 4, Fen Court and One Park Drive (Wood Wharf). Other landmark projects delivered for a previous employer include; Turner Contemporary Margate, Holburne Museum Bath. He has had involvement in over 13 buildings on the Canary Wharf Estate.

Outside of work, he enjoys classical music and going to the opera.

Chris is the Managing Director of Jo Cowen Architects and has been instrumental in the evolution of the practice’s design output. He has worked on a number of award winning significant cultural projects and has been at the forefront of the practice’s conceptual progression of modern housing design, from bespoke private homes through to large scale multi-unit, mixed use and master-planned schemes.

Chris undertakes a lead role in the concept and technical development of all major projects working directly with international and UK based manufacturers. He maintains a close relationship with clients and consultants throughout the design process and takes pride in upholding key project concepts from start to finish. He is constantly looking for new and alternative design perspectives, with a focus on providing efficient and commercially viable proposals that achieve the high design standards of the practice. His approach closely considers both the appearance and performance of buildings, adopting sustainable design strategies and low carbon technologies.

Tom is Head of Construction at Knight Dragon. Knight Dragon are developing Greenwich Peninsula, Europe’s largest single regeneration project. Greenwich Peninsula brings together culture, creativity, community, and modern architecture, all wrapped by the River Thames. More than 17,000 new homes are planned across 7 districts with associated public realm, retail and infrastructure.

Knight Dragon are currently developing a number of high-rise residential projects and are working with their supply chain to deliver a variety of high-performance façade types.

Prior to joining Knight Dragon Tom worked on the redevelopment of King’s Cross for Argent. Over a 10-year period he delivered a wide range of complex projects including Thomas Heatherwick’s Coal Drops Yard and Meta’s London headquarters.

Tom studied Project Management for Construction at University College London and has worked on a variety of projects across all sectors in central London and the home counties.

Richie is the Mace Façade Lead for the Public Sector Business Unit, He is an engineer and façade expert with almost 20 years’ experience. His project experience includes the successful delivery of complex schemes such as the BBC Television Centre, Lancer Square, and most recently, the Hylo Building.

He is adept in working with a wide variety of specialist brick, precast, stone and unitised façade systems. With expertise in design, engineering, manufacturing and production, Richie has a strong technical understanding of the delivery and project management of complex facade systems.”

Manuel is a highly skilled and qualified Senior Façade Engineer with over four years of experience at FMDC. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Universidad Rafael Urdaneta in Maracaibo, Venezuela, and a Master of Science degree in Building Engineering from Politecnico di Milano in Milan, Italy.

Manuel joined FMDC as a graduate engineer in 2019 and has recently been promoted to Senior Façade Engineer. He is enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and has an inquiring mind, not afraid to ask questions and to challenge established ideas, in the search for something better.

Manuel’s job duties span a wide range of tasks, and he is adept at handling technical and management duties on projects. His expertise includes structural and building physics calculations, detailing, specification compliance checking, and management of staff. His motivation stems from a passion for creating functional, long-lasting, and sustainable facades in beautiful buildings. He also enjoys following the journey the façade takes from the first line on a piece of paper to the building when it achieves practical completion.

Richard started his career in main contracting, working initially in the residential sector and then on major projects such as Chelsea & Westminster Hospital and Glaxo’s (GSK) research campus.

In 1994 he joined the Swiss facade contractor Schmidlin working on iconic projects such as Burj Al Arab, City Hall, Swiss Re (The Girkin), & Terminal 5. During his 12 years with Schmidlin, the company was at the forefront of tremendous innovation in the way unitised curtain wall solutions were designed, engineered, and manufactured particularly in complex 3-dimensional facades. This ignited in him a passion for working with specialist teams on challenging projects, which still drives him today.

Richard went on to work for Josef Gartner, before becoming part of the original team who established & oversaw the growth of Yuanda Europe.

In 2021 he joined the Lithuanian facade contractor KGC as Chief Commercial Officer, bringing this highly successful northern European specialist facade contractor into the UK market. Only two years in, KGC has already secured several new UK projects, the first of which 181 Talgarth Road in Hammersmith, started installation last month.

Now approaching 30 years in facades, Richard has accumulated a broad range of expertise in all aspects of the business, with an in-depth knowledge of technical, programme & logistical issues, and a special focus on how these influence costs.

Thomas is a physicist and achieved a PhD in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology. He started his professional career at PriceWaterhouse Cooper, moved on to the German Robert Bosch GmbH and then worked as Vice President for the Manz Automation AG. Since 2011 Thomas works for Schüco International KG in Germany.

As Senior Vice President at Schüco International KG he is responsible for the topics of Digitalisation & Fabrication, Innovation Management and also Smart Building. In addition, Thomas heads up the sales division for North America, where he works closely with local colleagues.

As lead designer for various prominent architecture practices, David Perez has over 20 years of experience in the design and delivery of high profile, large-scale projects across the U.S., Australia and Europe. The latest examples in London include the new Heathrow Terminal 2 (LVA & Forster + Partners), 10 Fenchurch Avenue (Eric Parry Architects) and more recently, 21 Moorfields (WilkinsonEyre). With extensive experience in leading multidisciplinary teams from the early design stages to on-site coordination, he has specialized in the development and coordination of complex facade and cladding packages.

Former Associate at WilkinsonEyre architects, David is currently Facade Design Management Lead at BAM Construction, working across a number of high-profile projects in the London Region both in preconstruction and construction phases, managing all façade design aspects of projects from tender through to completion.

David is also Associate Lecturer in Technical Studies at Central Saint Martins (UAL), and has extended his academic experience as an Editor and Researcher for architecture publications.

Pilbrow & Partners is led by Fred Pilbrow, an architect with over 30 years’ experience designing award winning projects in the UK and abroad. His work is shaped by a passion for the craft of building and a belief that architecture should provide a humane and uplifting backdrop to the life of the city.

Fred Pilbrow has established a reputation for the design and delivery of complex mixed-use projects for leading private and public sector clients. Fred’s interest and experience encompasses architectural design across a range of sectors including office, retail, research, residential, hospital, hotel and cultural uses. In each case his design approach seeks a clear and rational response to the particular challenges of the site and brief. His work integrates considerations of long-term sustainability and wellbeing and to this end Fred has developed specialist in-house resources to support his design work.

Peter Fisher is a driving force behind many pioneering sustainable projects at Bennetts Associates, a UK-based practice that has achieved a series of ‘world-firsts’ in sustainability. Having studied both architecture and environmental design he is fascinated by architecture that straddles the two disciplines. Peter has taught, lectured and written widely on the subject of architecture and sustainability. Currently he is overseeing several net zero carbon workplace projects that are pioneering the use of timber, and re-use, including Timber Square in Southwark, London whilst developing Bennetts Associates’ own carbon removals strategy.

Phil Sedge, Head of Facades at Mace Group. Kicking off his career in the late 1980s, Phil has spent 35 years working in facades building prestigious projects across London working with the industry’s leading façade contractors.. Working for Mace Phil leads the way on innovations and industry drivers like productivity, quality and carbon initiatives "

Russell is the leader of Arup’s façade business in the UK. Russell has a background in façade and structural engineering and specialises in the design, assessment and construction of all types of façade systems for a broad range of buildings. He also has a strong interest in Building Physics and its application to façade design. Now in London after being based in Asia for many years the projects he has undertaken cover a wide range and scope, from conceptual design and building physics studies, to providing sub-contractor's details. The areas of investigations and resolution of failing facades also form a large part of his work.

His projects are located in the UK, Singapore, Southeast Asia, India, Australia and the Middle East, have given him the breadth and depth of experience in building engineering throughout various markets. He has worked on many landmark projects including many large scale and high-rise developments.

Rudolf Zelmer, architect at MERCK in Darmstadt. Born in 1970, studied architecture 1991-96 in Frankfurt (Dipl.- Ing. FH). Since 2007 at MERCK in various functions, among others as Head of Building Construction.

Currently responsible for architectural projects at MERCK electronics KGaA , eyrise B.V. and project preparation / execution in the "DACH-Region" and Scandinavia for innovative glass solutions with eyrise®, especially switchable glazing on facades and in interior design.

John is a façade specialist with over 30 years’ experience working throughout Australia, Southeast Asia, China, Europe and the Middle East on projects ranging in size from Shanghai Tower to single residential.

John is currently an Associate Principal at fjcstudio. He commenced his professional career as a Structural Engineer before focusing on the engineering of the façade and was the Founding Director of Arup Façade Engineering in 1989. He led Façade Consulting teams until joining Yuanda in 2010, then the world’s largest curtain wall contractor, as Technical Director for Southeast Asia.

John is attributed with developing the discipline of Facade Engineering in the region and leading the change from ‘Envelope as Exclosure’ to ‘Facade as Filter’. He is known not only for his design skills but also his collaborative approach to the delivery of facades.

Stephen Tanno graduated from The University of Southampton in 1987 and worked as a Consulting Engineer for the next 16 years, including 5 years with Ove Arup in Sydney and 8 years as Group Director with Buro Happold, where he founded the Façade Engineering Group, in London. In 2003 he joined Schneider GB Ltd initially as UK Technical Director and later as UK Managing Director guiding the company to become a market leader. In 2011 He joined Seele GmbH as Projects Director, and in 2015 he joined Schueco International as Director of Pre-Constructions Services.

He is a chartered engineer in both the UK and Australia and has a consistent track record of leading and delivering complex and bespoke high quality projects. He is a lateral thinker and has an all-round appreciation for design, engineering, and build-ability. He has extensive knowledge of project delivery from initial planning and design stages right through construction and handover. In recent years Stephen has collaborated with numerous architects to develop sustainable and functional façade designs that went on to be implemented to a realistic budget through a reliable delivery mechanism by close collaboration with façade contractors.

Bram is a Project Leader at Apt with extensive experience in large-scale projects covering a range of sectors.

Originally from the Netherlands, Bram has worked on projects in Europe, the Middle East, Australia and Asia, including a 4-year stint in China before returning to the UK.

At Apt, Bram is overseeing several large-scale projects including 2 Trafalgar Way, a student accommodation-led, mixed-use campus with three towers set over 28, 36 and 46 storeys, providing 1,672 student rooms, 80 residential apartments and supporting amenities. A four-storey podium includes 41,000 sq.ft commercial office space, as well as ancillary residential space, indoor soft play-space for children, a restaurant and retail offer.

In addition to providing high-quality accommodation, the project aims to achieve exemplar sustainability credentials, targeting both BREEAM Outstanding and Passivhaus certification, which once achieved, will make it the largest Passivhaus development in Europe.

Keen on supporting aspiring architects with their career, Bram is also a mentor for Apt’s apprenticeship scheme, which provides an alternative to the conventional university route.

With over 35 years of experience within the Building Envelope Sector, Neville is responsible for developing and delivering Wates’ façade and roofing strategy. He has also been the driving force behind the Joint Competence Initiative for the Envelope Sector (JCI), which he currently Chairs, working with the HSE, the Building Safety Regulator, the CWCT and a range of other leading trade bodies to develop appropriate competency standards that will help the Sector meet the requirements of the Building Safety Act.

Zara is the Façade team leader for AECOM, London and is an elected Board Member on the Society of Façade Engineers. She began her journey in Façade Consultancy over 13 years ago, having originally pursued Architecture. In 2011 she completed her Masters in Façade Engineering at the University of Bath with a distinction. Since then, she has collaborated with Architects such as David Chipperfield, Foster and Partners, Gehry, Herzog & De Meuron, Renzo Piano and Zaha Hadid. Her experience covers a broad spectrum ranging from complex sculptures to 250m+ skyscrapers with fully glazed double skins, from modest façade improvement refurbishments to new airports, from feasibility studies to technical design. Zara has a systematic approach to resolving the often-conflicting requirements imposed by the Client, technical performance legislations and project specific targets, budget and programme. Her focus as a façade engineer began with an emphasis on the visual quality of materials, moved on to tackling the demands of Part L, to scrutinizing the fire performance of the constructed detail, and is now striving to fully acknowledge the whole lifecycle carbon of different proposals alongside Modern Methods of Construction.

In turbulent and unpredictable times, resilience is a quality which, despite its lack of glamour, has never been more important. And Aušra Vankevičiūtė’s career and character serve as testaments to the power of resilience.

As CEO of Staticus, one of the largest façade engineering contractors in Northern Europe, she is a young woman driving innovation and flexibility in a traditionally male-dominated sector. She became group CEO in 2019 after 7 years heading up Staticus Norge AS, where she developed the tenacity and positivity that characterise her approach to leadership. Here she also honed her skills in strategic marketing, negotiation, budgeting and business planning, and completed her EMBA at the Baltic Management Institute (BMI).

Today, Aušra’s personal qualities of resilience and dynamism are reflected in the company she leads. Under her watch, Staticus is becoming more innovative, more sustainable, and more international, while maintaining the resilience that any successful company needs.

Dan Norman serves as the lead specification advisor at OBEX, where he acts as a guiding hand for architects, designers, and industry leaders, ensuring compliant façades. His passion for construction is deeply rooted in his past as a tradesperson, giving him an unmatched understanding of practical nuances. At OBEX, they produce state-of-the-art fire-classified weather and airtight solutions for facades, striking the perfect balance between the demands of current regulations and the flexibility and innovation required in the rapidly evolving construction scene.

Beyond his technical know-how, Dan is renowned for his dedication to understanding the intricacies of Reg 7 and Approved Document B in their application to facades. His deep-seated expertise also covers the standards governing the weatherproof and airtight features of a façade. Dan's staunch belief in teamwork, integrity, hard work, and transparency not only shapes his personal ethos but also resonates with OBEX's very culture, which is centered around Creating Safer Buildings.

Yasmin’s experience as a director at WilkinsonEyre includes the design and delivery of projects for British R&D company Dyson, including new office spaces across their existing campus – a portfolio that includes new build as well as options appraisals and refurbishments for existing buildings. She is leading a number of large scale corporate deep-retrofit projects which will deliver world-class headquarters for banking and insurance firms within their existing estate, and be exemplars in healthy, sustainable and modern ways of working.

Yasmin leads the working environment group at WilkinsonEyre, developing workplace strategies to improve productivity and employee satisfaction through good design.

As a partner at Robert A.M. Stern Architects, Daniel Lobitz creates places that are captivating, contextual, and contribute to the public realm.

Since joining RAMSA in 1986, Dan has designed and managed a diverse body of work, including multi-family residential buildings, hotels and resorts, and institutional buildings. His ability to work across boundaries extends to his role as lead designer for the firm's product design initiative, producing award-winning furnishings, textiles, lighting, and more for several leading manufacturers.

Dan’s design work has had a transformative impact on cities across the county, from Lovejoy Wharf in Boston to 30 Park Place in Lower Manhattan. Currently, he is designing adaptive re-use project in San Francisco that restores the residential fabric in the Presidio Heights community.

Dan is a member of the ArchitectsAmerican Institute of Architects, the Urban Land Institute, the Congress for the New Urbanism, and the Cornell Hotel Society.

Douglas is an Associate Partner at RSHP. Having worked at the practice for over 15 years, his significant experience and technical knowledge encompass a range of design stages, sectors and regions. He has been involved in projects such as a proposal for a 26-storey office building in Broadgate, City of London, the British Museum’s World Conservation and Exhibitions Centre and BBVA México Tower, a 50-storey landmark on Mexico City’s skyline. He worked on the complex extension of Geneva Airport, Aile Est, where from early concept design he led the project through construction stages to completion, acting as design guardian throughout. He then relocated to Melbourne, Australia, to provide support to the site team on the Metro Tunnel Project and has recently returned to RSHP’s London office. In March he gave a presentation at the Passenger Terminal Conference, Amsterdam. Douglas is also a Professional Part III examiner at the Bartlett.

Daniel has substantial experience working on projects in the United Kingdom and across Europe. He brings an extensive understanding of the planning regulations and policies in London to our design teams, having worked on many projects across the Capital.

He is currently the technical director for the extensive development of Bankside Yards on the South Bank, which will transform a disconnected riverside site into a new urban destination and gateway to the borough of Southwark. He is also the project partner for Kaleidoscope, a new commercial building sitting above the new Farringdon East Crossrail station and facing the historic Smithfield Market in London.

With an advanced understanding of facade technology, Daniel previously led the detailed development of the facades for the Francis Crick Institute, a major national research laboratory in London. Nearby in the City of London, he helped to lead the 4 Cannon Street office building for Fidelity Investments, which sits on a prominent and sensitive site adjacent to St Paul’s Cathedral. He also helped to craft the extensive refurbishment of Devonshire Row, a series of existing historic buildings which are now being regenerated into commercial and hospitality spaces on the site of our One Bishopsgate Plaza / Pan Pacific London Hotel project.

Leigh Easden, Principal and Co Office Director at Thornton Tomasetti, is a Façade Engineer with over 20 years’ experience in the construction industry. During this time he has been involved with a diverse assortment of building types in various locations, from residential, hotels, commercial, retail, education and healthcare situated in Europe, Australia, Middle East, Asia and the United States. In addition to expertise in the design and analysis of curtain walling, glazing and cladding systems he has a detailed knowledge of façade cladding materials including aluminium, glass, steel, precast concrete, GRC, composites and timber. His current focus is on developing the next generation of façade engineers that will help realise the potential of façades and building for the future.

Hugh helped form EOC’s facade engineering group in 2012 and has had a leading role in the team since. Originally from a structural and civil engineering background, Hugh diversified his skills by studying environmental architecture and brings a holistic knowledge of buildings and their envelopes, preaching the ‘specialist generalist’ model for facade engineering. With a back-catalogue of well over one hundred projects at a variety of scales, he has a breadth of experience across different markets, design challenges, materials and systems and is adept at rationalising complexity on landmark projects and within the practice. Hugh is affiliated with various industry associations including the IStructE, SFE and CWCT.

Lynn joined British Land as a Project Director within the Development Team back in 2017. Since joining British Land she has lead the delivery of large commercial office spaces in central London. This includes leading the Norton Folgate development - a 340,00sqft multi plot project combining retained facades, retained buildings and new construction. The extensive archaeology across the site, eclectic mix of existing structures, heritage elements, proximity to local residential streets, the main trainline into Liverpool Street and city red routes have made this project an exciting challenge.

A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building, Lynn started her career as a site engineer and spent the first 18 years working as a Main Contractor on various major projects across the UK. With a background in project and preconstruction management she has worked in a wide variety of different sectors including; PFI schools, science laboratories, research centres, retail, leisure, residential and commercial offices. In the late 2000’s Lynn was a key part of the project team who delivered the RIBA Stirling prize winning Sainsbury Laboratory in Cambridge.

Peter joined Allford Hall Monaghan Morris in 2004 after working at a number of practices in the UK, Netherlands and Australia. Peter was made an Associate in 2008 and Associate Director in 2021. Since joining the practice, Peter has contributed to a number of AHMM’s notable projects including Unity in Liverpool and Kentish Town Health Centre in London. He was also Project Architect for both Barking Central and Kirk Balk Community College. Peter oversaw the delivery of North London Hospice and the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool, was Project Architect for Ark All Saints School in Camberwell, and led the Surrey Lane CLT residential development in Wandsworth and a significant office redevelopment scheme on King William Street in the City of London. Peter then worked on the redevelopment of Television Centre and has most recently been leading the delivery of the Blossom Street masterplan in east London.

Sophie has been working in the built environment for 10 years. Starting her career as a British Army engineering officer. She has worked on some of Skanska’s most high profile projects, such as Battersea Power Station and 80 Fenchurch Street in a variety of differing roles. She is now a Senior Construction Manager focused on façade delivery.

Sophie has a passion for aesthetic design as well as the practical installation, and thoroughly enjoys working within a big diverse team of subject matter experts. She is also a strong advocate for equity in construction.

After completing a six month internship at Eckersley O'Callaghan in early 2019, Rocco joined the company as a graduate engineer later that year. He forms part of Eckersley O'Callaghan facade engineering group, capitalising on the building engineering knowledge he gained during his master degree in Building Engineering at Politecnico di Milano. Whilst at university during the internship, Rocco completed a thesis on blast resistant facade design. He now applies the knowledge he gained to assist the facade team with this specialism, as well as create technical notes on the topic for company wide circulation. After contributing to international project such as the first Apple stone in India, now he is focusing on many London refurbishment projects with the aim to improve the façade performances to meet the new standards and requirements but at the same time trying to maintain the authenticity of the existing buildings.

Stefan carries a doctoral degree in structural engineering and has further accomplishments in Business Administration and Management of Vlerick Business School. With more than 20 years of experience in the building and construction industry, he is an experienced head of Business Management with a demonstrated history of working in large global corporations in international leading roles. When Stefan started working for Schüco International KG in 2018 he took over the responsibility of the Business Unit Façade Systems. Today he leads Façade Engineering within Schüco that combines both the global responsibility for the Façade Systems business and the Engineered Project Solutions business.

Neesha Gopal joined Foster + Partners as Associate Partner, Façade Specialist in July 2023 and is based in London, UK.

Neesha chartered as an Architect and following several years as a Project and Site based Architect, she specialised in Façade Engineering joining whitbybird in 2003. During her 10 years became the Façade Team Director of then Ramboll in 2012 before leaving to join Meinhardt in 2013 as Façade Director for Meinhardt Façade Technology, UK and Europe. In January 2020 Neesha joined Lendlease and became Head of Façades for Europe in 2021.

Neesha also chartered as a Project Manager in 2003 and to gain a greater understanding of façade engineering, Neesha undertook the MSc in Façade Engineering at Bath University and passed with distinction in 2015.

Neesha is active within the industry, as a member of the Technical Committee for CWCT and SFE committee member for Events. Neesha support initiatives to expand diversity in construction which has included taking part as an Ambassador for Women in Construction and as a judge for the Women in Construction and Engineering Awards.

Olga Gomez is a Director at award-winning architecture and design practice Squire & Partners. Having graduated in Madrid, Olga subsequently lived and worked in Mexico City, China and New York. Since moving to the UK and joining Squire & Partners, Olga has been responsible for many of the practice’s prestigious international projects, including urban developments in Pakistan, Qatar, Romania, Slovenia and Abu Dhabi. Recent projects include a flexible workspace in London’s Shoreditch and an innovative sustainable residential tower in Pakistan’s capital city, Karachi.

James Brackenreed-Johnston joined the A. Proctor Group in 2019 as Specification Manager for the London Area. James has many years of experience in the high rise sector, focusing on façade design, regulation compliance and innovation. By advocating a systems based approach to airtightness in façades we have simplified the build-up of through wall designs and pushed forward the specification and completion of safer and more robust solutions utilising technically advanced materials with proven performance.

For over 80 years the A. Proctor Group have supplied technically advanced product solutions for all parts of the building envelope. In the façade and high rise sector, the ground breaking Wraptite self-adhesive and vapour permeable external air barrier membrane improves airtightness and simplifies design, installation and detailing, while lowering costs and ensuring compliance with technical standards. The A. Proctor Group’s experience of hygrothermal modelling and understanding of the balance of heat, air and moisture within the building envelope gives specifiers confidence in achieving a robust and effective envelope design.

Stéphanie Godard is working at Eastman as the Business Development Manager for the Advanced Interlayers group in Europe. She is in responsible of overseeing the relations with the architects and the façade engineers, providing an experience of over 20 years with glass and laminated glass in particular.

With a background in Chemical Engineering and Advanced Chemical Technology from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, Stéphanie has been providing support to glass laminators in the UK, Scandinavia, and France for many years. She now brings her passion for glass to the architectural specifying community, offering training and relevant information on high performance laminated glass made with Saflex® and Vanceva® interlayers. She is based in France.

Ana Araujo leads the UK Façades team of Buro Happold, based in London.

With 17 years of international experience, including all stages of the design cycle, Ana focused her expertise in façade diagnostic, due diligence and refurbishment from Georgian listed buildings to new-build façades. This included many reference and award-wining projects such as Whiteleys in London (Foster and Partners), Appleton Tower in Edinburgh (LDN Architects) and Warmington House, part of the Tottenham Experience Building in London (Populous).

Patrick is a senior partner and recently completed the Monaco Yacht Club, a highly sustainable mixed-use building at the heart of Monaco’s Port Hercule. He joined the practice in 2007, after completing his studies at the Bartlett School of Architecture. He has since completed a sustainable resort hotel in Crimea and is currently responsible for three new residential towers at South Quay Plaza and the transformation of the listed Whiteleys building to create a unique mixed-use development. Patrick grew up in Paris is a keen footballer and skier.

Patrick is a façade engineering consultant with 35 years’ experience in the façade industry. He launched Patrick Ryan Associates 25 years ago and prior to that he, ran a façade consultancy within a well-known multidisciplinary practice for 10 years. Patrick has successfully carried out façade engineering consultancy and design on several iconic buildings including the Burj Al Arab and the Jumeira Beach Hotel in Dubai, and more recently two of the tallest modular buildings in the world, 10 Degrees and College Road, situated in Croydon, London. Patrick has a passion for good façade design which is sustainable, high on quality and most importantly complies with a moving landscape of legislation and regulation. He regularly speaks at or chairs conferences and seminars and has served as a director of the CWCT. Patrick is currently a long-standing board member of the Society of Façade Engineering responsible for the Professional Indemnity Insurance working group. In his spare time Patrick enjoys cycling, making music and photography.

Since joining Multiplex in 2017, Aideen has been responsible for the delivery of complex façade schemes including The Broadway; the redevelopment of the Old Scotland Yard site and is currently leading the façade refurbishment and extension of the former IBM headquarters on the Southbank. She is skilled at managing multiple specialist façade contractors to provide a coordinated approach to design, manufacturing, and installation.

Aideen holds Master degrees in Architecture and most recently, Façade Engineering from UWE in Bristol. She values the importance of building long-standing relationships with the client, supply chain and consultants. She is also passionate about the importance of the role of the Façade Manager in delivering challenging façade projects of the highest quality.

Since joining WJE in 1996, Daniel Lemieux has successfully completed hundreds of projects in the area of building enclosure failure investigation, repair design, and architectural rehabilitation, including projects that have been recognized nationally for design and restoration excellence. As the firm’s Director of International Development, he is responsible for advancing WJE’s global architecture and building science practices. Prior to that, Dan served as Managing Principal of WJE’s Washington, D.C. office from 2006 to 2016. Dan currently serves on multiple ASTM International committees including vice chair of E06, Performance of Buildings and chair of E06.55, Performance of Building Enclosures. He is founding chair and a primary author of ASTM E2813, Standard Practice for Building Enclosure Commissioning (BECx) and worked closely with WJE colleagues and practicing and teaching professionals from across North America to support the development of ASTM E2813, ASTM E2947 Standard Guide for BECx and ASHRAE Standard 202 Commissioning Process for Buildings and Systems. He served as an author and technical editor for the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) web-based Whole Building Design Guide and NIBS Guideline 3: Exterior Enclosure Technical Requirements for the Commissioning Process. Dan was elected to the AIA College of Fellows in 2021 for his work in building science and the physics of building enclosure and whole building performance. He has authored, co-authored, presented and chaired workshops and symposia on that topic in North America and internationally and served as co-chair of the 2017 Symposium on Building Science and Conservation at Southbank Centre, London.

Simon is a pragmatic fire safety professional with a vocational approach to helping others comply with legislative and business fire safety requirements. He has a broad background in fire safety; testing, certification, fire risk management, fire risk assessment, auditing enhanced safety/quality management systems, and fire safety training. Simon has a strong working knowledge of legislative requirements and supporting guidance. In 2022 he was the Fire Sector Federation technical officer, working on national guidance editing groups. In his current UL Solutions role, Simon looks at how UL Solutions can help support code and regulatory requirements here in the UK and Europe, in both the active and passive fire protection areas, supporting assurance and conformity in building safety compliance.

Laura Rygielski is the recently appointed CEO of Boston Valley Terra Cotta in Orchard Park, NY. Boston Valley specializes in the manufacturing of historic terra cotta replication, new construction and innovation in contemporary rain screen design and production. Rygielski has extensive experience as a sales and operations executive within large global companies, positioning Boston Valley into a new chapter of growth. Boston Valley has successfully completed over 3,000 building projects ranging from spot replacement of historic facades to custom terra cotta mounted on unitized supertall skyscrapers. Boston Valley also notably founded the Architectural Ceramic Assemblies Workshop, pushing the boundaries of terra cotta.

Giles Martin has led several of the practice’s high-profile commercial and infrastructure projects. He is inspired by precise construction detailing and material technology and is motivated by the possibilities of developing these themes on large, complex urban developments.

He has extensive experience in London on planning applications and construction projects, working closely with planning departments and clients to achieve consent, and leading the scheme through to completion. One of his most challenging ventures has been heading up the design team on 21 Moorfields, an important scheme above Moorgate station in the City of London, completing in 2023. This integrates the Elizabeth Line station - also by WilkinsonEyre - with the new office development above.

Giles recently completed a pair of glass bridges that connect 1 and 2 New Street Square for Deloitte. He has also headed up design teams for various TfL and HS2 masterplan projects, and BBC's Media City in Salford - which combines office, broadcasting and public spaces.

At the heart of Giles' design approach is the use of contemporary systems and new materials to add an important dimension to the design repertoire – one that results in enhancing the experience of architecture in people’s lives.

Since Shane arrived in the UK in 2002 he has worked on many of the high profile projects in the City.On these projects he has used his cladding skills and construction experience to assist the design teams and consultants to design the facades so as to be buildable and cost effective.These projects include 10 Gresham St, The Shard, 1 & 2 New Ludgate, The Scalpel, 21 Moorfields and now Timber Square in Southwark.Shane is very good at forming lasting relationships with contractors and consultants that allow him to be very effective in problem solving on any of the projects he is involved in across London.

Chris joined Robert Bird Group (RBG), who are specialist Structural, Civil, Geotechnical and Construction Engineers, in 2016. He currently leads a Building Structures Team in London and has 15 years of Engineering and Project Leadership experience within multiple sectors leading projects from viability to completion. He has led RBG’s delivery of 21 Moorfields, a complex over station development overcoming multiple onsite constraints, providing 60,000sqm of Grade A commercial office space over London’s Moorgate Station. Other significant projects include G-Gate Theatre at Olympia London, a complex 7-storey auditorium over the extended exhibition hall, below a 3-storey office; Boggo Road Underground Station as part of Brisbane’s Cross River Rail Project; London’s Luton Airport Expansion Project, doubling capacity at Luton Airport; 60 Holborn Viaduct (Amazon); and Kings Cross T2-T4 (Facebook). Chris’ approach combines a solid technical understanding with clear communication and a collaborative approach, allowing him to develop successful relationships with Clients, Architects, Consultants and Contractors.

At the beginning of his career, Massimo Chies worked in the tender department of Permasteelisa and Lindner, two of the largest cladding contractor’s active in the UK market. In 2014, he joined AECOM to support their cost team in the delivery of feasibility studies and cost plans. One of his roles is also to inform quantity surveyors and project managers on the state of the cladding market. He suggests the most suitable contractors in the industry on the basis of the technical challenges of the various projects and the contractors’ workload. The most notable projects Massimo has been involved in since joining AECOM are 33 King William Street, Al Maktoum (Dubai Airport), White Collar Factory, Battersea Power Station Phase 3, Soho Place, Sky Labs, Nova East and the upcoming 1 Undershaft.

Zara is the Façade team leader for AECOM, London and is an elected Board Member on the Society of Façade Engineers. She began her journey in Façade Consultancy over 13 years ago, having originally pursued Architecture. In 2011 she completed her Masters in Façade Engineering at the University of Bath with a distinction. Since then, she has collaborated with Architects such as David Chipperfield, Foster and Partners, Gehry, Herzog & De Meuron, Renzo Piano and Zaha Hadid. Her experience covers a broad spectrum ranging from complex sculptures to 250m+ skyscrapers with fully glazed double skins, from modest façade improvement refurbishments to new airports, from feasibility studies to technical design. Zara has a systematic approach to resolving the often-conflicting requirements imposed by the Client, technical performance legislations and project specific targets, budget and programme. Her focus as a façade engineer began with an emphasis on the visual quality of materials, moved on to tackling the demands of Part L, to scrutinizing the fire performance of the constructed detail, and is now striving to fully acknowledge the whole lifecycle carbon of different proposals alongside Modern Methods of Construction.

Since joining WJE in 1997, Ms. Driscoll has developed and/or served as Project Manager for a wide variety of projects including forensic investigation, repair document preparation and oversight during implementation, field performance testing, and building enclosure commissioning (BECx) on a wide range of buildings and structures, including: The $1.5 billion National Geospatial Intelligence Agency East Campus, Fort Belvoir, VA. She was Co-Chair to Dan Lemieux on ASTM Committee E06.55.09, Exterior Enclosure Commissioning and a primary author of the resulting standard ASTM E2813: Standard Practice for Building Enclosure Commissioning. She has authored or co-authored several papers and presentations on the topic of building enclosure design, construction, and performance.

Since joining WJE in 1995, Tony Cinnamon has participated in building enclosure investigations, window and curtain wall failures, and glass and glazing assessments. His expertise lies in the investigation and design of building facades, exterior wall systems, and fenestration systems. Mr. Cinnamon’s projects include curtain wall systems, wood and aluminum window systems, and building facade cladding systems. Building types include high-rise residential and office buildings, institutions, sports arenas, and historic structures.

Mr. Cinnamon has written numerous articles on the inspection, repair and restoration, and replacement of window and facade systems. He has also presented seminars domestically and internationally on fenestration related topics, including typical window problems, glass and glazing failures, and testing and repair of window and curtain wall systems. Mr. Cinnamon also serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC).

Ben Isaacs joined WJE with ten years of structural engineering consultancy experience, including analysis, design, coordination, and construction review of building structures and components of various types.

His primary areas of expertise include the analysis, design and evaluation of structural steel and reinforced concrete building structures. His project experience includes the design of complex structures, high-rise buildings, deep basements, hybrid construction and building re-use. He has assessed the failure of structural systems consisting of steel, concrete, and timber; evaluated in situ structure vibration characteristics; and evaluated seismic fragility of building frames.

Prior to his consultancy experience, Dr. Isaacs studied at Cardiff University – School of Engineering, where he completed his PhD in Self-Healing Cementitious Materials. Dr. Isaacs is a lead and contributing author to several international journal publications and has given numerous conference presentations.

Allan Gibson is based in Oxford and for the past 18 years, Allan has managed the supply and specification of specialist materials used in the construction industry in the UK and Middle East. Now responsible for the Trosifol PVB and Ionoplast interlayers for laminated architectural glass in the UK and Ireland with a strong focus on new technologies and innovations underlining the Kuraray commitment towards serving the ever changing demands of the global glass industry through innovation leadership.

Allan has worked in the building services industry for over 30 years; holding several senior positions of Managing Director and Vice President for ventilation manufacturing companies. For the past 9 years has worked via his consultancy business, focusing on smoke control, for both mechanical and passive systems.

Allan is an associate member of the Society of Façade Engineers. CIBSE and BESA. He was chair of a BSI working group on smoke fan servicing, and acted as technical consultant for the Smoke Control Association before focusing on the development of A2 wall membranes, following the Grenfell Tower fire.

Allan works as Technical Consultant for Stamisol UK, a Serge Ferrari Group company, raising the profile of Class A2 vertical wall membranes as part of a façade system with W1 water proofness, breathability, with fold, tear and fire resistance.

Allan presents a series of RIBA and CIBSE approved CPD’s on A2 membranes and the need for change to ADB part 4, to remove membranes from the A2 product exempt listing as part of an A2 Façade system. He is a strong advocate of independent testing of fire products, coupled to competence of installers.

A Chartered Structural Engineer by profession, Steve Bosi has been working in façade engineering consultancy for over 25 years. During this time he has gained significant experience in the design and construction of building envelopes for a variety of buildings with signature architects and blue chip clients. He has gained considerable knowledge in cladding/structure interaction, diagnostic of existing buildings, and design of cladding systems using both tried and tested technologies as well as leading-edge engineering solutions.

Michele Sauchelli is an architect and engineer with more than 14 years of experience in the industry and is specialised in designing, managing and delivering complex façade projects. His expertise spans across façade technologies, environmental performances and applied research for the development of innovative façade systems and products. He has worked in Italy, Australia and the UK in engineering and architectural consultancy firms as well as general contractors, where he was responsible to design façade solutions for small high-end buildings to large multi-million infrastructure developments. He also contributed to the development of new business strategies in the area of contractor early engagement and off-site construction (DfMA-Design for Manufacture and Assembly). Michele holds a PhD in adaptive facades, he has been lecturing in the topics of façade engineering, technology and sustainable building design internationally and has authored several scientific articles.

Architect DPLG based at Paris Office. Joost Moolhuijzen was born in Amstelveen, Netherlands, in 1960. He studied architecture at the Delft University of Technology and after graduating, he worked in London with Michael Squire from 1987 to 1990.

He joined RPBW’s Paris office in 1990, working on a number of important projects including the Cité Internationale development in Lyon. He subsequently worked as lead architect on the Potsdamer Platz project in Berlin.

Since becoming a Partner in 1997, Joost has overseen a wide range of projects including the Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago and the masterplan for Columbia University’s Manhattanville development. He was the partner in charge, from inception to completion, of the Shard in London, completed in 2012.

He is now responsible for the Fubon Headquarters tower & Museum in Taipei, three projects in Monaco : the Mareterra, Larvotto waterfront and a museum, as well as two projects in London, the Shard Place and the Paddington Square. Joost is also overseeing the Cern Science Gateway in Geneva and a project in Chamonix, France.

Joost was appointed member of the board in 2011.

DPLG architect based at the Paris agency, Jean Pattinson was born in Sainte-Foy-la-Grande in Gironde in 1979. He studied at the Bordeaux School of Architecture and Landscape from where he graduated in early 2004.

After an experience of a few months in Switzerland and more than three years with Pierre-Louis Faloci, he joined the RPBW agency in Paris.

Since then, he has been working on a wide variety of projects, both in terms of scale and program: the Intesa San Paolo Tower in Turin, the Monastery of Saint Clare in Ronchamp, the University Pole of the Citadel of Amiens (from the competition to the delivery), a small archaeological museum in the heart of Beirut.

He became an associate in 2017.

He currently runs the Paddington Square office project located next to the station of the same name in London.

A charted engineer, Ovi has an MSc in Façade Engineering from University of Bath UK to complement his first degree in Mechanical Engineering. Ovi is a member of SFE technical committee and has nearly 30 years of continuous façade engineering & management experience. He is highly specialised on a variety of façade related topics including design, fabrication and installation of curtain walls, skylights, precast and stone cladding and structural glazing. Ovi has been involved with various stages of cladding delivery including design, procurement, tendering, checking subcontractor design, factory audits and quality assurance, advising on and witnessing cladding performance tests, carrying out site inspections and investigations as well as remedial works on some flagship projects.

David Entwistle is the Head of Major Projects for Saint-Gobain Glass. He has been part of the London façade community for over 25 years, mostly as a glass consultant for Saint-Gobain Glass, but also has 10 years of working for specialist façade contractors on complex facades. He currently is undertaking the MSc in Façade Engineering and carries a passion to inspire others to do more in recovering end of life glass back into building glass.

Moujehed Neffoussi works as an International Building Project Manager at AGC Glass Europe. He is responsible for supporting the design and engineering community to choose the appropriate glass specifications for their projects. Joining AGC Glass Europe in 2014, Moujehed has worked on major projects the United Kingdom, France, the Middle East and Asia, including; 70 St Mary Axe (United Kingdom), Morland Mixité Capitale, Paris (France) and Tour Mohammed 6 (Morocco).

Moujehed is passionate about the decarbonization of the glass industry and how it is bringing new opportunities to achieve a project’s sustainability objectives.