SFE Gala Dinner & Awards

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

With 17 years of international experience, including all stages of a building life-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 in London such as the Whiteley (Foster and Partners / Laing O’Rourke), 22 Bishopsgate (PLP / Multiplex) and Tottenham Experience (Populous / Mace).

Clive Everett joined NHBC in 2021 as a Loss Adjuster and is currently the Claims Technical Surveying Manager. With 40 years of experience in the construction industry, particularly in façade-related industries, Clive has held various technical roles across multiple sectors, including positions as a director at international consultancies, contractors, and product/system manufacturers.

Clive's extensive experience and deep understanding of the construction industry and its technologies have been instrumental in developing defect assessment and quantification strategies for technically complex and high-value claims at NHBC.

In his current role, Clive and his team are dedicated to continually improving investigation and assessment methods, ensuring clarity and quality in reporting to NHBC's Claims functions, as well as to our customers and consumers. Clive stays up-to-date with industry developments to ensure the latest construction methods are understood and the newest inspection technologies are utilized.

Coby Armar currently serves as the Secretary General of QUALICOAT, the global quality label organisation responsible for maintaining and promoting the quality of lacquering, painting, and coating on aluminium and its alloys for architectural applications. In this role, he leads the implementation of QUALICOAT’s international specifications, certification systems, and broader strategic initiatives across the construction and aluminium finishing sectors.

Coby holds an academic background in Mechanical Engineering, with additional qualifications in Engineering Management and Entrepreneurship. Prior to joining QUALICOAT, he gained valuable experience in the UK property industry, working as a Real Estate Agent for a Local Firm in South West London, a Property Manager for a large co-working operator, as well as a Project Manager overseeing a number of renovation projects, speculative builds, and brownfield site developments. He also served as a Clerk of Works and Quality Assurance Inspector, providing professional certification and compliance (PCC) also known as CML Certificate services to architectural firms.Coby brings a multidisciplinary perspective to QUALICOAT, combining technical expertise with real-world construction and project management experience.

With over 25 years of experience in the construction industry, Dan brings a wealth of expertise to the table. As a specialist façade engineer with a Master’s degree in this field, Dan has a deep understanding of the technical performance of all types of façade system, not only from a system supplier perspective, but also with regard to supply chain, design, manufacture and installation. He is also well-versed in software applications, bomb blast requirements and photovoltaics, giving him a keen awareness of the end-to-end process for façade construction. Currently, Dan is Sales Director for Schüco UK and Ireland, working across the business to deliver projects of the highest quality. His presentation will cover the holistic approach to sustainable design, construction and recycling that is being pioneered by Schüco.

Eric Claeys holds a degree as Civil Engineer in Construction from KU Leuven, Belgium, a degree in Industrial Engineering in Public Works from KU Leuven, Belgium, and graduated with a Master in Business Administration from the Vlerick Business School, Belgium. Eric has 40 years of experience in façade technologies and consulting and was involved in hundreds of prestigious projects by the most famous architects in more than 30 countries worldwide. Since the very beginning, value engineering has been his driving force, along with the belief that “ It always seems impossible until it’s done”. Out-of-the-box thinking is not just in his DNA; it is his DNA.

Eric is the inventor of “hybrid” curtain wall systems, an innovative combination of stick and unitized CW systems. The technologies are covered by an extensive patent portfolio in more than 70 countries worldwide.

“Innovating is critical, but it is not enough. The Fassada steel curtain wall technologies are carefully engineered to revolutionize the market, setting a new standard to eliminate problems and enable the impossible.”

Eric is co-founder of Fassada Steel SA, which is a Switzerland-based joint venture between the Swiss Montanstahl AG and the Belgian Fassada Group, the parent company of Fassada Technologies.

Florian has been working in the façade construction and project management for over two decades. With a background as a mechanical engineer and façade specialist, he combines a strong understanding of structural detailing, manufacturing processes, and high-performance façade solutions. Throughout his career, Florian has contributed to the success of numerous prestigious projects across Europe and the Middle East, including iconic buildings in London, France, and Riyadh.

In his role as Project Manager and Head of seele kinetIQ, Florian is responsible for coordinating international teams, managing complex project interfaces, and ensuring the timely delivery of high-end bespoke façade systems. He brings deep experience in tendering, production planning, and the execution of unitised curtain walls, steelglass structures, and integrated design-build solutions.

Florian is valued for his precise communication style, interdisciplinary coordination skills, and pragmatic approach to problem-solving. As a key figure within the organisation, he continuously drives technical excellence and customer satisfaction through collaborative leadership and innovative thinking.

Francine Houben is founding partner of Mecanoo (1984) and has led the firm to success in The Netherlands and abroad, amassing a portfolio of work that is wide-ranging, inspired by global challenges and with a sustainable view on society.Each of her projects illustrates the four fundamental elements of her architectural vision: People, Place, Purpose, Poetry.

Francine holds Honorary Fellowships of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) and was granted lifelong membership to the Akademie der Künste in Berlin as well as receiving the International Honorary Fellow Award by the Architecture Institute of Taiwan. 

In 2014 Francine was named Woman Architect of the Year by the Architects’ Journal and in November 2015 Queen Máxima of The Netherlands presented her with the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Prize for her wide-ranging career. Francine was awarded Honorary Doctorates from the Université de Mons, Belgium (2017) and the Utrecht University (2016).

In 2018 she received the BNA Kubus Award for her oeuvre; the International Prize, Prix des Femmes Architectes (2019) and distinguished with the TU Delft Alumnus of the Year (2020). In 2024, King Willem-Alexander appointed Francine Houben as a Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion.

Gabriel Pierazzini recently joined Kier as the lead façade in house specialist. He has over 35 years’ experience in the design and delivery of complex façade projects working in Europe, Middle East, China, and Australia.

Since Gabriel arrived in the UK in 2001 he has been involved in a leading role in the design, procurement and delivery of the façades of many landmark projects in London and the UK, working amongst others for Arup Façade Engineering, Lendlease, Permasteelisa, Mace, Canary Wharf Contractors and Balfour Beatty. His skills are in developing innovative technical solutions for the delivery of façades; Gabriel’s leadership focuses on good communication, making sure the project requirements are captured by the design and achieving high standards of quality and value.

Joan is a consultant at sedak , providing guidance to architects and facade engineers on innovative and complex designs. With 26 years of experience in facades and custom glass solutions, he has contributed to projects across the globe. Joan holds a degree in industrial design engineering and a master's in marketing. He gained in-depth knowledge in curved glass and the design of glass configurations.

With more than 20 years in glass, interlayers & facades, Jochen has developed a keen understanding of the role of advanced materials in modern architecture. He has been involved in various aspects of building envelope projects, contributing to both technical development and successful commercial execution of high-end projects in Europe, the Middle East, and the USA.

Blending technical expertise and understanding of client needs, he is currently leading the Strategic Projects & Business Development for the EMEA region , working closely with Architects, Engineers, and Designers to deliver innovative façade solutions that integrate high-performance interlayers for laminated glass, highlighting Kuraray’s commitment to serving the ever-changing global glass industry through innovation and leadership.

Jonathan is an experienced Project Delivery Professional having worked in Construction, Design and Development for over 35 years. He has worked with some of London’s major Developers and has delivered many innovative and successful schemes including 80 Charlotte Street, 180 Great Portland Street and 160 Tooley Street as well as leading the development team for Pure Student Living a hugely successful Student Accommodation business.

He brings a wealth of experience to the team across all aspects of project delivery from understanding the constructability of early design to building completions, tenant occupation and handover.

Since joining FMDC in 2020, Lefteris has worked on a variety of projects, from concept design through to completion on site. His strong background in detailing and in-depth technical knowledge has helped him deliver complex façades including Kings Cross S4 and 180 Piccadilly. He is currently leading the design and delivery of the façades of Panorama St. Pauls.

Lefteris holds a MArch in Architectural Engineering from NTUA, and a MSc in Building Technology from TU Delft. He is passionate about sustainability and values early design input in the façade development process to drive increased façade performance and reduce the embodied carbon of the façade construction.

Matthew Owen joined the Proctor Group at the beginning of this year bringing with him 27 years of construction industry understanding. Prior to joining the Proctor Group Matthew spent 5 years within the building envelope sector and has been involved in a wide scope of projects throughout the South of England. By advocating a systems-based approach to airtightness in façades, the Proctor Group 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 Proctor Group have supplied technically advanced product solutions for all parts of the building envelope. In the façade and high-rise sector, the groundbreaking Wraptite® self-adhesive and vapour permeable external air barrier membrane improves airtightness and simplifies design, installation and detailing, while ensuring compliance with technical standards. The 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.

Michael Clarke is a Senior Associate in the façade engineering practise at Thornton Tomasetti in their London office. He is a chartered Architect in the UK and has over 12 years of experience in the design and documentation of façade systems on a range of large scale projects around the world, leading multi-disciplinary teams of designers, structural engineers and environmental engineers. Michael has experience in developing the design of building envelopes for projects with complex geometry and has a keen interest in the processes associated with the design, fabrication and installation of cladding systems.

Michael has also provided expert advice and evidence on issues relating to design and construction defects.

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.

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.

Nick joined the studio in early 2017 as a Technical Design Lead, a specialist role created to support the technical delivery of large scale and complex projects.

Nick’s role means that he is embedded in various design teams, producing design work and mentoring teams using the technical experience acquired through his extensive practical and on-site experience. He became Head of Technical Design in 2022 and a Partner in 2023.

Nick played a vital role in overseeing the delivery of several of the studio’s completed projects. These include the Maggie’s Centre in Leeds, UK; Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town, South Africa; and Little Island and Lantern House in New York, USA. Most recently, he played an instrumental role in the completion of the studio’s kinetic Glasshouse in the gardens at the Woolbeding National Trust site in West Sussex, UK.

Prior to working at the studio, Nick was based at Woods Bagot Europe as European Design Leader where he was involved in elevating the quality of design throughout the global practice. He also worked at Foster + Partners for over fifteen years where he was the partner in charge of delivering full design services for numerous high profile commissions such as the ME Hotel in London and four large mixed-use buildings in King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh.

Paul has over 30 years of experience and is responsible for managing the design, construction and delivery of projects at LRD. Paul ran the delivery of 22 Bishopsgate. He challenges all aspects of a project to maximise efficiencies and ensure the end product is ready for the future. Prior to LRD, he spent 15 years at Stanhope as Development Director and worked on multi award-winning projects, including Chiswick Park, One Hanover Street, Air W1, One Coleman Street (L&G’s headquarters), 70 Mark Lane, 8-10 Moorgate and he led on the delivery of the RIBA Stirling prize winning Bloomberg HQ building. Paul began his career at Schal where he spent 5 years working on Imperial College’s Biomedical Science building, the redevelopment of the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden and Nokia’s headquarters in Farnborough. 

Paul holds a BSc in Construction Management and is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Building.

Phil Sedge, Head of Facades at Mace Group. Kicking off his career in the late 1980s, Phil has spent 37 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.

Rui Monteiro brings a wealth of expertise and passion to his role at Effisus. With a solid foundation in Construction Materials, having obtained his master's degree from ISEP in Porto, Rui seamlessly merges technical acumen with unparalleled business understanding.

Rui oversees Effisus field support across multiple markets, including the UK, Europe and UAE, Rui leads by example, setting the bar high for excellence and innovation. His dedication to driving performance is evident in his hands-on approach, working closely with the local teams and empowering them to always deliver beyond customers’ expectations.

As Effisus prepares to showcase its unparalleled solutions and expertise with real case studies at the upcoming event on June 20th, Rui Monteiro stands ready to exemplify the company's commitment to innovation and excellence, solidifying Effisus' position as a global leader in its field.

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.

Ryan Butterfield joined David Chipperfield Architects in 2009 after completing his architectural studies at Kingston University. He has a particular expertise in conservation and planning issues and has worked on several large-scale restoration and conversion projects in sensitive London locations, including Café Royal Hotel on Regent Street and One Kensington Gardens in West London. He has also led numerous competitions and studies in the UK and internationally. Ryan is currently project architect for the conversion into a hotel of the former US Embassy building on Grosvenor Square in London. He was made an Associate in 2019 and an Associate Director in 2023.

Simon is a solicitor with an Honours degree in Law (University of Hertfordshire), completing his studies at the College of Law Guildford. Before qualifying, Simon spent some time working on construction sites in the industry. Simon has specialised in construction and engineering law and the disputes generated by the industry all his professional career. He is also a chartered arbitrator and an adjudicator.

Simon specialises in all major forms of dispute resolution in construction and engineering disputes including litigation, arbitration, adjudication and mediation.

With over 37 years’ post-qualification experience, Simon is ranked amongst the top construction solicitors in Who’s Who Legal, Chambers and Partners UK, Legal 500 UK and the Legal Experts guides. Simon is classed in the top league in Chambers which deems him to be a widely respected practitioner in the field, both for his legal ability and for his commitment and knowledge of the construction industry as a whole. Similarly, Simon is listed in the Hall of Fame by Legal 500.

As the Envelope team Director, Simone ensures design excellence, manages global client relationships, and oversees commercial and residential projects. His expertise spans diverse markets, including the UK, Australia, the Middle East, and North America.

Relocating to the UK in 2014 after completing an MSc in Architectural Engineering and gaining three years of experience in Italy, Simone shifted his focus to Facade Engineering, emphasizing building physics and environmental impact considerations.

Simone has successfully delivered high-calibre global projects, such as the Museum of the Future (Dubai) with Killa Design, Terra Pavilion for the EXPO 2020 (Dubai) with Grimshaw Architects, Kensington Olympia Redevelopment (London) with SPPARC and Heatherwick Studio, Tower Hamlets Town Hall (London) with AHMM, and Tottenham Football Club Stadium (London) with Populous.

Simone’s versatile professional journey, with diverse roles across various countries and engineering disciplines, uniquely positions him to foster multidisciplinary teamwork, projects lead, embrace interdisciplinary thinking and navigate the complexities of the dynamic global field of architectural and engineering consultancy.

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.

Thomas has a high level of experience in structural and facade engineering across a wide range of buildings and infrastructure projects. Previous roles include Global Facade Leader at Mott MacDonald Ltd, Technical Director at Waagner-Biro Stahlbau AG, Technical Director at Seele Austria GmbH and Technical Director at Kingspan Ltd. He was also a Project Manager for ÍAV hf., also known as IPC (Iceland Prime Contractors), and a Senior Structural Facade Engineer at Ove Arup Ltd.

He has also had design and build responsibility on elements of numerous major projects such as Crossrail’s new Paddington station in London, England; Kirk Kapital A/S' new headquarter "Fjordenhus" in Vejle, Denmark; Maersk Panum Tower in Copenhagen, Denmark; Etihad Museum in Dubai, UAE; Glazed Link Library Walk in Manchester, England; Sowwah Galleria in Abu Dhabi, UAE; Trinity Leeds in Leeds, England; Cutty Sark in London, England; the Shard London Bridge Station, England; ARoS “Your Rainbow Panorama” in Aarhus, Denmark; Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik, Iceland; and Triangeln Station in Malmö, Sweden.

Tom Nancollas is Assistant Director (Design), leading a multidisciplinary team responsible for urban design and conservation in the City. As a Principal in the team, he led on various major projects including the London Museum, 85 Grace Church Street and the City’s Tall Buildings Evidence Base. Since joining the City in 2015, he has become a highly respected figure with deep insight into the Square Mile’s townscape and historic environment and in 2022 was elected Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. 

Tristram Carfrae is a leading structural designer. He has been responsible for the structure of a dazzling array of award-winning buildings over his 40+ years with Arup, both in Australia and the UK. Tristram has been fortunate to work with many of the world’s leading architects; combining the wide-ranging Arup expertise into integrated building designs.

Projects that he has helped design include Lloyds of London, City of Manchester Stadium, Water Cube for Beijing Olympics 2018, Singapore Sports Hub, Kuwait International Airport Terminal 2 and Gaudi’s masterpiece, La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.

Tristram was recently awarded the Sir Frank Whittle Medal by the Royal Academy of Engineering – the highest accolade available to a British engineer. He has previously received IABSE's International Award of Merit in Structural Engineering and the Gold Medal from IStructE

With three decades of experience in the façade industry, Umut Bülbül has spent the last 25 years at Metal Yapi, where he currently leads operations in the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands. Coming from a site-based background, he has been directly involved in the full lifecycle of over 61 façade projects, bringing practical insight to every stage of delivery.

Umut focuses on clear coordination, reliable execution, and maintaining long-term relationships with clients and project partners. His approach is grounded, solution-oriented, and shaped by years on site.

He believes that with the right team and mindset, even the most complex challenges can be overcome.

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.