Homepage
Our team

Our team

Meet the people who lead UKGBC's mission for a more sustainable built environment.

Join our team

Team

Smith Mordak

Chief Executive Get in touch for: Governance, Organisation Direction

leigh.grove@ukgbc.org

Smith is an award-winning architect, engineer, curator, and writer, working across disciplines to realise a regenerative economy and built environment. Their career has centred on creating and implementing strategies for the transition to a healthy, fair and sustainable built environment, and has included leading roles in architecture and engineering firms including Buro Happold, Webb Yates Engineers, and Studio Weave.

Elfrida Hamilton-Russell

Learning and Leadership Director Get in touch for: Learning and Leadership

elfrida.hamilton-russell@ukgbc.org

Elfrida is responsible for the design and delivery of UKGBC’s leadership and learning programmes which aim to achieve impact across the built environment. Before UKGBC, Elfrida worked for over 20 years in Oil and Gas for Shell in various roles including Sustainability and Non-Technical Risk, Leadership, Learning and Development, and Finance. Elfrida has worked and lived in Africa and Brazil.

Simon McWhirter

Director of External Affairs & Deputy Chief Executive Get in touch for: Policy & Advocacy, Communications Strategy, Cities

simon.mcwhirter@ukgbc.org

With over 25 years’ experience, Simon has had roles spanning across the construction, finance and not-for-profit sectors. Before UKGBC, he was Head of Engagement at the Active Building Centre, spent six years at HAB Housing as a sales director and five years at WWF. Prior to this, Simon was an international tax consultant, and spent several years at a newspaper.

Mike Clarke

Membership Director Get in touch for: UKGBC Membership, Partnership Opportunities

mike.clarke@ukgbc.org

Bringing 30 years experience, prior to UKGBC, Mike was Director of the Lake District World Heritage Project and Director of Membership Experience and Support at the Royal Institute of British Architects. Mike was a board member and trustee of Cumbria Drug and Alcohol Service, Alternative Futures Group and is a currently a Trustee/board member of Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse Theatres.

Tim Adams

Impact and Operations Director Get in touch for: Impact, Operations, Strategy

tim.adams@ukgbc.org

Tim joined UKGBC after operational finance roles in a range of businesses, from SME to Blue chip and private equity backed enterprises. Tim has supported municipal waste and recycling contracts such as windrow composting, materials recovery facilities and energy from waste. He has developed performance-management methodology in retail logistics and early in his career he qualified as a CGMA.

Yetunde Abdul

Head of Climate Action Get in touch for: Advancing Net Zero, Partnerships

Email Yetunde

Bethany Adams

CIRCuIT Intern Get in touch for: CIRCuIT

Email Bethany

Connie Allen

Finance Officer Get in touch for: Invoicing, payments, finance queries and reporting

Email Connie

Alex Benstead

Advancing Net Zero Advisor Get in touch for: Embodied Carbon Measurement & Reporting projects

Email Alex

Philippa Birch-Wood

Volunteer Local Network Coordinator : Birmingham & the West Midlands Get in touch for: Opportunities in the region

Email Philippa

Philip Box

Policy Advisor: Nature & Resilience Get in touch for: Nature, resilience and planning policy

Email Philip

Jenny Buckland

Executive Assistant to the CEO Get in touch for: Governance, CEO/Board Enquiries, Leaders’ Network

Email Jenny

Holly Campbell

Learning and Leadership Advisor Get in touch for: Learning and Development

Email Holly

Siobhan Canniffe

Senior People & Culture Manager Get in touch for: People, Culture, HR

Email Siobhan

Macarena Cárdenas

Research and Insights Advisor Get in touch for: Research and Industry Insights

Email Macarena

Helena Carless

Head of Marketing and Communications Get in touch for: Press Enquiries and Communications Strategy

Email Helena

Hadar Cohen

Learning and Events Intern Get in touch for: Learning and Events

Email Hadar

Emily Dodkin

Project Coordinator: Advancing Net Zero Get in touch for: Advancing Net Zero Projects

Email Emily

Daisy Everingham

Digital Content and Social Media Officer Get in touch for: Articles/Blogs, Social Media, UKGBC Content

Email Daisy

David Everington

Volunteer Local Network Coordinator – Greater Manchester Get in touch for: Opportunities in the region

Email David

Rob Fordham

Membership Services and CRM Manager Get in touch for: Membership Enquiries, Data Management, Membership Administration

Email Rob

Emily-Rose Garnett

Solutions and Innovation Advisor Get in touch for: Industry Research and Innovation

Email Emily-Rose

Hannah Giddings

Head of Resilience and Nature Get in touch for: Climate Resilience and Nature

Email Hannah

Leigh Grove

People and Leadership Administrator Get in touch for: Administration for People & Culture, and Leadership Team

Email Leigh

Omer Hamid

Communications and Media Manager Get in touch for: Media opportunities, public relations

Email Omer

Anna Hollyman

Senior Sustainability Advisor Get in touch for: Commercial Retrofit, Learning and Development

Email Anna

Louise Hutchins

Head of Policy and Public Affairs Get in touch for: Policy, Public Affairs, Working with Government, Political Campaigns

Email Louise

Binta Isyaku

Membership Coordinator Get in touch for: Membership enquiries, membership support

Email Binta

Emily Kent

Policy and Public Affairs Coordinator Get in touch for: Policy and public affairs information.

Email Emily

Gesine Kippenberg

Senior Advisor : Sustainability

Email Gesine

Kai Liebetanz

Senior Nature and Circular Economy Advisor Get in touch for: Circular Economy, Resilience and Nature Based Solutions

Email Kai

Kerri McCarton

Project Coordinator : Resilience and Nature Get in touch for: Resilience and Nature

Email Kerri

Caroline Morell

Research and Innovation Intern Get in touch for: Solutions

Email Caroline

Ceri Mugford

Member Engagement Manager Get in touch for: Membership Opportunities

Email Ceri

Brooke Penman

Climate Action Marketing Communications Manager Get in touch for: Press Enquiries, Public Relations, ANZ Communications

Email Brooke

Joe Pitts-Cunningham

Experiential Learning and Events Manager Get in touch for: Learning and Events

Email Joe

Matilda Prescott

Officer: Marketing Get in touch for: Marketing

Email Matilda

Jaime Rebelo

Finance and Operations Manager Get in touch for: Accounting, reporting & operations

Email Jaime

Lucy Rees

Head of Insights and Innovation Get in touch for: Industry Insights, Corporate Sustainability, Race to Zero, Innovation

Email Lucy

Shruti Sawant

Learning and Events Coordinator Get in touch for: Events Organisations and Management

Email Shruti

David Steen

Scotland Policy Advisor Get in touch for: Scottish Policy and Public Affairs

Email David

Hattie Thompson

Local Network Coordinator – Bristol & the South West Get in touch for: Opportunities in the region

Email Hattie

Joanne Wheeler

Senior Local Policy & Retrofit Manager Get in touch for: Local Policy, Accelerator Cities and Build Upon 2

Email Joanne

Tom Wigg

Senior Advancing Net Zero Advisor Get in touch for: Advancing Net Zero, verification, and NZC performance targets

Email Tom

Clare Wilde

Project Co-ordinator : Circular Economy Get in touch for: Circular Economy Projects

Email Clare

Want to join our team?

At UKGBC we’re always looking for passionate individuals to join us as we strive for a sustainable built environment.

Explore

Trustees

Sunand Prasad (Chair)

Principal – Perkins & Will

Sunand Prasad is a Principal of Perkins&Will and co-founder of the highly regarded architects, Penoyre & Prasad which became a studio of Perkins& Will in 2019. Sunand is one of the London Mayor’s Design Advocates and Chairs the Editorial Board of the Journal of Architecture. He holds multiple advisory roles across industry and government.

Victoria Quinlan

President – Europe – Cortland

Victoria is responsible for Cortland’s strategic vision and growth in the UK and Europe. She brings a wealth of experience in the real estate and construction sectors, having held positions spanning investment, development, business operations, finance and capital markets transactions.

David Partridge

Chairman – Related Argent Partnership

David joined Argent in 1990, he was appointed Joint Chief Executive in 2006 and Managing Partner of the new Argent LLP in 2012 and became Senior Partner in 2019. He is now Chairman of the Related Argent Partnership. David is a Trustee of Landaid and Chairman of the Governance Board of the UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard.

Jerome Frost OBE

Global Cities Leader – Arup

Jerome Frost is Chair of Arup’s UK, Middle East, India, and Africa (UKIMEA) region. Leading a 6,500-strong team. His focus is on sustainable development, shaping more inclusive, safe, and resilient communities, infrastructure, and cities. Jerome currently serves on the board of the UKGBC is Co-Chair of the Real Play Coalition and is a Council Member of the WBCSD.

Lorna Walker

COO – Modomo

Lorna is a social entrepreneur. She runs Noble Walker Consulting, advising start ups, social enterprises and traditional property players with a particular focus on sustainability and social impact. Prior to this, Lorna was part of the cofounding team at Modomo – a startup tackling the housing crisis in a sustainable way through meanwhile housing – and led this purpose-driven business…

Judith Everett

Executive Director of Purpose, Sustainability and Stakeholder – The Crown Estate

Judith Everett joined The Crown Estate in 2013, and sits on the Group Leadership Team as Executive Director of Purpose, Sustainability and Stakeholder. In this role, Judith is focused on driving forward The Crown Estate’s commitments on Net Zero and biodiversity, its role as a purposeful business, committed to creating lasting and shared prosperity for the nation.

Derek Wilson

Managing Director – Synergetic

Derek is Managing Director of Synergetic, which uses frameworks and data analytics to make property more sustainable – and profitable – at the same time. A chartered surveyor and transport-oriented development specialist with degrees in land economics and sustainable urban development, Derek has been responsible for the creation of TfL’s Sustainable Development Framework.

Chris Oglesby

Chief Executive – Bruntwood

Chris was appointed CEO of Bruntwood in 1999 and has overseen the growth of the business to one that owns over £1bn of commercial property across the city regions of Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Leeds. Bruntwood was founded on a belief that its success comes from the success of its colleagues, customers and the communities in which it operates.

Basil Demeroutis

Managing Partner – FORE Partnership

Founder of FORE Partnership, the purpose-driven real estate investment management firm and formerly Partner at Capricorn Investment Group and Managing Partner Jargonnant Partners real estate platform in Germany. He also has a background in investment banking (ING Barings, Bear Stearns, Bankers Trust) and a BSc in Aerospace Engineering from Cornell University.

Tara Gbolade

Co-Founding Director – Gbolade Design Studios

Tara is Co-Founding Director of the practice and a Mayor’s Design Advocate. She is an RIBAJ Rising Star winner and co-founder of the Paradigm Network. She sits on the steering group of Architects Declare, a network addressing how architects respond to our climate emergency.

James Pearce

Head of Building Surveying – capco

As Head of Building Surveying, James is responsible for construction and maintenance projects across Capco’s Covent Garden Estate. A key part of his role is to implement Capco’s Sustainable Development Framework and Net Zero Pathway through refurbishment and redevelopment projects. James is critical to delivery of Capco’s ambitions, alongside collaboration with stakeholders, suppliers, occupiers and neighbours.

Mark Robinson

Group Chief Executive – SCAPE

Mark started his career as a YTS apprentice and progressed into roles in construction operations, strategic planning and corporate procurement. In 2009, Mark was appointed CEO of SCAPE which has over 1,600 live projects and commissions. He works with some of the UK’s biggest construction companies and leading industry bodies to help improve the built environment across the public estate.

Members Advisory Group

Stuart Burrows

Programme Director

Seiju Desai

Head of Technical Excellence

Clare Harrison

Project Director

Rachel Hoolahan

Architect and Sustainability Coordinator

Richard Jackson

Director

Ólöf Jónsdóttir

Head of Public Affairs

Katia Martin

Director of Corporate Responsibility

Rebecca Pearce

Director

Lucy Pedler

Director

Duncan Price

Partner (Sustainability)

Tom Randall

Associate Director – Building Performance and Systems

David Willock

Managing Director

Simon Wyatt

Associate Director