We are a dedicated team of 100 professionals, passionate about the art of placemaking. Our team includes Architects, Technologists, Interior Designers, and Masterplanners, supported by specialists in BIM, Heritage, Retrofit, and Sustainability.

Our strength lies in our blend of innovative thinking, technical expertise and creative spirit. We aim to create exceptional spaces that push beyond traditional boundaries. Collaborating closely with clients and partners, we transform innovative concepts into reality, enriching communities and nurturing the environment. Together we take pride in shaping impactful spaces that leave a lasting legacy.

Directors

Alan Lamb

Director

Alan predominantly works in the industrial sector and has extensive experience in masterplanning, distribution, warehousing, manufacturing, R&D and energy projects - leading a team of specialist architects and technicians through all stages. From day one, Alan is committed to exploring all potential constraints and opportunities to ensure successful planning and delivery with sustainable outcomes.

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Alex Southall

Director

Alex is co-lead of, and specialises in, the industrial sector. His experience ranges from warehouses and distribution facilities to advanced manufacturing facilities and data centres. He has also overseen much of our portfolio with Ronald McDonald House nationwide and also has commercial office experience. Alex also oversees all aspects of AEW’s People Strategy, including leading the Social Value and EDI forums.

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Andy Rainford

Managing Director

Andy oversees the strategic direction of the business working to ensure the delivery of AEW’s People, Projects and Performance Strategies. He works closely with the BIM, Sustainability and Central Resource functions to ensure the smooth running of the practice and innovation in our approach. He also provides guidance to project teams working across all sectors, having successfully delivered industrial, office, residential and retail and leisure projects throughout his career.

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Colin Savage

Commercial Director

Colin specialises in the residential sector with a focus on the design of housing, sustainable refurbishment and the regeneration of communities. His work spans both the private and public sector for developers, contractors, registered providers and local authorities. Colin is a Fellow of the CIAT and is heavily involved in encouraging the next generation of Architectural Technologists into the industry. Colin also oversees all aspects of Commercial Management on behalf of the practice.

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Danielle Purves

Director

Danielle leads much of our work in the Retail & Leisure sector, heading a team of architects, interior designers and technicians to deliver a range of projects nationally. She works closely with our retail clients to understand their customers’ needs, develop the retail experience and then implement this via large-scale, often national roll-out programmes. As AEW’s interior design lead, Danielle also manages a team providing interior design services across all our key sectors - working independently or alongside architectural staff. Danielle is passionate about encouraging more women into the industry and is an active member of Women in Property North West.

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Mark Turner

Director

Mark focuses on continual improvement, using BIM as a tool to advance the design process, production of information exchanges and all other industry workflows. Regardless of any mandate, he uses BIM to drive efficiencies and improvements in our projects for the benefit of the whole team and our clients. Mark leads an in-house team which provides BIM consultancy services direct to clients, contractors and external consultants. Mark and his team also provide continuous training and support for our team, along with coordination and technical support for our projects. In 2023, Mark passed the Foundation exam in openBIM fundamentals according to the buildingSMART International Professional Certification Program.

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Phil Hepworth

Director

Phil works across all our sectors overseeing community, industrial, office, residential and retail and leisure projects for a range of clients in the public and private sector. Combing this varied sector experience, much of Phil’s recent work has focused on achieving funding for and delivering mixed-use, town centre regeneration projects. Phil enjoys leading a team through all stages of the design process, seeking to deliver well-considered, innovative design solutions. Phil is a member of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce and the British Council for Offices, bringing sector-specific insight to our team.

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Associate Directors

Ben Robinson

Associate Director

Ben leads a team working across a diverse range of sectors on behalf of the practice. Ben himself specialises in residential design with experience spanning from bespoke individual dwellings to large scale masterplanning. He has delivered several notable schemes during his career, including a RIBA Regional Award and Housing Design Award winning later living scheme. Ben also designed one of the first integrated hubs in the UK – a unique facility combining extra-care living with a primary care facility and a range of community services. Within the practice Ben helps drive best practice in design.

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Chris Lenehan

Associate Director

Chris has worked across a range of sectors including industrial, retail and leisure and residential and offers both architectural and masterplanning expertise. Chris also has extensive experience within the cladding remediation sector, having worked on several significant high-rise residential developments. Chris enjoys working closely with clients, consultants and stakeholders to develop projects through all stages, focusing on intelligent, efficient design solutions. Chris is currently undertaking RIBA accredited training to assume the role of Principal Designer under the Building Regulations. In 2024, Chris joined the RIBA Principal Designer Register for High Risk Buildings (HRBs).

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Dan O’Hara

Associate Director

Dan works with several of our key industrial clients to design and deliver strategic sites and high-profile developments nationwide. Dan is experienced in leading projects from concept to completion. He works diligently to understand client requirements and the complexities of a site in order to develop commercially successful, technically robust, masterplans and built solutions. In 2024, Dan joined the RIBA Principal Designer Register.

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Dave Somers

Associate Director

Dave’s experience is diverse but with extensive experience in the Industrial and Retail sectors. Dave has developed multiple out of town shopping centre schemes and employment parks covering typologies from trades counter to warehousing and distribution facilities. Dave constantly looks for pragmatic, simple design solutions to aid the smooth running and commercial success of our projects whilst maintaining the overall design ethos in the detail.

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Eamon O’Hara

Associate Director

Eamon leads a team of architects, technicians and interior designers to deliver ambitious retail roll out programmes nationwide. Eamon keeps these fast-paced commissions on track by balancing an understanding of technical constraints and planning regulations with retail trends and client requirements. Eamon is also a RIBA examiner, helping AEW maintain its position with RIBA and industry priorities. It also informs our architectural student development programme which Eamon leads, providing mentoring and support to those working towards their professional qualifications. In 2024, Eamon joined the RIBA Principal Designer Register.

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Karey Wardhaugh

Head of People

Karey brings over 17 years’ experience to the team, having previously worked in a similar role in the creative industry. As a HR generalist, Karey has a wide variety of skills she can call upon when dealing with the many different aspects of human resources. This ranges from employee relations and engagement to the production of new policies to formalising training and development initiatives. Notably Karey has pioneered AEW’s innovative new Coaching Culture. Karey sits on both the Social Value and EDI Committees to help guide our approach in these areas. She is also a qualified Mental Health First Aider and helps to provide wellbeing support across the practice.

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Peter Bartley

Head of Sustainability

Peter has over 15 years of industry experience providing energy and sustainability consultancy services across a broad range of sectors. He has been at the forefront of whole life cycle assessment methods since 2018 and has specialist experience carrying out whole life cycle assessment, dynamic building modelling and advising and informing BREEAM and net zero strategies. In addition to leading the Sustainability Team, Peter oversees AEW’s “Sustainability Influencers”. Together they drive continuous improvement in minimising our corporate and project environmental impacts.

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Ross Huntingdon

Associate Director

During his career Ross has worked with some of our longest standing clients. He has been leading our growing portfolio of refurbishment work in the residential sector including Retrofit and Building a Safer Future commissions. His experience spans multiple projects and includes Higher Risk Buildings. His team are currently looking to improve over 1,000 homes as part of our Retrofit drive.

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Associates

Alia Lodhi

Finance Manager

Alia is a qualified ACCA accountant with over 10 years’ experience in various sectors. Alia heads up the Finance Team and is responsible for producing the financial statements, ensuring the full accuracy in allowing the Directors a snapshot of the financial performance. She also interacts with all teams across the practice in regard to their projects.

Ben Costello

Associate

Ben has over 10 years of industry experience spanning the retail, commercial, industrial and office sectors. Ben now undertakes a key role in supporting AEW's retail team to deliver technical design packages for projects on site. He also plays a pivotal role in ensuring Quality Assurance on every project the team delivers. Ben uses the skills and experience gained from his Apprenticeship and subsequent career to encourage and mentor junior team members, helping guide and develop their knowledge.

Ben Smith

Associate

Ben has delivered large, complex projects with challenging briefs across a variety of sectors. He welcomes complex client requirements and the challenge of maximising a difficult projects potential. Having successfully delivered schemes of varying scales, Ben has the knowledge and experience required to interrogate early-stage designs and develop considered and well resolved proposals for planning and tender information.

Bernard Lam

Associate

Bernard’s sector experience is varied and includes retail and leisure, offices and industrial and spans both new build and refurbishment. His recent work spans from one off projects to long term, multi-phased development briefs to intricate town centre regeneration interventions. Bernard’s commitment to projects is recognised by his clients, working relentlessly and transparently to collaborate with the team to drive successful outcomes for all.

Charlotte Fuller

Associate

Charlotte has worked across a multitude of sectors, delivering projects of varying sizes and complexities. Her experience includes office refurbishments, new and refurbished industrial units, energy from waste facilities, new and refurbished self storage buildings, heritage work, residential schemes and mixed-use masterplanning projects. Charlotte's varied experience allows her to explore and understand specific client requirements in any given brief, solving problems, developing focused options and a final strategy. Ensuring the best possible design solution that works for the client, the site and the surrounding context.

Dan Sutton

Associate / Passive House Designer

Dan has worked across a wide range of project sectors from inception to completion - gaining particular strengths in the concept and design development stages. With a keen eye for detail, Dan’s project delivery skills are consistently of a high quality. He now works extensively in the residential sector and, with a combined interest in sustainability, became a Certified Passive House Designer in 2022.

Danny Lomax

Associate / Retrofit Coordinator

Danny qualified as an Architect in 2022 having gained wide-ranging residential and regeneration experience across new-build, refurbishment and hybrid solutions. With a keen eye for the utilisation of space, Danny has refined his skills on site masterplans and the layout of houses and apartments in particular - pushing design solutions for the benefit of our clients and communities. Building upon his regeneration experience, in 2023 Danny completed his Level 5 Diploma in Retrofit Coordination and Risk Management. Danny is now able to perform the role of a Retrofit Coordinator on PAS 2035 compliant projects.

Hannah Cook

Associate

Hannah’s experience spans from residential and office schemes to retail and leisure projects. Most recently, her work has focused on town centre regeneration and the creative reuse of existing buildings. This mixed-use and regeneration experience gives her a unique insight into industry trends and legislation which she applies and shares with the wider team. Hannah enjoys working through all stages of the project, from concept design and planning through to delivering practical projects on site. Using her detailed technical knowledge to achieve successful projects for our clients.

Jenny Bosworth

Marketing Manager

Jenny is highly skilled in marketing, bid management and public sector procurement. Her focus is on marketing the skills and experience of the practice to the wider industry and bidding for and securing new work. She has worked for architects, contractors and developers - providing her with a well-rounded understanding and knowledge of the property sector.

Jonathan Sheridan

Associate

Jonathan has extensive experience in the retail sector including national roll out programmes for major high street brands. Jonathan combines his technical skills and relaxed management style to lead multiple teams from initial concept to successful store openings - overcoming the many challenges that projects can sometimes throw at us.

Liz Durcan

Associate

Liz is passionate about delivering interior schemes to provide enhanced environments for all. Her experience spans a wide range of sectors from offices and workplaces to retail and leisure. Liz strives to understand a client’s brief from all angles and translates this into high quality design proposals. Liz enjoys collaborating with project teams and stakeholders to deliver projects and exceed expectations. She combines her established sector knowledge with excellent presentation and communication skills.

Mark Haworth

BIM Manager

Prior to specialising in the BIM process, Mark worked across many of our specialist sectors, delivering large, complex projects including Industrial, Education, Offices, Retail and Sports and Leisure developments. Mark's experience allows him to explore and understand the specific issues in any brief and then develop an appropriate strategy for the design solution. Mark specialises in computation design processes and increasing use of automation techniques to deliver consistent data and explore design options which can then be filtered and optimised to meet the design brief. In 2023, Mark passed the Foundation exam in openBIM fundamentals according to the buildingSMART International Professional Certification Program.

Meg Wood

Associate

Meg specialises in the retail sector with a focus on projects for long-standing client, McDonald’s Restaurants - implementing fast paced, large-scale roll out programmes throughout the UK and ROI to improve the customer experience. Meg is highly skilled in all aspects of the design process from drawing and standard documentation production, to liaising with the project team and presenting to clients through to project tracking and resourcing. Meg is also a QA representative, ensuring all work within here team and the wider practice is delivered in accordance with AEW’s ISO9001 accredited quality assurance procedures.

Rebekah Parkinson

Associate

Rebekah has worked in several of our specialist sectors across design and construction stages with projects ranging from mixed use masterplans and high street regeneration projects to residential and office developments. Her experience allows her to work through complex issues within the brief to reach comprehensive design solutions. Rebekah has experience of both new build and refurbishment / conversion projects - including listed buildings. Outside her architectural role, Rebekah supports volunteering, charity and training initiatives as part of the Social Value Committee and also mentors AEW's Part I Architectural Assistants.

Rob Dickson

Associate

Rob has worked across many of our specialist sectors, delivering some of the practices largest and most complex projects. His sector experience includes offices, retail, sports facilities and leisure developments. Rob’s experience allows him to explore and understand the specific issues in any brief and then develop an appropriate design solution. Rob believes that the most successful outcomes are created by teams that support and encourage each other at every stage. In 2024, Rob joined the RIBA Principal Designer Register.

Stewart Grant

Consultant

Stewart is a highly experienced Architect and a knowledgeable and respected property industry business consultant. He is grounded in managing the operational aspects of architecture practices and is passionate about creating opportunities for businesses and individuals to develop. He assists with strategic business planning, coaching and mentoring, maintaining a robust internal and external feedback and improvement programme and our business development activities.

Tom Fantom-Claire

Associate

Tom has worked across various project sectors, from inception to completion and has gained strength in the concept and design development stages. Most recently, Tom has been working extensively in the industrial sector, working on projects for a range of AEW's long-standing clients, including Birchwood Park and Carrington Gateway. Outside of his architectural role, Tom mentors AEW's Part I Architectural Assistants.

Tom Scott-Smith

Associate

Using the skills and knowledge Tom has gained from over 15 years in the industry, he oversees large-scale retail roll out programmes for some of our major clients - working with a dedicated team to progress schemes from feasibility through to completion. Tom specialises in the retail sector, specifically working with key clients and retailers to understand their customers’ evolving expectations and developing the retail experience through design and implementation. Tom’s experience includes new build, refurbishment, conversion and modular solutions. Tom also acts as a mentor to Part I and Part II students within the office.

Wider Team

Aaron Losada, Aayesha Lambat, Alex Williams, Alice Wright, Ana Bento, Anna Barker, Anne Gabaldon, Ben Vincent, Bilal Ravat, Cameron McIntosh, Charlotte Ames, Dani Green, Darrell Wong, David James, David Sumner, Delaram Zeinolabedini, Edward Onchere, Eleanor Strange, Freya Barber, Hasan Farooq, Heather Coleman, Ian Wanless, Jack Millington, Jennifer Shields, Joe Shepherd, Johan John, Jonathan Davis, Kate Silvester, Kieron Daley, Kyra Jennings, Lileth Cavanagh, Louis Muller-Dahl, Lucy Lees, Lucy Smethurst, Luke Woodison, Maddie Woodhead, Mark Pointon, Martyn Mounter, Matt Bell, Matt Charnley, Naomi Clare, Natalie Edwards, Neil Dunn, Olivia Knight, Patricia Kennington, Phoebe Collin, Raphaela Bertoncello, Rebecca Chin, Riannon Harrison, Richard Farley, Rob Foster, Ryan Berry, Saeed Ullah, Sam Farrar, Sam Gallimore, Sam Turner, Shahd Salama, Stephen Ferguson, Tom Patchett, Tom Webster, Wilson Sales

Careers at AEW

We believe that careers are not just about jobs, they are about pursuing passions and creating meaningful contributions to the built environment and the communities in which we live. We ensure that our offer allows our people to achieve their full potential and build fulfilling, long-term careers.

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