EDI Conference: Challenging the Status Quo

Sandi Rhys Jones began her career in construction, property and engineering as a journalist, working for a variety of technical organisations before forming her management and marketing business. She has worked for contractors, consultants, suppliers, representative organisations and government, both in the UK and overseas. An advocate for construction and its contribution to society – housing, workplaces, infrastructure – Sandi brings her experience both as employer and non-executive director to help organisations find innovative ways to improve performance and develop new business, including market and customer research, staff recruitment and retention, culture change, talent management and public and political engagement.

She developed and delivers a cross-disciplinary national mentoring programme at Women in Property and leads on Public Affairs, representing the organisation on two All Party Parliamentary Groups. She was appointed OBE in 1998 for her work in promoting women in construction. Sandi is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building, a Fellow of the Women’s Engineering Society and trained as a mediator after completing an MSc in Construction law.

Sandi became CIOB President in June 2023.

Professor Charles Egbu is Vice Chancellor Leeds Trinity University. His First Degree was in Quantity Surveying [First Class Honours] – Leeds Metropolitan University, UK, and he worked briefly as a site Quantity Surveyor for a large UK construction company. His Doctorate was obtained from the University of Salford, UK, in the area of Construction Management. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building (FCIOB), Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS), Fellow of the Association for Project Management (FAPM), Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce (FRSA), and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). He is currently Vice Chair of the CIOB Policy
Board.
He has lectured, nationally and internationally, at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in areas such as construction economics, contract procurement, project management, construction management, construction process improvements, sustainable development, and Innovation & knowledge management in complex environments. His research is in similar areas, where he has attracted in excess of £25m from many research funding bodies – nationally and internationally. He is a Visiting Professor to a number of Universities in Europe, Africa, and Asia. He has contributed over 350 publications in various international journals and conferences and has hosted, chaired and spoken at many conferences in his areas of expertise.
 

Ed Warner founded the inclusive design business Motionspot in 2012 after his friend and Co-Founder James Taylor was paralysed in a diving accident and left underwhelmed by the clinical design and poor quality of adaptations in his home. Ed has since built Motionspot into a RIBA award winning industry leader in inclusive design. Motionspot helps to transform spaces and lives through beautifully designed, inclusive environments that deliver independence for anyone with a disability as well as those with sensory and cognitive needs, including neurodiversity. Motionspot also designs for people of different faiths and genders to create spaces that are truly equitable.  

Motionspot provides inclusive design consultancy and innovative accessible products to the hospitality industry, workplaces, retirement and later living developments, care and housing providers, and leisure and retail venues across the world. 

Ed was also the Government Sector Champion for the design of Accessible Spaces and Products for a three-year term between 2019 and 2022.

Ed is an experienced public speaker on inclusive design topics relating to the built environment including how inclusive design supports the ‘S’ in ESG and is a vital component of EDI strategies.

Chris Keast is current Chair of the CIOB Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Panel and is a Chartered Building Engineer, Fellow of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building, member of ICOMOS, member of the Institute of Leadership and Management and Fellow of The Higher Education Academy.

Following a successful career in the public sector as a building surveyor, Chris moved into education heading up postgraduate and degree apprenticeship courses in property management and development at Nottingham Trent University. He has also sits on the university’s shadow executive team which has the remit of ensuring that university policy and direction is fully inclusive. Similarly, as a trade union official, Chris has for over twenty years ceaselessly campaigned on EDI issues, seeking to give a voice to members and empowering them to achieve fair outcomes, often against seemingly overwhelming odds.

Living with a life-limiting industrial disease and having suffered further life-changing injuries in an accident in 2006, Chris is acutely aware that much of the built environment remains inaccessible for people with disabilities and additional needs. This area of work has become the focus of his current research and a driver for his work with the CIOB.

Chris was a founder member of the Disabled Employees Network at NTU, a member of NADSN, an LGBTQ+ ally and a Judge for The Inspire Awards, Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion in UK Construction, Engineering and Housing. 

Chris was a founder member of the Disabled Employees Network at Nottingham Trent University and a member of the Shadow University Executive Team which reviews policy from a D&I perspective.  He is also a member of NADSN, an LGBTQ+ ally and a Judge for The Inspire Awards, Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion in UK Construction, Engineering and Housing. 

Martin is a multi-awarding EDI Champion and UK-based Principal Geotechnical Engineer with the international multidisciplinary consultancy GHD based in their London office.  He is neurodivergent (autistic, dyslexic, dyspraxic) and visually impaired.  He is a Chartered Engineer Chartered Geologist and a Fellow of the Institute of Diversity and Equality Professionals.  Currently, he is serving as a Geological Society Vice President for Equity Diversity and Inclusion and the inaugural chairperson of the Equal Engineers Neurodiversity Network. 

Maia Panesar is a Senior Project Manager at Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) showcasing a multifaceted career within the built environment. Maia qualified as MCIOB in February 2023, followed up in July by joining the CIOB West Midlands Committee Hub as an EDI ambassador. Maia is a Regional Champion for the RLB Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage Employee Resource Group (RLB REACH ERG) committee launched in April 2023, the largest diversity & inclusion community at RLB. Maia proactively advocates for diversity and inclusion within the industry, leveraging equitable practices, fostering a forward-thinking environment, and contributing to industry awareness and social impact.

Founder of Bold as Brass and mining geologist. 

I found my purpose, and that is to create change through building camaraderie. 

I know how it feels to be the “only”, the “other”, the “trouble maker”, “that woman”, the one who stands up for what’s right. 

I’ve been campaigning for more inclusive PPE that keeps everyone safe, not just average sized men and working with PPE brands to see that through over the last year. 

Emma is an award winning CIOB Chartered Construction Manager and Chartered Environmentalist, and works for a UK multi-disciplinary consultancy as a Principal Sustainability Project Manager. Emma is currently a Board Trustee with the Yorkshire Collaborative Academy Trust. She is a founder of Women in Sustainable Construction and Property and Women in Sustainable Rail LinkedIn groups. She pushes both sustainability and EDI agendas in the built environment, and is a CIOB Equality Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Panel member, Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador for the IoD (North East and Yorkshire) and Chair of the Women’s Engineering Society EDI Specialist Interest Group. 

I have 39 years of experience in the Construction Industry, holding senior pre-construction and business development roles with leading building contractors, managing multi-disciplinary teams in successful bids for major Public and Private sector projects throughout the UK & Ireland.

The CIOB has been a central part of my career, having held a variety of roles for the Institute, including Chair of Ireland 2012-13 and Members Forum Representative to the CIOB Business Development Board 2017 - 2020

Currently run my own consultancy business, NVM Consulting. My aim is to support businesses within the construction industry in their business development and preconstruction functions along with any personnel training and development.

Robbie is Director of Inclusion and Diversity at the Royal Institute of British Architects. He works with the CEO and Executive Team to make both RIBA and the profession of architecture increasingly inclusive and equitable. He is also committed to furthering Equity, Diversity and Inclusion outside work and volunteers in a number of different roles.