Student Festival 2026

Victoria Hills is Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). She comes into this role having previously served as CEO of the Royal Town Planning Institute and with more than 25 years of experience in senior leadership roles. Her previous experiences have most recently been in the membership sector, covering planning, transport, regeneration and regional government. Working for all three Mayors of London, her projects included establishment of the UK’s second Mayoral Development Corporation, the Old Oak & Park Royal Development Corporation. While at the Royal Town Planning Institute, she advocated for resourcing planning and putting the discipline at the heart of delivery for quality places. She also drove the RTPI’s Strategic Plan for their 27,000 members, both domestically and globally, raising the profile of the work of planners and supporting efforts to attract a diverse and inclusive profession. In her time at the RTPI, Victoria oversaw an 8% growth in membership. Victoria currently sits on the Advisory Board of Black Professionals In Construction (BPIC) and the Transport Knowledge Hub Advisory Board. Victoria also is a Commissioner on the Essex Climate Action Commission and is a member of the Worshipful Company of Paviors. In 2024, Victoria was awarded an Honorary Degree Doctor of Technology.

An Apprenticeship and End-point assessment (EPA) specialist with over 25 years’ experience working in the apprenticeships market.  I have worked as a tutor/assessor and internal quality assurer for training providers and an external quality assurer for awarding orgnaisations over this time.  I have been part of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE), now Skills England, external quality assurance provider team, conducting fitness for purpose reports on Apprenticeship assessment plans and grading EPAO’s through readiness and monitoring reports, on behalf of the institute. I continue to support the development of sector specific apprenticeship standards. I am the Head of Apprenticeships at the CIOB to ensuring the CIOB is well positioned to raise the bar for apprenticeships.

Yasmin Garcia-Sterling is a Lecturer at The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, University College London and a Judge for the UK Facilities Management Awards 2025, presented in association with The Times. She is a PhD candidate researching digital wayfinding and its impact on cognitive and sensory navigation. Her interdisciplinary background spans biochemistry, business, and built asset management. With a Distinction, achieving a top percentile grade in her MSc Digital Innovation Built Asset Management. Yasmin’s research explores how emerging technologies can support neurodivergent users and optimise experiences within the built environment. With teaching experience across UCL’s MSc programmes and leadership roles in student engagement, she is committed to inclusive design, social impact, and bridging academic insight with real-world consultancy in the built and digital infrastructure sectors.

Rohit Malhotra is a multi-award-winning Project Manager at AtkinsRéalis, delivering complex infrastructure projects across the UK As a CIOB Tomorrow’s Leaders Champion and member, Rohit actively promotes professional development,  advocates for professional excellence and is committed to driving an inclusive and sustainable future for the built environment. Honoured with the CIOB Rising Star Award and BTF Young Project manager of the Year award, Rohit is recognised for his leadership, mentoring, and advocacy for best industry practice, speaking at national conferences, podcast and universities on project management and inclusion in the UK construction sector. 

Dan Daley is the Clean Construction Just Transition Senior Manager at C40 Cities where he directs the Visible project. Working with Warsaw, Madrid, and London, Dan supports pilot initiatives that prove building decarbonization can be rooted in social and economic equity. Dan combines a background in urban planning and theatre-making with a specialisation in public engagement and facilitation. 

Cécile Faraud is Head of Clean Construction at C40 Cities, where she leads initiatives to reduce the climate and socio-economic impacts of urban construction and champion circular, regenerative built environment practices. With a background in environmental policy and international collaboration, she supports global cities in accelerating the shift towards a decarbonised, climate-resilient and just construction and urban development ecosystem.

Titus Akpan (MCIOB) is Assistant Project Manager at Colemans as well as a CIOB Member and Sustainability Ambassador for our CIOB Birmingham Hub. As part of the Project Management team at Colemans, he supports the planning, coordination and delivery of engineered deconstruction and remediation projects across the UK. Drawing on his Civil Engineering background and infrastructure experience, from road rehabilitation to reinforced concrete construction, he applies technical rigour and operational discipline to each stage of project execution. He is a specialist in engineered deconstruction, a passionate advocate for advancing sustainability in the built environment, and integral to driving sustainable forward at Colemans and beyond. 

Beatrice Mensimah Ossei-Gudom is a PhD candidate at The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, University College London, and a certified Project Management Professional (PMP®) with over five years of experience across construction, infrastructure, and digital project delivery in the UK and Ghana. Her doctoral research focuses on BIM readiness and capabilities development within Ghana’s construction industry, exploring how digital strategies can support industry transformation in emerging economies. Beatrice has worked on large-scale capital and institutional projects, including a £30m infrastructure programme in the UK, and led heritage, digitization, and capacity-building projects with an NGO in Ghana. With a background spanning project management, research, and academic leadership, she is passionate about bridging theory and practice, advancing digital capability in the built environment, and supporting inclusive, sustainable development through education and industry collaboration.

Amanda is Head of Environmental Sustainability at the Chartered Institute of Building, as well as a Subject Matter Specialist (sustainability) for Ofqual and a Full Membership and Chartered Environmentalist Assessor for the Institute of Sustainability & Environmental Professionals (ISEP). She sits on various industry boards and committees including the Construction Industry Council’s Climate Change Committee. She has worked as a sustainability practitioner for over 20 years and has broad experience, having previously worked in the higher education, land and facilities management, defence, and manufacturing sectors as well as on policy and regional liaison for a Green member of the European Parliament. She is a Chartered Environmentalist and Fellow of the Institute of Sustainability & Environmental Professionals (ISEP).

I'm a Management Trainee (Technical) at Dandara, building a strong technical understanding while developing the skills needed to lead teams and manage/coordinate projects effectively. I'm currently studying Level 6 Design and Construction Management as part of my apprenticeship, which allows me to continue my academic learning alongside real responsibility and day-to-day experiences.

Hassana Ahmed is the Senior Qualifications Liaison Manager at the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), where she leads education engagement across CIOB hubs and manages an international team of Qualifications Liaison Managers. With professional experience spanning the higher education and charity sectors, Hassana specialises in building effective education - industry partnerships, professional development pathways, and inclusive growth strategies for the construction sector. She holds a BA in Business Studies, is a Fellow of Advance HE, and a Chartered Manager with the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). A strong advocate for coaching-led leadership and talent development, Hassana is committed to strengthening professional capability and supporting the next generation of construction professionals.  Hassana regularly speaks on education pathways, professional standards, and developing future talent in construction. Her work focuses on bridging academia and industry to support sustainable workforce development. She is the founder of the CIOB Student Festival, now an established annual flagship event.  

Mania is a sustainability expert with deep expertise in sustainable construction, design management, and strategic implementation. She has a proven track record of delivering high‑profile, environmentally responsible projects across the UK and the Middle East. As a Chartered Environmentalist and Chartered Construction Manager, her core experience lies in sustainability management, with a strong focus on embedding Net Zero, circular economy into building design, master planning, and construction delivery. Over the past 22 years, she has built a reputation for being highly technical, detail‑oriented, and effective at leading sustainability compliance from early design through construction and handover. Mania provides robust sustainability input into planning applications and development proposals, ensuring alignment with sustainability frameworks and national, regional, and local planning policy. Her work spans supporting the development of planning policy, delivering evidence‑based sustainability assessments, and evaluating proposals against Net Zero, circular economy, and sustainable construction requirements. Her combined experience across both design and construction enables her to offer comprehensive, practical, and strategic sustainability advice. She has successfully supported over 20 client bodies across diverse sectors—including aviation, urban development, buildings, and transport—helping them navigate sustainability challenges and achieve high‑performance, compliant, and future‑ready outcomes.

Kufre Antia is an MSc Construction Project Management with BIM student at Northumbria University and a regional representative within the Chartered Institute of Building’s Tomorrow’s Leaders community. He has been actively involved in the North East Student Challenge, where he contributed to collaborative, student-led initiatives that connect academic learning with real-world construction practice.
With prior experience as a Technical Office Engineer on the Trans-Saharan Highway reconstruction project, Kufre brings practical insight into large-scale infrastructure delivery. He is also the founder of Northumbria Construct, a student-industry platform focused on bridging the gap between education and industry.

Ben holds a Bachelor of Construction Project Management (First Class Honours) from the University of Technology Sydney. With over seven years of experience delivering high-end residential projects across Sydney, he has developed strong expertise in managing complex builds with precision and attention to detail. Ben also serves as the Sydney Representative for Tomorrow’s Leaders, reflecting his commitment to industry leadership and professional development.