Chairman of Benoy for over 25 years, Graham is passionate about honing the company’s reputation as an innovative and dynamic architectural firm. He first joined Benoy in 1974 and has seen the company go from strength to strength throughout its transition. Graham’s wealth of industry experience is unparalleled. He is a great believer in architects providing highly creative solutions that add value, are commercially sound, deliverable, and in context to their surroundings and the wider built environment.

Gaining comprehensive expertise, Graham has overseen all of Benoy’s major projects on an international scale. These include Bluewater, Kent, one of Europe’s largest new-build shopping and leisure destinations, which has over 80,000 visitors a day; Elements Mall, Hong Kong, an exciting retail development over Kowloon Metro; and ION Orchard, Singapore, a unique design of a 125,000m² retail space with an art gallery and a luxurious residential tower crowned with a public observation deck.

Tom joined the Benoy team in 2013 and is an integral member of the global directorship. Instrumental in guiding the firm’s corporate strategy, Tom was appointed to the role of CEO in 2016. He brings a breadth of experience working with global retailers, developers and investors, and is a key advisor to the business, exploring new sectors and developing new revenue streams.

Most significantly, Tom is committed to ensuring the firm’s entire global team can deliver creative excellence.

Tom was influential in the establishment of the firm’s first on-the-ground presence in Australia, and extended Benoy’s reach by diversifying the portfolio with new projects in Canada and the USA. Working with one of London’s leading developers, he advised the architectural brand strategy for the Silvertown regeneration in East London. He ensures new initiatives are put in place to allow collaboration and the import-export of design expertise to become stronger across Benoy’s international network.

A qualified surveyor, Amy graduated from the University of Reading with a degree in Land Use Planning and Management/Development and began her career at DTZ in the Retail Development Team. Since joining Benoy in 2010, Amy has been instrumental on the delivery side of the business, from general efficiencies, billings and debts to utilisation and resourcing. Throughout her time with the business, Amy has completed the Leadership Management Programme and was based in the Dubai studio for three years which gave her a unique insight into the Middle East market and hands-on experience working with clients in the region.

Prior to joining Benoy in 2018, Neil partnered with the CEO of Olswang LLP to secure the iconic, tripartite merger with Nabarro LLP and CMS LLP to form the sixth largest global law firm. Prior to joining Olswang LLP, he was integral to the merger of EC Harris LLP, as Chief Financial Officer, into Arcadis NV which created a leading global built asset consultancy which now employs 28,000 professionals with a turnover of over €3.0 billion.

Neil is a regular conference speaker and has worked with organisations such as Innovation Enterprise, Global Business Events, The Executive Network, KNect365, Corporate Parity, World Finance Forum, ExecLN and Richmond Events. He has also contributed to and written articles for Finance Director, Accountancy Age, The CFO, The Economist and Reed Finance.

He is a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants and the Institute of Directors.

Mike is one of Benoy’s leading designers with over 25 years of experience throughout the UK, Europe, India and the Middle East. Mike creates innovative and sustainable design solutions, combining knowledge from a wide range of projects including, masterplanning, retail, leisure, mixed-use real estate, residential, commercial development, transport and urban regeneration. Mike has tutored at Nottingham and Lincoln Schools of Architecture, as well as serving as Jury Chairman for the East Midlands RIBA Awards 2018. Mike is a fully qualified architect and a member of the RIBA, BCSC and ICSC.

Mike is passionate about sustainable design and applies this thinking to all his projects, particularly in the area of urban regeneration. Recent work includes the award-winning Wokingham Town Centre regeneration scheme, which included a community and local authority-led phased redevelopment of multiple town centre sites. He is currently leading a project looking to re-energise Orpington town centre, and he recently led the successful Newark Towns Fund Bid securing up to £25m for the town’s regeneration. He also led Okern Zentrum, Oslo, a mixed-use regeneration project combining retail, leisure and commercial floor space; and Intu Broadmarsh, Nottingham, a prime city centre retail asset which will be comprehensively restructured to create new pedestrian links and leisure destinations.

Steve is a familiar face in Benoy, having worked in the Hong Kong Studio for over four years, leading its Interior Design offering.

With over 30 years in the interior design industry, Steve’s experience covers work in the retail, hospitality, airport, corporate and residential sectors. As a specialist across all retail typologies, design and branding, he has led the design and implementation of many high-profile shopping malls, high street stores, department stores and retail roll-outs in the Asia Pacific and the Middle East.

While in Hong Kong, Steve was instrumental in the design and delivery of many projects, including CRL Kunming MixC; the award-winning Seazen Suzhou Wuyue Plaza (previously known as Futureland Suzhou); and Xintian 360 Plaza, Kangqiao.

Now based in the Newark, Steve utilises his customer experience design skills to support the team across various projects and grow the portfolio of work.

Email
steve.barnes@benoy.com

With over 30 years of experience as an Architect, Urban Designer and Masterplanner, Simon is one of Benoy’s most senior and best travelled creatives. He has worked in most of our studios across the world and influenced many of our most iconic projects, including the innovative Yas Island Masterplan in Abu Dhabi, The Beach in Dubai and the MediaCity UK development in Manchester, UK.

As well as being a hands-on design leader, Simon has an advisory role on design review, design quality and what we call the ‘creative kick-off’ process. He has been a pioneer of mixed-use developments in the business and is often involved in the research and assessment of new typologies for urban living. As an example, Simon led our team on a ground breaking study for Canary Wharf Group, in evolving a new style sustainable CBD for sites in China.

Robert is a skilled architect and masterplanner. He qualified from Westminster University in 2002 and joined the Benoy team in 2003, and has built over 19 years of industry experience. Robert has worked throughout the UK and Europe developing his expertise in various sectors, such as leisure, retail, residential, commercial and mixed-use. Throughout his career, Robert has worked on several notable projects in the UK to rejuvenate and modernise town and city centres.

Robert's recent work includes Victoria Square in Woking, a town centre mixed use regeneration scheme. The £700m development is the latest phase in the Benoy town centre masterplan for Woking, delivering retail, hospitality, residential, conference and dining around two new public spaces.

Robert also leads mixed use projects in Riyadh, KSA and Mumbai India. The projects are confidential but Robert has been involved from project commencement, to the current site delivery

An accomplished strategic thinker in the field, Paul leads the direction of Benoy’s hospitality offering, driving innovative design that aligns with guest experiences, technology integration, sustainability, and community impact. Having spent over 20 years in the hospitality sector, Paul has worked extensively in the Middle East and Africa, representing operators, owners and developers through feasibility studies, technical and design services, renovation and improvement plans, and operational consulting services for various assets.

Throughout his career, his mission has been to create transformative hospitality spaces and environments that elevate experiences, inspire connections, and address the evolving needs of travellers and communities worldwide.

Known throughout the industry for his strategic and analytical style, Paul’s metric-driven approach has led him to create unique software solutions for real estate financial modelling. A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building, Paul was formerly the Managing Partner at RLA Global, the Regional Manager for Architecture, Design and Construction for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, and Director of Projects for Jumeirah Hotels.

Email
paul.boldy@benoy.com

Qin Pang is the Director and Head of Benoy’s Shanghai Studio and Head of Design. With nearly 30 years of experience as a professional architect, he has dedicated himself to exploring the connection between architecture, society, and nature. His goal is to discover integrated solutions for architecture across various scales and levels through numerous engineering and design projects. Thanks to his expertise in sustainable architectural design, he was appointed as a Sustainable City Development Commissioner in Chongqing by the UK Government. In this role, he assists the local Chongqing government in promoting a holistic design strategy for sustainable cities.

Since returning to China in 2008 from Benoy UK, he has worked on and designed a series of landmark projects as a principal designer, which were highly recognised by the industry and were selected for the RIBA China Architect 100 Program from 2020 to 2022, initiated by RIBA. The Architectural Society of Shanghai China honoured him as the second “Shanghai Outstanding Young and Middle-aged Architect” in 2023.

In addition to being an architect by profession, Qin also actively participates in architectural education and academic exchanges with professional associations. He has served as a lecturer, guest professor, and guest judge at Donghua University, Tongji University, Southeast University and Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, as a member of the 14th Council of the Architectural Society of Shanghai, and as Co-Chairman of the ULI China Mainland Mixed-Use Project.

Sara is a director registered at the ARB and RIBA in the UK. Building her expertise throughout international renowned practices in London, Sara has an interesting and diverse portfolio. She has led projects from the initial concept design stage through to tender stage, and she brings a wealth of design and technical knowledge to the Benoy team. Sara applies her wide-ranging skills to projects in various sectors, including hospitality, mixed-use developments, masterplanning, retail, residential and workplace.

Sara has been leading projects in different regions across the globe and as part of her hospitality experience she has worked for Marriott, IHG, Accor, Hilton and created new hotel brands in the African market.

Some of her work includes Konoz Development and Al Othaim hotel, a truly mixed-use project in Riyadh, KSA; Muharraq Lagoon, a mixed-use health and hospitality-led masterplan in Bahrain; a mixed-use and hospitality (Hilton Hotel) scheme in Kuwait; a mixed-use and hospitality (Indigo) scheme in Jeddah, KSA; Mövenpick hotel in Cairo, Egypt; a resort hotel in AL Khobar, KSA; Dubai Creek Harbour (hospitality, multiple brands), Dubai, UAE; Trianon Retail Development (Lux Hotel) Mauritius. Prior Benoy, she worked on a Marriott Hotel in Kerala, India, the Seen Hotel in Ivory Coast, and Yaas Hotel in Senegal.

An urban designer, masterplanner and architect with a focus on holistic placemaking, Ruchi has nearly two decades of experience, leading the design and delivery of projects and programmes of various scales across the UK, US, India, Middle East and Africa, including the newly created and award-wining Strand Aldwych in London.

Previously the Director of Place Shaping for Westminster City Council (WCC) in London, Ruchi created and established the Place Shaping team which acted as the Council’s in-house design and urban strategy team. The team enabled the Council to adopt the role of the “intelligent client”, convenor and enabler in areas of change, translating policies to projects and establishing a co-creative masterplanning and urban design methodology to deliver an agreed holistic vision.

Based in London, Ruchi leads an urban design team of more than 15 specialists, helping to expand its portfolio globally and play a critical role in design leadership, business development and client engagement.

Email
ruchi.chakravarty@benoy.com

Kali has more than 20 years of varied design experience, with over 15 years of experience in retail malls and shops, F&B, mixed-use, office and workplace design. She leads the design teams from inception to delivery on projects across the region, driving design excellence and growing our interior design offering. She works with clients to create and realise sustainable, innovative and commercially successful places for people.

She has worked on some large-scale interior projects such as for retail projects including Suzhou Centre, Raffles City in Shenzhen, Riverside 66 in Tianjin and Palace 66 in Shenyang, for workplace projects including MLC Life Insurance Hong Kong , ICBC Tower Shenzhen and Alibaba Beijing Campus. With her all-round skills and knowledge, Kali is capable of generating creative concepts, executing fine technical details and ultimately realising effective solutions.

With her hands-on and dedicated approach, Kali’s projects have received a number of awards. Kali is a Hong Kong Interior Design Association professional member and her qualifications include LEED AP and WELL AP.

As a Director of Strategy, Patrick brings over a decade of consulting experience to the team. Having worked with a range of clients around the world, he has experience in most regions, including Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. A strategic thinker, he strives to generate creative real estate solutions using financial modelling, storytelling and stakeholder leadership.

For every project, Patrick focuses on maximising the value of assets for clients while developing new experiences for diverse audiences across the globe. He is highly experienced in the development and oversight of statistical models to forecast financial performance and optimise space configuration. Grounded by a strong understanding of the consumer, he also stays across the latest international trends and benchmarks, and how to apply these to global commercial developments.

A graduate of University College London, Patrick previously worked for CBRE and Harper Dennis Hobbs in the UK and spent time as a retail strategy consultant in Australia.

Email
patrick.cox@benoy.com

In his role as Director, Graeme is responsible for leading on the design and delivery of our wayfinding projects. Overseeing the team to deliver all key stages from strategy and concept design to development and implementation, he also acts as project lead and primary client contact.

With a background in industrial design, product design, and graphic design, Graeme focuses on devising solutions that meet the needs of end-users and clients. He is motivated by producing work that is both practical and aesthetic and has a lasting, meaningful impact on people’s experience of the built environment.

Above all, Graeme likes to work collaboratively with colleagues to draw on a range of diverse skills while ensuring team members feel empowered and enabled to deliver exceptional work. And he’s always prepared to
challenge a brief to push boundaries and ensure the best possible outcome.

Email
graeme.crow@benoy.com

Having worked in all of Benoy’s key markets, including the UK, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, John has extensive experience and an astute cultural awareness.

His natural creativity coupled with practical understanding makes his work original, sustainable and commercially viable. John gets involved at every stage of the development process, fully immersing himself in the concept and design progress. A chartered UK architect, John is a long-serving director at Benoy, who inspired his team, and believes architecture should creatively unite communities, giving places a fresh identity that’s still true to its heritage. John believes every project should be ‘of place’, and should be sensitive to site, culture and local sensibilities.

John’s work covers numerous projects across the globe, such as Soma Bay, Egypt and Cali City, Columbia and he is involved in markets including Central and South Asia, Africa, the Middle East, South America and beyond.

Peter is the Design Director of aviation team globally. He has worked on almost every aspect of airfield and terminal operations focusing more recently on the complete passenger experience and commercial masterplanning.

His experience covers over 20 UK airports, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, South America, Asia, Australia and the Caribbean, across large hubs to small regional airports, for over 30 years. Having been involved with almost every aspect of an airfield’s operation, he has a keen understanding of the political, business and stakeholder drivers.

This understanding has been key in developing a research base and skills supporting strategic master planning, due diligence and development programmes, as well as individual projects including terminals, ATC towers, hangars and cargo facilities. In recent years he has been involved in an increasing number of masterplanning exercises.

He speaks regularly at major industry conferences on the subjects of sustainability, innovation and new thinking, construction techniques, DfMA and procurement.

As the Director of Retail Futures at Benoy, Simon brings a unique insight into the blend of digital and in-store experiences, and he is committed to continuing the success of Benoy’s strong retail heritage. He works closely with the design and commercial strategy teams to develop new concepts and ideas in collaboration with clients around the world.

Simon previously held the title of Managing Director/CEO of Selfridges. Prior to this, he worked as an Executive Director for Selfridges, where he looked after the customer division including Digital, Marketing and Events.

With over 20 years of design experience working across three continents, Jon has led multiple award winning design teams, as well as being personally responsible for all aspects of design, implementation and delivery across many different sectors.

His passion for Interior Design has seen Jon take on some of the most intersting, challenging and exciting projects all over the world in markets like China, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and most recently the UK. Jon takes a collaborative approach to working with clients applying global trend knowledge and design leadership initiatives to deliver unique interior places and spaces for all types of modern day lifestyles.

Jon has a prestigious client history working closely with major developers such as Emaar Properties, Hong Kong Land, Shinsagae Properties, IKANO and major Hospitality operators such as Mandarin Oriental, Marriott Group, Hilton Group and global workplace companies such as Google, Saatchi & Saatchi, and Adidas.

Registered on the Singapore Board of Architects, Azaria is a highly experienced architect and renowned participant of the green initiative for the built environment. Passionate about sustainable architecture, Azaria is a LEED Accredited Professional with the US Green Building Council and is a Greenmark Manager in Singapore. Leading a diverse range of contemporary projects, Azaria is involved across the full project lifecycle, including design, coordination, consultation, documentation and construction.

Azaria has worked across Asia in the residential, mixed-use, commercial, retail, hospitality and healthcare sectors. Her most notable projects include Resorts World Sentosa, one of the most iconic integrated waterfront resort developments in Southeast Asia; Cross Street Exchange in Singapore, an adaptive reuse development underpinned by sustainability and heritage conservation in the heart of the CBD; and Jewel Changi Airport in Singapore, an iconic, world-class lifestyle destination enhancing Singapore as a major aviation hub. Azaria also worked on the David Jones Elizabeth Street Flagship in Sydney, Australia, redeveloping the heritage 12-floor department store; and most recently Han Jardin in Hanoi, Vietnam, a prominent mixed-use residential and commercial development designed in response to the country's growing population and thriving modern culture.

As Director of Aviation, Pam brings a sharp analytical lens and an ambitious mindset to complex operational challenges. Harnessing 25 years of industry experience, she is recognised for her unwavering ability to drive growth, define strategic initiatives, and strengthen partnerships with clients.

She thrives in high-stakes environments and is recognised for her ability to turn complexity into clarity. Transforming airport environments and putting human experiences at the heart of all decision making, her goal is to make travel fundamentally enjoyable and exciting while optimising commercial success.

With expertise in commercial strategy, contracting, and negotiations, Pam brings deep industry insight gained through leadership roles at some of the world’s largest airports, including Dubai, Heathrow and Gatwick. Most recently, she served as Business Development Director at WHSmith Travel Retail, overseeing major airport deals and operations.

Email
pam.mccarthy@benoy.com

Toby has over 20 years' experience across mixed-use retail, residential, heritage fabric, Department of Justice and laboratory sectors.

He has a proven track record of delivering complex building projects and understands the needs of clients to provide appropriate and effective design. He brings innovative answers to project problems and creates highly motivated teams. He has used these skills to good effect during his time as an architect with the United Nations World Programme during the South Sudan Conflict.

Prior to returning to Benoy in 2024, Toby worked on various projects such as Astra Zeneca Discovery Centre R&D Lab. Cambridge, ICT Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery Laboratories London, Imperial College London, Christ’s College at Cambridge University, and the Coda restaurant at London's Royal Albert Hall.

Angus is a landscape architect and urban designer with diverse experience across two decades having worked in Australia, USA, UK and the Middle East. He joined Uncommon Land as a Senior Associate Director in 2022 where he is jointly responsible for overseeing projects and studio operations. Angus is also an Australian Registered (AILA) Landscape Architect and member of ASLA.

During his time practicing Angus has been able to transpire his passion for the profession of Landscape Architecture and Urban Design into creating spaces and/or establishing strategic framework, to enhance the quality of life for communities and individuals who visit or live in those places.

Angus’ experience in project delivery in the public domain includes Middle East mega projects, master plans, infrastructure projects such as streetscape refurbishments and development of urban plazas, community parks, foreshore developments, playgrounds, boardwalks, cycleways, projects on ecologically and politically sensitive sites as well as residential design. Through the lifespan of these projects Angus has been involved right from project initialisation, community and client consultation, concept development, detail design, construction documentation, tendering and contract and construction management.

Prior to joining Uncommon Land Angus worked in New York City and where he worked as a Project Director on Riyadh Sports Boulevard in Saudi Arabia.

Email
angus.palmer@benoy.com

Mark was previously Minister of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government, while also serving as Conservative MP for Hertford and Stortford.

A chartered surveyor by profession, after graduating, Mark worked in the property and economic development markets and ran his own business for 10 years before entering politics. His interests include small business and enterprise, urban planning and regeneration, as well as defence and foreign affairs.

Tom is a Design Director in Benoy’s London studio with over 20 years’ experience in the design and delivery of award-winning retail, leisure and residential projects around the world. Recognised for his artistry; Tom specialises in hand-drawn perspectives and diagrams that often become key images for public consultations and client presentations.

His diverse portfolio spanning commercial, residential, industrial and hospitality projects is testament to his enthusiasm for quality design coupled with an ability to understand and translate clients’ requirements into tangible solutions.

Previously Head of Concept at 3DReid London’s studio, Tom led the R&D team researching topics such as AI in Architecture and Future Urban Placemaking. He continues to spearhead the adoption of AI for ideation and concept design stages, as well as innovative, future-focused approaches to retail design.

Email
tom.robinson@benoy.com

Neil Serridge, Design Director, Benoy Middle East, oversees all projects covering Middle East and Europe. His expertise lies in crafting mixed-use district-scale masterplans covering a range of sectors from Retail, Hospitality, Residential, and Commercial. With over two decades of experience in Architecture, Urban Planning and Place Making, he prioritises sustainable, evidence-based solutions and a sound business rationale for mixed-use developments, putting people and experience at the heart of design.

Neil has extensive knowledge of the entire design process, from the conceptual design of a development through to its actual construction. Neil’s previous experience includes the Jeddah Mall and Towers in KSA, which set the standard for other multi-purpose developments in the country; Bahrain Marina, a 135,000m² prime waterfront development with a five-star hotel, F&B outlets, beach villas and a retail village; City Walk in Dubai, a luxury retail development with premium entertainment and fine dining; and the task of creating a unique, multi-purpose urban parkland at Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Park, Abu Dhabi, UAE, which demonstrates a seamless connection from urbanism to nature.

More recently, Neil has been leading the design for a series of luxury hospitality resorts for the Red Sea Global and Amaala portfolio.

Email
Neil.serridge@benoy.com

Wei Tang graduated from Harbin Institute of Technology with a degree in Architectural Design and is a Class I Registered Architect and PRC Certificate Planner.

With extensive experience, she has led numerous projects from concept to planning, preliminary design, construction drawings and on-site coordination. Her expertise ensures effective and reliable control throughout the entire design cycle. Over the years, her wealth of experience has equipped her with a precise understanding and mastery of design regulations in Shanghai and the surrounding areas.

Since joining Benoy Shanghai in 2008, she has played a key role in the design and leadership of several complex, large-scale urban commercial projects, overseeing them until their eventual opening. Notable projects include Hangzhou Joy City, Shanghai Mangoohub and the Alibaba’s Central China Headquarters and Industrial Complex. Her unique insights into commercial architecture and her ability to ensure the quality of international designs for construction in China make her an invaluable member of the team.

As a Class I Registered Architect in China, Leon Zhang has over 20 years of design and project management experience in the industry. He possesses extensive knowledge in overseeing the overall design process of various project types. Since joining Benoy Shanghai in 2014, he has led and worked on the design of numerous workplace, commercial and hotel urban mixed-use projects, as well as planning projects. Some notable projects includes COFCO Joy Breeze in Suzhou, the masterplan for the urban revitalization of Jinling East Road in Shanghai, and Wenzhou InCity MEGA project.

His areas of expertise include masterplanning and design for new sites and new districts, as well as commercial complex projects, from the planning stage through to architectural design and on-site coordination. Leon Zhang excels in effective and proactive communication with clients, combining innovative international design experience with a deep understanding of local regulations, situational analysis, and client development needs, which enables him to deliver creative and cost-effective design programmes.

Yejia Zhu’s passion for architecture stems from her childhood interest in contemporary art and a fascination with the additional dimension it brings to architecture. After studying at the University of Nottingham, UK, she has accumulated over 20 years of experience in the field of architecture and urban design. She spent nearly 10 years working in the UK and is an experienced urban designer and RIBA registered architect. Her expertise encompasses various aspects of commercial design, including large-scale mixed-use projects, commercial district developments, and community commercial spaces, as well as masterplanning and the ecological impact of architecture on the public realm.

Throughout her career, she has been involved in many internationally renowned projects, from concept design to construction, completion and opening. She has also demonstrated an impressive track record in international bidding projects. Yejia specialises in commercial design, particularly in adapting to spatial use requirements at different stages of urban development and promoting the regeneration of buildings with the aim of contributing to a sustainable future.

Yejia has worked on large-scale mixed-use and commercial workplace projects both in China and abroad. Some of her recent notable projects include Joy City, a commercial complex project in Wuhan covering a total area of over 450,000m2; the Yuqiao Science Innovation Centre in Pudong, Shanghai, an innovative AI technology-led education, workplace and commercial mixed-use development project; and Lize Capital Land in the southwestern part of Beijing’s 2nd Ring Road, featuring commercial space, four office towers, and a serviced apartment building, covering a total area of over 300,000m2; and also the Alibaba Jiangsu HQ, which is located in Nanjing.