2026 Awards Judges

Adrian joined the Engineering Consultancy firm Johns Slater and Haward of Ipswich as a Trainee Mechanical Engineer in 1985. In 1987, he was appointed an Assistant Building Servcies Engineer with Ipswich Borough Council where he remained for 15 years.

In 1995, Adrian was appointed Building and Design Services Team Leader with responsibility for a multi-disciplinary team comprising Architects, Surveyors, and Mechanical/Electrical Engineers covering capital improvements to the Council's Corporate Estate.

In 2001, Adrian re-joined Johns Slater and Haward as a Salaried Partner and following incorporation in 2004 is now a Director/Shareholder where he is jointly responsible for the business finance, risk management and governance.

Adrian is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of CIBSE. He is a member of CIBSE Council, has conducted Membership Interviews and assisted CIBSE Certification with Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) audits.

He served on the CIBSE East Anglia Regional Committee in various capacities including Secretary and Chair from 1994 to 2004. From 2009 until 2018 Adrian was CHir of the CIBSE Professional Conduct Committee, which administers the Disciplinary Procedures of the Institution. He was also a member of the Governance Review Task Forces of 2005 and 2015.

Professionally, Adrian has served over 38 years in the industry and has experience on a wide range of projects from domestic heating and re-wiring contracts to £30 million plus commercial developments.

In particular, Adiran is responsible for his practice's NHS and university frameworks and for leading where appropriate on sustainability issues. He is also a keen promoter of collaborative working throughout design and construction teams, in order to deliver buildings that really work across the industry.

Adia began her career journey in September 2024, embarking on a path marked by dedication and ambition. She successfully completed the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, gaining a strong foundation in critical thinking and global perspectives.

Currently, Adia is pursuing a Mechanical Degree Apprenticeship, where she is honing her engineering skills while gaining valuable hands-on experience in the industry. Her passion for innovatino and problem-solving drives her to excel in both her academic and professional pursuits.

Caroline directs the Technical Apprenticeship Consortium (TAC), coordinating its National Group and five industry-led apprenticeship 'trailblazer' groups that support the development and ongoing management of 10 construction and built environment apprenticeships in England, which include technical and professional apprenticeships in building services engineering. 

Since 2017, TAC programmes have supported 15,000 apprentice starts and leveraged over £200m in training funds, with completions and achievement rates rapidly rising, and 3,500+ achievements expected this summer.

Through this engagement, over 120 employers continue to be brought together with colleges, independent training providers, and universities to attract, train, and retain the professional technicians and engineers needed to drive this sector forward.

Caroline is also Director of STEM Explored Ltd and contributes to Construction Industry Council (CIC), Construction Leadership Council (CLC) and Construction and Built Environment Education (CBEE) groups, helping shape education and skills policy with Government, and producing reports and toolkits to improve apprenticeship quality and share good practice.

Lucy Wildesmith is a Fellow of CIBSE with 29 years of experience delivering mechanical engineering solutions across a wide range of sectors, from education and healthcare to residential, commercial and heritage buildings. A former CIBSE Graduate of the Year and recipient of the Hoare Lea Prize from Nottingham University, she was shortlisted for the 2025 Women in Construction Most Influential Designer Award. Lucy serves on the CIBSE Technology Committee, mentors engineers and interviews candidates for Chartered Engineer status. A passionate advocate for net zero design, she led the engineering delivery of the UK’s first regulated net zero carbon retirement village.

Dr. Jacquelyn Fox is a Chartered Engineer, Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), and a respected leader in engineering, facilities management, and sustainability across the built environment. With over 20 years of senior leadership experience spanning the UK, Europe, and the Middle East, she has delivered technical excellence, operational strategy, and Net Zero Carbon initiatives across complex, global estates.

Dr. Fox has held senior leadership roles with JLL, working on The Crown Estate portfolio, and with CBRE, driving operational performance and embedding sustainable practices at scale. Alongside her executive career, she is a long-standing contributor to industry development, having authored and supported numerous technical publications, including the latest edition of CIBSE Guide M.

She is a recognised advocate for technical competency, sustainability, and the progression of early-career engineers. During her time as Chair of the CIBSE Fellows Network, Dr. Fox championed the mentoring programme initiated by her predecessor, which continues to thrive under the current leadership.

As Chair of the Judging Panel for Employer of the Year — Young Engineers, Dr. Fox is committed to recognising and celebrating organisations that actively invest in developing, supporting, and empowering the next generation of engineering professionals.

Ritika Maladkar is a Graduate Building Services Engineer at Laing O’Rourke and a recent First-Class MEng graduate in Architectural Environment Engineering from the University of Nottingham, where she graduated top of her class. Her academic focus lies at the intersection of sustainable building design and applied artificial intelligence. Ritika’s EPSRC-sponsored dissertation explored the use of computer vision and deep learning for indoor mould detection—an innovative project that integrates visual and thermal imaging to support healthier indoor environments and proactive maintenance strategies. She is currently developing this research into a publishable paper and intends to pursue patent protection.

In addition to her academic achievements, Ritika has gained industry experience at ProDesign, where she applied SAP 10 software to produce EPC certificates and support regulatory compliance in sustainable design. She is also a nationally recognised chess player and qualified arbiter, having represented England in the European Youth Chess Championship. Ritika brings a rare combination of technical excellence, analytical thinking, and social responsibility to the building services profession, and is committed to driving innovation in the built environment.

Robin completed a degree in Building and a PhD in Building Acoustics at Heriot Watt University. His post-doctoral research work was undertaken at the University of Hull, exploring the vibroacoustic properties of porous materials used in aerospace structures. He started his academic career 30 years ago at the University of Nottingham’s Department of Architecture and Built Environment where he has contributed to the development and delivery of programmes on building services, renewable energy, and architecture. Robin is a passionate believer in the value of collaborative working across disciplines within design teams, and focuses much of his current activity on supporting collaborative design projects that bring together architectural environment engineering and architecture expertise.

Dave Cooper is the CEO of LECS (UK) & LECS (UAE). He has been in the lift & escalator industry since 1980 and is a well-known author and speaker. He holds a Master of Philosophy Degree following a 5-year research project into accidents on escalators, a Master of Science Degree in Lift Engineering, as well as a Bachelor of Science Honours degree, Higher National Certificate and a Continuing Education Certificate in lift and escalator engineering.

He started his career under the Chief Mechanical and Electrical Engineer of the Southern Region of British Railways. Following this, he joined Kone Marryat & Scott (now KONE), rising to Area Safety Manager & Staff Engineer.

In 1988, he joined the technical services division of Royal Insurance as an engineer surveyor, a role that expanded to the training of other engineers all around the UK. In 1993, he was one of the founding partners of LECS (UK) Ltd. He is a co-author of “The Elevator & Escalator Micropedia” (1997) and “Elevator & Escalator Accident Investigation & Litigation”. (2002 & 2005) as well as being a contributor to a number of other books, including five editions of CIBSE Guide D. He is a regular columnist in trade journals worldwide, including Elevation, Elevator World, Elevatori and Lift Industry News. Media exposure includes numerous appearances on TV and radio.

He has presented at a number of industry seminars worldwide, including in Orlando, Thessaloniki, Munich, Shanghai, San Francisco, Melbourne, Zurich, Barcelona, Santander and Vienna, as well as numerous presentations within the UK. He is also a Founding Trustee and Chairman of the UK’s Lift Industry Charity, which assists industry members and/or their families after an accident at work. Dave also Chairs the Charity that runs the Lift Symposium having been an original founder and is an Honorary Visiting Professor at The University of East London. Dave has served on the BSI committee MHE/4 for lifts & escalators since 1989 and Chairs MCE/20 for cable cars and cableways. In 1993, Dave was awarded the Highfield Shield by the IIExE (now part of the IET) for a paper on escalator safety. In 2012, he was awarded the silver medal by CIBSE for services to the Institution. In 2021, he was awarded the Sir Moir Lockhead Award by the SOE for his 30 years of dedication to safety in the lift & escalator industry. In the same year, he was awarded a CIBSE President's Commendation for his work authoring guidance on the reoccupation of offices post-COVID lockdown. In 2023, Dave received an MBE in the King's Birthday Honours list for services to lift & escalator engineering. 

Hannah Gray graduated with First Class Honours in Mechanical Engineering (MEng) from the University of Edinburgh. She completed an 8-month placement and now works at Foster + Partners. She received the Services to Sport Prize 2024, competed for the Scottish Alpine Ski Team, and represented British Universities internationally. Hannah is a STEM ambassador, mentors students, and manages a mechanical forum to support graduate development and industry engagement.