This page will be updated regularly with speaker profiles.
Joining us as host of the Big Conversation 2025 is Steven Jenkins, Director, Head of Education at AECOM, who will also be be facilitating two key sessions: ‘The Journey to Net Zero’ and ‘The Big Question: The Reality & The Solution.
Steven Jenkins is Director and Head of Education at AECOM for the Europe and India region. With more than 30 years’ experience, he leads the education sector with a strong focus on sustainability, performance and achieving net zero goals. His work includes delivering major university developments such as advanced laboratories, cutting-edge teaching and learning spaces, and the reuse and repurposing of existing buildings. Working closely with clients and partners, Steven ensures education estates combine world-class design and functionality with the sector’s transition to low-carbon, future-ready infrastructure.
Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, Member of the Energy Institute and an Incorporated Engineer. Paul has held Director positions at three Universities over the past 18 years, with a background in local government and consulting engineering.
Paul leads the Capital Development and Estate Operations Teams at Lancaster University, delivering significant capital investment in recent years and overseeing a wide range of complex projects. He has a passion to drive efficiency and effectiveness through asset management, partnership delivery, master-planning and property based solutions with an ever increasing sustainability focus.
Anna Cockman, Head of Estate Development (Project Delivery) at Lancaster University, has more than 20 years of experience in capital project delivery. Her diverse portfolio includes new-build, refurbishment, public realm, infrastructure, regeneration and carbon-reduction projects. Anna is an accomplished project director and facilitator who thrives on leading teams to deliver outstanding projects and establishing collaborative stakeholder relationships. She has significant experience of managing multidisciplinary teams to ensure successful project outcomes and is Project Lead for the Net Zero Energy and Solar Farm projects at Lancaster University. She previously worked at the BBC as a Production Manager and has a Bachelor’s degree in Social Psychology and Sociology from the University of Bradford.
As Regional Director, Scott oversees teams with a focus on lifecycle and strategic responsibilities to ensure client requirements are not only met but exceeded, from pre-construction through to design and completion. He has extensive experience managing low carbon and renewable projects, including Newcastle Airport, New Cross Hospital, Welsman Building, Castle Park, Queens Quay, Swansea Hospital, Elstow, NDEE Dundee, St Andrews University, and Cardiff Refit. Scott is instrumental in helping projects achieve their strategic objectives while supervising design and engineering deliverables to meet project timelines. With over 20 years of experience in the construction and engineering industries, he is a proven leader passionate about delivering excellence on every project.
Lauren Bright is Relationship Director for Clean Heat at Triple Point, an FCA-regulated investment manager specialising in purpose-driven investments. She has been part of the delivery team for the Government’s Heat Network Investment Project (HNIP) and the Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF), financing low-carbon heat networks in the UK. Lauren works with public and private stakeholders to accelerate the shift from fossil fuels, ensuring district heating projects are both commercially robust and socially impactful. Her team supported Lancaster University’s successful GHNF bid, and her work bridges policy, finance and delivery to unlock resilient, low-carbon heat networks.
Tom Lelyveld leads the AECOM Sustainability and Decarbonisation Advisory Team for the North of England and Scotland . A technical specialist with 22 years’ experience providing technical, strategic and policy advice in relation to sustainable, low carbon new and existing development, district energy, sustainable energy strategy, policy and research. Tom has been involved in the development of zero carbon building standards since 2010 working on all recent updates to Part L prior to 2025. Between 2021 and 2024 Tom was part time seconded to the DESNZ to support the development of policy on Heat Network Zoning and to deliver the first Heat Zoning Pilot in 28 cities across the UK. Tom is the SDA Project Director for the Net Zero Energy project for Lancaster University.
Kit Gillibrand is Managing Director of HermeticaBlack and a leading advisor on the commercial structuring of decentralised energy and efficiency projects. With extensive experience across the public and private sectors, Kit has led the commercial development of large-scale heat networks and on-site generation and efficiency schemes. With a particular focus deliverability, Kit brings deep insight into investment, risk management, and delivery strategy for low-carbon infrastructure.
Closing Address
Syd is the Chair of AUDE, former NW Regional Chair and member of the AUDE EDI and Professional Development Groups. He is in his tenth year at the University of Liverpool following on from six years within the NHS and prior to that at Edge Hill University for over eleven years.
Syd's honours degree is in Building Surveying. Now, with over 30 years in the construction, estates and facilities sector, Syds breadth and depth of experience is demonstrated by the range of professional qualifications he holds: Fellow of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers, Chartered Environmentalist, Chartered Builder and Certified member of the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management along with project management, H&S and business continuity qualifications.
Whilst in the NHS Syd was active within the Health Estates & Facilities Management Association and was also NW Regional Chair for the Chartered Association of Building Engineers.
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