Ask Jolyon what he’s done at Ridge and the answer depends on which part of the journey you catch him in. Since joining in 1998, he has helped develop project and programme delivery into a national discipline, led the growth of several offices and played a significant role on the executive group, supporting business growth, management and leading on several company acquisitions. A common thread runs through each chapter: create something strong, put first-class people in place, and move on to the next challenge and opportunity.

What has stayed constant is the type of client he's drawn to – people genuinely passionate about what they do. It's part of why motorsport has been such an important part of his career, working with many of today's Formula One teams. This has carried through into aerospace, advanced manufacturing and higher education, with clients including the University of Oxford, Boeing, Rolls-Royce and Ellison Institute. Jolyon has led projects from the small and complex through to £10bn site development plans across five continents. Whether in the UK or overseas, he is known as a trusted, strategic adviser, taking time to understand what a client’s business is trying to achieve, before translating that into the finished space.

He believes the best and most diverse teams are shaped around character as much as technical expertise. He looks for curiosity, resilience and good judgement above all and trusts people with responsibility early, giving them room to grow. It's an approach that has developed many future leaders across the business and reflects the entrepreneurial culture that has kept him loyal to Ridge.

Jolyon and his family enjoy sailing, climbing, mountaineering and travelling – usually to somewhere that offers way more than the average adventure.