Peter Crowther, co-founder of HERE, has been elected president of the British Council for Offices.
He succeeds Despina Katsikakis, executive partner and global lead for Total Workplace at Cushman & Wakefield.
The presidential team also sees Helen Hare, director of projects at GPE, take on the role of senior vice president, following on from Crowther in the role. Andy McBain, head of future of workspace and design at NatWest Group, becomes the new junior vice president.
Peter Crowther, co-founder of HERE, has been elected president of the British Council for Offices.
He succeeds Despina Katsikakis, executive partner and global lead for Total Workplace at Cushman & Wakefield.
The presidential team also sees Helen Hare, director of projects at GPE, take on the role of senior vice president, following on from Crowther in the role. Andy McBain, head of future of workspace and design at NatWest Group, becomes the new junior vice president.
Crowther brings to the role expertise in navigating the intersection between the office and other sectors, as well as a passion for creating and delivering innovative and sustainable workplaces. His career spans more than 25 years in real estate. Crowther was chief development officer at Bruntwood SciTech before founding HERE with fellow Bruntwood alumnus Kate Lawlor in April this year.
HERE is a development management and advisory company focused on the acquisition, reinvention, repositioning and ongoing management of operational real estate – with a focus on commercial offices and laboratory spaces.
Crowther’s focus as BCO president will be on how the sector can continue to evolve in response to the challenges posed by climate change and rapid technological advancements through solutions such as retrofit and the integration of AI, while improving occupier experience for all.
“As we adapt to the new realities of hybrid, tech-enabled working conditions, the role of the office will continue to adapt to best meet the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s workers,” said Crowther. “I look forward to working with the BCO committees across the regions and NextGen as we explore new models for office design and operation, and how commercial real estate can feed into the broader development of UK cities.”
Richard Kauntze, BCO chief executive, paid tribute to Katsikakis’s leadership over the past year. “Despina has been a formidable leader for the BCO,” he said. “Her work with the BCO’s research committee to launch new research pillars to set the parameters for upcoming papers demonstrates her ongoing role in guiding the office sector as it continues to evolve in response to changing occupier needs, economic shifts, the rapid progression of workplace tech and growing sustainability standards.
“Despina’s human-centric approach, her inquisitive nature and her clear passion for creating spaces with wellbeing at their heart have left a lasting impression on the BCO.”
Photo © Bruntwood
