Let's Celebrate: 2022 Milestone Work Anniversaries

2022 sees us celebrate our 60th year in practice, but it also marks some major milestone anniversaries for a number of our senior creatives across the business. Today we honour a cohort of employees who have been part of Gillespies' incredible journey for over a decade.

Based in our Manchester (Hale) studio, Gillespies' Office Manager, Trish Lynch, has diligently managed our northern studios for the last four decades. 2022 marks her 40th anniversary at Gillespies, making her the longest serving member of Gillespies and the cornerstone of our practice. If you have a question, Trish has the answer!

Partner Sarah Gibson celebrates an incredible thirty years at Gillespies this year. She joined the practice's Hale studio as a junior landscape architect in 1992 and now leads our landscape planning unit in the northern region on major infrastructure projects. She was made a Fellow of the Landscape Institute in 2020, recognising her strong leadership, extensive expertise and knowledge in landscape planning.

Partner Stephen Richards, based in our London and Oxford studio, marks an impressive twenty-five years with the practice later this year. A vivacious and visionary landscape architect, Stephen has helped grow Gillespies to the 140-strong practice it is today, leading the way in a new nature-led urbanism that places people and nature at the heart of placemaking. During this time, he has delivered more than 50 projects in 8 countries.

Newly appointed Partner Adam Greatrix and Associate Partner Sheena Bell celebrate over twenty years with Gillespies. Adam and Sheena joined Gillespies in 2001 as junior landscape architects and quickly transitioned to senior positions. Adam has played a crucial role in growing the north. A creative and technical delivery dynamo, Adam has been spearheading a revolution in eco-system-led streetscape design and recently won recognition for his ''Down to Earth'' and ''St Cuthberts Garden Village” competition proposals.

Sheena is widely respected in the industry for her high street and town centre regeneration expertise. She was appointed to the Government's High Street Experts panel to support the UK's high street recovery following her incredible work in rejuvenating Woking Town Centre.

This year also marks two decades at Gillespies for Partners Oliver Smith and Armel Mourgue, and Associate Partner William Basterfield, who all joined the practice as junior landscape architects and have since progressed to senior management positions. Collectively, these three creatives have delivered over 200 projects across the world - including three RIBA Stirling Prize-shortlisted schemes - helping to cement Gillespies position as a global leader in landscape design, masterplanning, urban design and wayfinding.

Senior Associate Neil Matthew and Head of IT and Associate Simon Bullock celebrate over 15 years with the practice this year. Neil Matthew has calmly and meticulously managed the design and delivery of public realm and landscape design for some of the UK's largest and most ambitious regeneration projects in the UK including the overhaul of Bracknell Town Centre and the regeneration of Elephant and Castle. A complete master in reinvention.

Simon has diligently managed Gillespies’ practice-wide IT network, helping the practice lead the way in innovative design technology while navigating a series of technical challenges, including safely transitioning the practice to remote working during and after the pandemic.

Other employees celebrating a significant number of years with the practice include Senior Associate Oliver Duguid, Associate Mayda Henderson and Associate Karolina Skonieczna, who have all been with the practice for an impressive 12 years.

Mat Cockburn, Paul Winton, Jon Freeman and Melanie Schwartz celebrate ten years with the practice this year. Recently promoted to Principal, Mat is a highly competent Architect Technologist and Urban Designer who can turn his hand to anything and always with dedication, thoughtfulness and attention to detail.

Joining as a senior landscape architect in 2012, Paul quickly became instrumental in the practice, transitioning to a senior position two years later. He has managed some of the most iconic projects within the practice, including the world-famous transformation of the Television Centre and the Centre Building at the London School of Economics.

With a meticulous eye for detail, Jon has been instrumental in pioneering quality public realm and landscape design at Gillespies. His thoughtful detailing can be seen everywhere you look at the stunning grade II-listed Piece Hall courtyard in Halifax.

Melanie joined the practice as a landscape architect in 2012 and has been responsible for leading several high-profile residential and public realm developments in London, including the recently completed Prince of Wales Drive in Battersea and Royal Arsenal Riverside.

February next year will see Associate Partner Warren Chapman celebrate 15 years of managing high-profile projects at Gillespies’ Hale studio and Helen Johnson marking 10 years with the practice.

On behalf of Gillespies, we thank you all for your dedicated service, creativity, loyalty, and enthusiasm over the years. Here's to another 60 years or more of delivering transformative placemaking that makes a real difference for future generations to come.

We look forward to celebrating these work anniversary milestones at our company-wide 60^th celebration in Manchester in early October.