Staff success stories

We are delighted to share a number of promotions that have taken place within our Oxford and London studios.

In Oxford, Kasia Machaj and Monica Matejek have been awarded the title of Senior Landscape Architect, in recognition of their outstanding hard work and increased responsibilities. Since joining Gillespies in 2018, Kasia has made valuable contributions to a vast array of UK and international projects, with her flair for creativity and power to convey stories, resulting in several impressive landscapes that will leave a lasting legacy on future generations. Monica's has been instrumental in bringing to life compelling visions for historical sites in Saudi Arabia and flawlessly managing planning packages for a diverse range of projects across the UK.

Amy Harwood in Oxford has been promoted from Finance Assistant to Assistant Management Accountant, acknowledging her steadfast support to the finance team over the last two years. In her new role, she will assist the Finance Manager with monthly management accounts and take on additional reporting responsibilities. Amy will also be responsible for managing the wider finance team.

Balazs Vank has recently been named Principal Landscape Architect in London. Since joining Gillespies in 2021, Balazs has played a vital role in overseeing the successful delivery of several prestigious projects in London. He has remained committed to preserving the original story of introducing nature into the urban landscape and workplace, with the goal of improving people's quality of life and contributing to the betterment of the environment. His meticulous management has been instrumental in ensuring quality delivery.

In our urban design team in London, Ryan Yip has been promoted to Urban Designer. Ryan joined Gillespies in 2021 and recently completed a Master’s in Urban Design and City Planning. This promotion recognises Ryan’s recent academic achievements and his valuable contributions to a number of Gillespies’ most prestigious projects in the Middle East.

Giacomo Guzzon's recent promotion to Principal Landscape Architect and Head of Planting Design recognises his exceptional skill and innovations made in planting design. His knowledge has earned him international recognition as a leading voice in landscape horticulture. Giacomo has been pushing boundaries in resilient planting design, applying sustainable principles to some of Gillespies’ most successful projects, including the award-winning Elephant Park in Elephant and Castle and sharing his knowledge internally. He is now embarking on a PHD to further cement his position as a leader in the field, exploring new possibilities in shrub selection for urban dry sites from both ecological and design perspectives. We are inspired by Giacomo's dedication to his craft and look forward to following his story of discovery.

We attribute our continued success to the hard work and talent of our people. Each one of these exceptional individuals has made significant contributions to shaping our story as a practice. These promotions are a celebration of our commitment to recognise and reward skills and talent. We look forward to watching their continued growth and development in the years to come.

Image (clockwise) - Amy Harwood, Balazs Vank, Giacomo Guzzon, Ryan Yip, Monica Matejek and Kasia Machaj.