Phil Doyle has been appointed as the new chair of the British Council of Offices (BCO) Northern Committee.
Diversity is high on the agenda for the incoming chair as he strives to attract the next generation of property professionals to join the committee.
A founding director of Manchester-based 5plus Architects, Phil has taken over from the former chair Stephen Frood, a partner at Gardiner Theobald in the city.
A committee member for 10 years, in his new role as chair Phil will lead the BCO Northern Committee as it focuses on the BCO Northern Awards, hosting events at iconic new developments across the North of England, showcasing BCO’s in-depth research and building membership.
The Northern Committee represents the interests of all those who occupy, design, build, own or manage offices in towns and cities in the North of England, including Liverpool, Salford, Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle. Members include architects, lawyers, surveyors, financial institutions and public agencies.
Phil said: “The BCO’s focus is the dissemination of best practice in office design. We have some outstanding buildings in the region that use the latest design techniques and technology to create the very best office spaces.
“The Northern Awards and National Awards programmes are the pillars by which we showcase and celebrate the very best in office design in the region and across the UK.”
Phil has 30 years’ experience providing strategic architectural advice and direction on complex developments. He has worked on the design and delivery of numerous award-winning projects across a variety of sectors, including Airport City in Manchester, Walker House in Liverpool, Vaux masterplan in Sunderland and St. Peter’s Square in Stockport.
As well as promoting best practice in its awards programmes, which recognise the highest quality developments and sets the standard for excellence in the regional and national office sector, the BCO publishes research to share best practice and improve workplaces across the UK.
Phil added: “BCO is at the forefront of developments in the office sector, identifying and predicting the themes that shape and drive the sector – publishing research, organising tours of the outstanding buildings in our region and providing opportunities for members to network.
“During my time as chair I would like to increase diversity, not only across the different disciplines our members come from but also encouraging more women to join, and to increase the membership of NextGen – a platform for the next generation of professionals to share ideas.
“BCO research is funded through membership fees, so it is important for BCO to grow its membership in the UK and throughout the regions to support further research that is vital to improving the industry.”
The BCO Northern Awards are taking place on 3 May at The Principal Hotel in Manchester, where the best workplaces in the region will be announced.
