FOUNDING MEMBERS
The club was founded by established, leading companies that provide a significant presence across the Bristol and South West market.
The founding members were brought together to reflect the principle construction disciplines – architectural design (AHR), construction (Kier), project management & cost consultancy (Currie and Brown) and engineering (Clarkebond and Silcock Dawson).
Each founder provides a principle role within the club to ensure its smooth running and to ensure the central ethos is maintained.
In 2018 Bright Event Management was brought into the management of the club to provide additional skill and expertise on the day to day running of the events and membership.
Karle Burford
AHR - Partner & Director
Karle is Partner & Director of AHR Architects based in the Bristol office. He is responsible for a number of significant projects located throughout the region across many sectors. He has particular interest in the masterplanning, regeneration and commercial sectors. He has been with AHR since 2005.
About AHR
AHR is one of Europe’s longest standing architecture and building consultancy practices, with experience dating back to 1835. AHR today is one of Europe’s largest practices and has evolved into an international business encompassing 450 staff in 12 offices.
As architects we are passionate about design and the positive effects good design can have on our environment. As building consultants we are passionate about how we care for buildings and how their creative re-use can enhance the fabric of our communities.
Our collective experience and the creativity of our teams, combined with our commitment to innovation and design research, allows us to help our clients develop environments that respond positively to the particular challenges of a project and the wider social, economic and climatic issues we all face.
The way we design and care for our environment is changing rapidly and we continue to seek innovative solutions and develop new ways of working to meet the future needs of our clients and society.
We work in all sectors including civic, education, health, transport, office, leisure, retail, residential, and science.
In the south west AHR has grown to be a major player in the area with several significant projects across the region.
Tim Westwood
Kier Construction - Business Development Manager
Business Development Manager with Kier Construction in Bristol for 23 years, during which time I’ve developed strong business relationships across the region and in all sectors of the industry.
About Kier
With particular knowledge and experience in the public sector and understanding of the particular demands of the Health, Education, Civic as well as blue light and custodial developments on projects up to £50m in value. Have a broad understanding of the application and deployment of a wide cross section of Framework arrangements and understanding of EC procurement rules. Current activities are driven towards maintaining a regional business that now has a turnover well in excess of £200m annually.
Neil Marks
Clarkebond - Director
Clarkebond – Director
Neil has been the Commercial Director at Clarkebond for over 8 years. He has over 40 years’ experience working across sectors including education, health, historic structures, industrial, leisure, offices, residential, retail and waste. He has spent time in his career working out of offices in Plymouth, Exeter and Bristol.
Neil has thus played a key role in the successful delivery of some significant projects in the South West and beyond. Projects include Morfa Retail Park and Liberty Stadium Swansea, Project MoDEL the redevelopment of RAF Northolt, Gunwharf Quays Portsmouth, Housing Recovery Project Dominica, Station Regeneration Project Great Western Zone, and a number of School and NHS healthcare facilities and the award winning buildings of Devonport Market Hall Plymouth, The Optic Centre St Asaph and The RILD building, Exeter.
Neil is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and a Member of the Institution of Structural Engineers and takes over from the previous representative of Clarkebond as a committee member of the First Thursday Club.
About Clarkebond
Clarkebond is an ambitious, multi-disciplinary engineering and management consultancy with 3 offices in the UK. We are focused on the challenges of today’s construction projects and the delivery of solutions tailored to client requirements. We take pride in our ability to provide a personalised service with all commissions headed up by senior management. Alongside our core engineering services we also provide pre-planning advice, flood risk assessments, transport planning, geo-environmental engineering, waste management, contaminated land assessments, expert witness, building resilience, temporary works and facade engineering using in-house expertise.