Insight Edition 13

INSIGHT Contents

Inside this edition

4 Education - we look at the challenges of delivering projects

8 Building the future of Wellington College with Ed Wai

12 Unravelling the golden thread of compliance

14 Insight explores the new Hôtel Dame des Arts

20 Meet our sister brand Concerto

24 Framework news

26 Visions and Values from Bellrock’s CEO Paul Bean 30 Company update p14

“John Rowan and Partners have a very approachable senior team. They have a lot of knowledge in their disciplines. What’s key for me is they listen, they adapt to our sector and our needs, they value our priorities. I’d recommend them for other projects in education.”

Ed Wai, Group Estates Bursar for Wellington College

John Rowan and Partners

Part of Bellrock Group, John Rowan and Partners is an award-winning property and construction consultancy specialising in the delivery of cost management, project management, building surveying, health and safety, sustainability advice and strategic asset management services to all areas of the construction and property industry.

jrp.co.uk

Welcome to our latest edition of Insight magazine.

In this issue, we turn our attention to the education sector, providing you with some insightful articles and expert opinions on the latest trends and developments in this arena.

We begin our education feature looking into the importance of preparation, adhering to deadlines and prioritising student safety. We also talk to Ed Wai, Wellington College Group Estates Bursar, about the school’s long-term vision.

We take a look at the Hospitality team’s latest exciting hotel project in Paris and showcase the newly launched Hôtel Dame des Arts – I’m sure you’ll agree it’s quite impressive!

Following the acquisition of JRP by Bellrock, we hear from Bellrock CEO Paul Bean about his vision and values for the future of the company. Furthermore, we introduce you to one of our sister companies, Concerto, highlighting their unique service and expertise.

As for me, you may well have heard that I will be transitioning to the role of Managing Director of Bellrock’s Technical and Real Estate Services (TRE), the division of Bellrock where JRP is situated.

I’m pleased to say the highly capable Mash Halai has been appointed as the new MD of John Rowan and Partners. I’m certainly looking forward to the ‘MD Mash’ blogs in the future!

So, this isn’t a goodbye from me, not only am I still in Ealing but I will be working closely with JRP clients while also helping to showcase the opportunities that lie within the wider group.

I hope you enjoy this edition.

Gurpal Virdee, Managing Director

WHEN IT COMES TO EDUCATION

– PREPARATION IS EVERYTHING!

In this article we talk to John Rowan and Partners’ Athma Sarma and John Soper on the challenges in delivering construction projects in the education sector…

Whether it’s a brand-new classroom, an extension to student accommodation or a refurbished administration block, there’s always one major consideration in mind – hitting the project deadline.

Of course, this is always an important consideration in any construction project, but as Athma Sarma, Director at John Rowan and Partners is quick to point out, in the education sector it’s even more crucial.

“We’ve been building up our expertise in all aspects of design and construction within the educational sector over the years and we fully recognise how critical it is for deadlines to be met,” said Athma.

“Term dates are set by the local education authorities and must be adhered to, which means projects are generally delivered during holidays and can’t over-run as the facilities must be up and running in readiness for the return of the students and school or college staff.”

This, notes Athma, requires exceptional attention to planning and procurement, as well as careful tracking of progress during every stage of any project. “This may mean we have to put together an accelerated programme of work so that we’re ready to hit the ground running as soon as the educational establishment closes its doors for the holidays,” he said.

People first

Another important driver for John Rowan and Partners’ educational sector projects is health and safety. “Of course, this is always a main area of focus no matter what sector we’re working in, but in locations where there are children or young adults potentially present, we must make doubly sure they are safeguarded,” added John Soper, Director at John Rowan and Partners.

“While we’d usually be carrying out any work outside of term time, depending on the nature of the project this might not always be possible. In such cases, we would work closely with the stakeholder liaison on safeguarding, to ensure

the wellbeing of young people who might be on site is always uppermost in our minds and reflected in our plans and processes,” said John.

A further challenge is working simultaneously with several schools on their short summer maintenance programme.

“When it comes to education, budgets are released in April, with projects to be delivered by September. This only gives six months to scope, tender and deliver on multiple schools at the same time,” said John. “All the normal challenges of stakeholder and school liaison, safeguarding and programme are greatly increased. Luckily this is something we have been doing for some time and are well equipped to deal with.”

Experienced delivery

John Rowan and Partners has long provided services in the educational sector, but it has been increasing its focus on this growth area in recent years. Positioning itself as a ‘one-stop shop’ for clients, the consultancy offers a full range of services covering everything from design, quantity surveying, clerk of works and project management through to acting as employer’s agent, overseeing asbestos surveys and delivering maintenance programmes –and more besides.

“We’ve got the skills and experience to provide as many or as few services as the client needs, underpinned by our commitment to great communication,” said Athma. “We can liaise with all the project stakeholders, whether it’s those holding the purse strings, such as the local authority, or the head teacher and staff at the sites where we’re working, as well as with contractors, architects, designers and so on.”

“We’ve got the skills and experience to provide as many or as few services as the client needs, underpinned by our commitment to great communication.”

John Rowan and Partners has worked on, or is currently working with, a number of high-profile educational establishments such as the University of Greenwich, Royal Holloway University of London and Wellington College. Its portfolio spans both the private and public sector, and includes ACS Cobham International

School, a number of primary and secondary schools for the London Borough of Redbridge and the London Borough of Haringey, and most recently, Wanstead Leisure Centre and High School.

“Whatever project you have in mind, from a feasibility study to the delivery of a new-build

school, we’re well-placed to help,” said Athma. “We can work with you to bring your ideas to life, providing a focus on delivering value for money, working on sites where space is tight, with strict deadlines and restricted budgets.

“We’d love you to challenge us – so come and talk to us!”

building FOR THE future

Meet one of our growing network of partners in the education sector. Ed Wai has big plans for updating the facilities at one of the UK’s top independent boarding schools, with us lending a hand from early on.

Wellington College is one of the UK’s best co-educational independent day and boarding schools, focused on an historic core of buildings set in 440 acres of beautiful parkland in the heart of Berkshire. Fans of Netflix’s The Crown will recognise it as the set used to depict Kensington Palace. But the estate isn’t simply an architectural joy. It also provides cutting-edge education to over 1,100 students aged 13-18.

We’re always eager to learn more about how the education sector is expanding and building, so we sat down with Ed Wai, Wellington’s Group Estates Bursar, to find out more. Ed’s role covers everything you’d expect from an estates or facilities director, from overseeing the team that manages the estate, to coaching students directly.

That gives him a unique insight into where Wellington is heading as an institution. How

does a site founded in 1856 stay true to its heritage while moving with the times?

Creating a balanced learning environment

Ed explains: “We’re in quite a fortunate position of being able to maintain the old, while building for the future. We have a significant new-build programme covering the next 10 years. A new boarding house and day house are under construction at the moment, and we’re planning a sixth form centre and wellbeing centre. Those are due for completion by 2026.”

Despite these ambitions, the size and setting of the site and its buildings mean that all its existing splendour remains perfectly preserved. “The original public school was like a series of courts, and the focus of Prince’s Court is this large oak tree. That’s my favourite part of the school. It gives that balance

of formal grandeur, as well as somewhere you can relax and have a cup of coffee.”

With settings as picturesque as these, why expand at all? The new builds are driven by Wellington’s ambition to achieve a planned 50/50 split between male and female pupils by 2024, re-shifting the balance from the current 60/40 split of boys/girls. This requires some changes to, and expansion of, the facilities and pastoral care on offer. Whilst ‘wellbeing’ – of students and staff – is already high up the agenda at Wellington, with it being the first school in the UK to put the teaching of wellbeing on the curriculum, this doesn’t mean that the college doesn’t wish to continue to enhance its offer.

Ed and his team are used to exploring new frontiers if it means giving students a

better head start. “With the co-ed boarding house, people know what to expect from a boarding house. But you can’t Google ‘what’s in a wellbeing centre?’ – it means something different to every school.

Ours is going to include medical and fitness centres, as well as physical rehab facilities. We’ll also be teaching wellbeing; our counselling department will be in there. We’re trying to address physical and mental health in one space.”

The way Wellington already looks after its students has brought it recognition at home and abroad. As well as being one of the UK’s top independent schools, its International Baccalaureate Diploma results are top 10 worldwide.

This makes the college a respected global brand. Since going international in 2011,

Wellington’s sister colleges now educate over 5,000 students across China and 500 in Bangkok. Plans for an 800-capacity Indian college to open in 2023 are nearing completion.

Helping the next generation thrive

That’s a lot of expansion, and Ed is candid about the challenges of building when you’re in the education sector. “Safeguarding is a big issue, how we manage visitors and contractors coming on to the grounds. It’s not like back in the old days. And these sites are always live; we have around 750 staff, with many living at the school, some with their families.”

Add on to that the ongoing volatility in the construction sector and you have a series of projects that call for a measured approach to cost management to ensure

projects remain deliverable over a reasonable time frame. John Rowan and Partners have been lending Wellington the benefit of their experience for over two years now. Our relationship began with cost management on the boarding house.

“John Rowan and Partners have a very approachable senior team. They have a lot of knowledge in their disciplines, cost management in our case currently. What’s key for me is they listen, they adapt to our sector and our needs, they value our priorities. I’d recommend them for other projects in education, based on what I’ve seen.”

Wellington might already have ambitious plans, but notwithstanding this, it will continue to look for new ways to continue to excel in the educational environment. For Ed, the next step might be research. “If I could build anything, it might be a facility to examine how the classroom environment helps teaching quality. A space to think differently about things like changing furniture and a room’s layout. To physically carry out that research on site would be interesting.”

Whatever the future holds, Ed’s team are sure to meet it head on. We’re looking forward to learning even more about what’s driving the education sector to expand as our successful relationship with Wellington College continues.

UNRAVELLING THE

golden thread OF COMPLIANCE

How do construction leaders see the future of compliance? It’s all about the golden thread, one unified source of data. But creating and maintaining this thread isn’t easy…

The 2017 Grenfell tragedy still casts a long shadow over the UK construction industry, particularly its residential sector. Landlords and developers are still looking for new ways to demonstrate leadership and rise to the challenge of better fire safety compliance. For some, the right approach might mean going way

back to basics. We sat down with James Heysmond from Concerto, one of our fellow Bellrock brands, to ask what can asset owners do to create a safer industry culture? Part of his answer lies in normalising one source of compliance data covering an asset’s entire lifespan: the golden thread.

What is the golden thread in property management?

The term ‘golden thread’ appeared as early as Dame Hackitt’s 2017 interim report. There, it referred to a vaguer, more abstract means of preserving an asset’s original design intent throughout major changes. Time and subsequent reports have gone some way towards clarifying what that might look like in practice.

To James, the golden thread is: “A series of important digital documents and information sources, which are linked back to the built environment. They’re kept present, correct and consistent from the birth of the asset, all the way to its disposal. This ‘disposal’ could be redevelopment or passing the information to a new owner”.

So, imagine a fire breaks out at a property. Can the fire brigade digitally access essential data like floor plans, evacuation plans and asbestos details before arriving? If so, the golden thread has been maintained. They’ll be able to manage the incident far more effectively.

Another example, say an asset changes hands and there’s a fire at the property soon after. Who’s liable: the new owners, or the old owners for failing to do proper maintenance? If compliance data is kept updated and digitally timestamped, it’s easy to prove proper maintenance was carried out.

Both these examples are actual real situations where Concerto has helped asset managers maintain the golden thread of compliance. In James’ expert opinion, success lies in the combination of both better technology and better processes.

“It all goes back to strategy. If you haven’t got a strategy for managing these processes, you don’t really know why you’re doing it all. You’re just making knee-jerk responses to stay compliant in the moment. Strategy will inform you about the technology you need long term. The golden thread of compliance sits on the spool of strategy.”

Shaping the future of fire safety compliance

In an ideal future, anyone with a stake in critical compliance data will find it accessible and up to date. It’ll be easy to exchange between relevant parties, including emergency services, with clarity over who owns the master dataset. Reaching that future is still all to play for. Huge opportunities exist for leaders like Concerto to proactively shape what fire safety looks like in the 2020s and beyond. James’ team spend a lot of time educating clients and clearing up misconceptions surrounding their legal obligations.

“The main misunderstanding is that some people think the golden thread only pertains to the operational stage of an asset’s life. Others think it gets formed during the design process and thrown over the fence. In reality, it’s a continuous process that runs through the entire lifecycle.”

The best way to bring all that data together safely for such a long period of time is digitally. But too often, this happens in a piecemeal way. An organisation might identify one compliance requirement and set up one system to satisfy that need. Then, when another requirement pops

up, they get a different system to handle that one.

Soon, data is proliferating across multiple systems with no top-level oversight. Who owns a system like that; where’s the master data source? Some larger organisations even have trouble articulating exactly what assets they actually possess.

If something as fundamental as building ownership isn’t in one place, what chance is there of creating coherent compliance regimes?

In James’ words: “Concerto helps bring all the compliance data into one place. But really, before investing in technology, a lot of businesses could go right back to basics. Do an audit, ask yourself: ‘where is our master asset source?’ If it’s spread across multiple systems, what’s the control process to keep data proliferating the right way?”

It may seem like there’s a lot of ambiguity over something so vital as fire safety. In truth, UK construction is so diverse it would be impossible to define one set of rules for everyone.

It falls to pioneers like James and Concerto to help individual businesses set, and then raise, their own compliance standards. With the Concerto team now part of John Rowan and Partners’ network, we’re proud to do the same for our own clients.

MEET THE

John Rowan and Partners’ Hospitality team has been busy working on an exciting new hotel project in Paris, and now the Hôtel Dame des Arts has been launched, the team is thrilled to showcase their latest masterpiece.

Images courtesy of Hôtel Dame des Arts

Located on

left bank

Notre Dame, Paris’s newest hotel is a sight to behold from the moment you step into its beautiful foyer. The hotel spans all the way up to the ninth floor, where a spectacular rooftop terrace awaits, offering views of some of the city’s most famous sites, including Montmartre, the Louvre, La Défense, the Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides, the Sorbonne, the Pantheon, the Montparnasse Tower, and of course, Notre Dame.

the

near

Images courtesy of Hôtel Dame des Arts

One of the most impressive features of the Hôtel Dame des Arts is its extensive amenities. The hotel includes a cinema, a black-wood sauna and a treatment room, ensuring guests have everything they need for a relaxing and enjoyable stay. Additionally, the hotel has its own signature scent, created by Arthur Dupuy, making it a sensory experience that guests won’t forget.

Images courtesy of Hôtel Dame des Arts

For those planning their next Parisian adventure, the Hôtel Dame des Arts is a must-visit destination. Its impeccable design, prime location and luxurious amenities make it the perfect place to stay while exploring the city’s art, culture and iconic landmarks.

With the John Rowan and Partners Hospitality team behind it, the Hôtel Dame des Arts is sure to exceed expectations and provide an unforgettable experience for all who stay there.

Images courtesy of Hôtel Dame des Arts

Meet Concerto:

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT POWERING

200,000 BUILDINGS

Now John Rowan and Partners has joined Bellrock Group, it pays to get to know our sister brands. Property management sits at the heart of our new family, and few companies push that frontier further than Concerto.

Concerto began life in 2004 as a public sector project management platform. At the time, government initiatives like the Soft Landings Framework were helping assets transition from construction to operation. That put the focus on improving property management practices.

The team knew they could pivot to something the market sorely needed. A short, rapid evolution took Concerto from project management to

managing the assets which housed those projects. Today, it’s a true integrated workplace management system (IWMS). That’s an important point. A real IWMS takes an asset from an undeveloped field to a functioning facility, and onwards throughout its entire lifecycle. Many businesses claim to provide an IWMS, but really they’ve got a bunch of different platforms each handling different stages. Concerto is the genuine article.

How does Concerto help facilities managers?

Facilities like hospitals and universities don’t stop evolving, so neither can Concerto. Right now, the industry’s emphasis is moving from bare-bones property maintenance to optimising occupants’ experience. Comfort, convenience and wellbeing are the order of the day. Obviously, that means something different to every individual property.

The Concerto team are helping facilities managers meet their unique needs by providing a modular approach to the platform. They can choose only the elements that they need, instead of buying a massive solution and only using a quarter of it.

“The Concerto team are helping facilities managers meet their unique needs by providing a modular approach.”

– James Heysmond Business Development Director - Concerto

“Improved sensor technology is a big area of focus, as is AI. Ideally, in a hypothetical tomorrow, the platform could tell who would be working in a building on any given day. It could automatically adjust conditions to the occupants’ preferred temperature.”

This certainly streamlines the onboarding process, but it’s still a journey. The deeper value of working with Concerto lies in getting to think critically about how work gets done. The complexities of change management and digital transformation can take three to six months to implement. Anyone who tells you it’s a quick, easy process isn’t giving you the facts.

But that opportunity to raise service standards is where Concerto really shines. For example, most people come to them with compliance issues at first. These challenges are familiar to anyone who’s ever spoken to a property manager:

• Moving away from spreadsheet records

• Replacing old desktop-based lease management systems with cloud solutions

• Opening up greater transparency with contractors and suppliers

Consolidating all of a business’ compliance regimes into Concerto might not necessarily be the quickest job. But once an organisation is onboarded, it gets easier to start gathering data and spotting opportunities for more in-depth improvements.

The team exists to facilitate this process. Concerto’s consultants are drawn from the ranks of construction and property experts, not so much from among the software guys. That means, from day one, they can help clients spot ways to futureproof operations after solving their immediate needs.

The next steps for integrated workplace management

What’s next for Concerto?

Improved sensor technology is a big area of focus, as is AI. Ideally, in a hypothetical tomorrow, the platform could tell who would be working in a building on any given day. It could automatically adjust conditions to the occupants’ preferred temperature, and even work out a seating plan to help colleagues collaborate more easily.

Of course, that also has big potential ramifications for areas like fire safety. Better monitoring and more intelligent responses can help protect occupants as well as keep them cosy. No matter how advanced data reporting gets, that data has to be actionable in order to add tangible value.

At a time when other providers are scrambling to introduce and test new features, Concerto is busy perfecting its core capabilities. New clients like the University of Manchester and Legal & General are sources of high-quality feedback. These windows into what facilities managers really need in the 2020s create opportunities to refine the market’s best IWMS.

As part of Bellrock, the Concerto team look forward to continually pushing the envelope. And as another of John Rowan and Partners’ new sister brands, we look forward to showing you more of what they can do in the future.

FRAMEWORK NEWS

Building on our relationship with Network Homes

At John Rowan and Partners, we pride ourselves on our ability to build long-term client relationships and win repeat business. Testament to this is our ongoing relationship with Network Homes following the news that we secured places on two of their new frameworks.

Network Homes is a longstanding client of John Rowan and Partners – and recently we were appointed to both the Clerk of Works and Building Safety frameworks.

“We’ve been working with Network Homes for over 15 years, and we’re delighted that the company is continuing to place its trust in us as sector experts,” said Robert Russell, Executive Director, John Rowan and Partners. “The Clerk of Works framework runs for four years and has an overall estimated value of £2m – £2.5m, and we’re looking forward to continuing to support the delivery of their projects.”

We have also been successful in earning a place on Network Homes’ four-year building safety framework, for both general building consultancy and firerelated consultancy. It covers around 21,000 properties across approximately 18 London Boroughs and the surrounding counties. The majority of the works instructed will be located in Brent, Westminster, East London, SW9 and Hertford.

© Network Homes

Securing a framework treble with Notting Hill Genesis

We are also very pleased to announce that we have won two framework contracts from Notting Hill Genesis – one of the largest housing associations in London and the south-east. One of 10 companies appointed by the housing association to their Development Consultants framework, John Rowan and Partners will act as Employer’s Agent on the £18m lot 9, and Clerk of Works on the £4m lot 13. In addition, we have been appointed to the Notting Hill Genesis Fire Consultants framework 2021 as ‘building safety general fire consultant’.

For this service we will undertake technical risk assessments of buildings and systems, ensuring compliance and fire safety. We will also provide remedial advice and offer expert witness services. These contract wins mean we will play a part in supporting Notting Hill Genesis in its goal of delivering a variety of vibrant mixed-tenure and mixeduse schemes across its large development pipeline. The plans embrace both affordable and private homes for rent or sale, as well as commercial properties, with a focus on creating thriving communities.

“John Rowan and Partners will act as Employer’s Agent on the £18m lot 9, and Clerk of Works on the £4m lot 13.”

© Notting Hill Genesis

TALKING BELLROCK GROUP

vision & values

WITH CEO PAUL BEAN

Bellrock Group employs over 1,600 people across three divisions: Software, Consulting and Facilities Management. Bellrock focuses on acquiring leading brands and sees value in retaining those brands and building on their success. How do you unite that organisation as one cohesive entity, while giving each brand the confidence and autonomy to succeed?

That’s the challenge facing Bellrock CEO, Paul Bean. To Paul, it is vital that when bringing strong brands together they must share the same values and passion for customer success. The future lies in a strong shared vision and a clear set of values that run through all our work. We sat down with him to find out what that looks like in practice for John Rowan and Partners and our sister brands.

What are the driving principles behind our new family’s rapid growth? To Bellrock’s CEO, it’s never been more important to share the same key values…

What’s the vision behind the values?

Paul’s work on Bellrock’s vision and values is focused on the long-term future. The main role of any CEO is to provide clear direction, philosophy and vision for the business, that’s why Paul’s immediate work was centred on aligning the business behind the shared vision and working with the senior leadership team on aligning our collective values.

What kind of high-level philosophy do we need to reach that destination?

In his own words: “The key to ensuring that we remain relevant to our customers and markets is to constantly reimagine our offers and services, and to keep challenging ourselves to modify and improve what we do. It’s no different to the challenge that the automotive industry faces, look how cars constantly shift from feature changes to becoming more environmentally friendly and sustainable.

“Let’s take the value ‘smash it’ –while it’s quite a casual term, it is absolutely the language we use every day. I see that in my own children who use the term as a way to encourage success in each other and a way to applaud it. It’s less corporate and that’s why we felt it was perfect for us.”

“We have come a long way since Henry Ford launched the first manufactured car. At the time he is quoted as saying “you can have any car as long as it’s black”. That was fine when there were no other manufacturers but these days it’s a thousand colours and shades, features, styles, marketing to a wider audience.

“As we are primarily a service company, we have to work hard to continually find ways to differentiate ourselves; one way is through the brands that we carry, the capabilities that we hold and the blend of services.

“When we worked on the values

we didn’t want to come across as all corporate, we wanted the language to be more authentic, which as you can imagine stimulated lots of debate amongst the senior leaders!

“Let’s take the value ‘smash it’ – while it’s quite a casual term, it is absolutely the language we use every day. I see that in my own children who use the term as a way to encourage success in each other and a way to applaud it. It’s less corporate and that’s why we felt it was perfect for us.

“At the end of the day the values are only one part of the story, defining our leader

behaviours and aligning on the intent of the values is also important as they can mean different things to different people. At the heart of our values, we want to create a mutually inclusive environment built on trust and respect.

“We want a safe place for our people to learn and grow, where we focus on improvement and understand why we sometimes get things wrong rather than choosing to blame. But that doesn’t mean there is no accountability, in fact it’s just the opposite – we want that to be a strong feature of the way we work.”

Breaking down the cultural barriers

What are the big challenges that come with defining one vision for an organisation this size?

The UK real estate market is probably one of the most mature in the world. Its supply environment is already very clearly defined. Standing out in the crowd of that ecosystem can be tough but that’s what we are aiming to do.

“There’s still a lot of opportunity to be disruptive, we see this happening constantly in technology, just look at all the food delivery companies and the likes of Uber. The real estate sector has been much slower to adopt new technologies, and this is something we want to capitalise on. If we are to adjust and drive sustainable change in our sector we need to not only

have a ‘learning’ mentality but we also need to be the people who share innovation with our clients and keep them engaged with us.

“We demonstrated this last year – showcasing how bringing together technology and service delivery can really impact our customers and build our reputation. Look at the recognition that Bellrock’s Workplace & Compliance Services division (WCS) gained last year in the PFM awards, winning not one but two awards against some of the biggest names in the industry. It’s great to see that we continue to punch above our weight and find new ways to disrupt the market.”

Perhaps the most surprising lesson in crafting a business culture comes from Paul’s 20 years in hospitality. In that environment, performance

is only part of the story. The customer journey relies on a multitude of people with different skills and roles all working in harmony, this is also our challenge, so consistency is key, as is teamwork and a common goal.

“On paper, people can have all the determination, experience, capability but if they display the wrong behaviours they can do more harm than good.

“At Bellrock it’s not about any one person, it’s about the collective good. We’re all about the team; we can only succeed if we are together as One Bellrock!”

Creating a future-proof workplace

Right now, Paul is working to protect all the good we’ve achieved so far.

“We’re at an exciting and important period of testing our messaging, making sure everyone in Bellrock understands where we’re going.

“To get more of our clients using more of our services, we’ve got to stay the course. The more interaction I see between the different brands, the happier I get. But it’s a journey, it could take us some time to explore all our potential synergies.”

Thankfully, Bellrock’s resilience means time is on our side. With our new sister companies by our side, John Rowan and Partners is looking forward to the future, united by one common ambition.

There’s still a lot of opportunity to be disruptive, we see this happening constantly in technology, just look at all the food delivery companies and the likes of Uber.

THE BELLROCK VALUES

Let us introduce you to our guiding principles:

Ask Why

We seek to learn more and be better at what we do. We are curious and inquisitive about how things could be done better. We’re all about sharing great ideas, best practice and feedback, all of which helps drive the innovation in our business.

Be Kind

We respect people for who they are and the contribution they make. We’re all about building team spirit, recognising and respecting the contribution that everybody makes. When it comes to people we strive to discover everyone’s potential and give them the tools to learn, develop and grow.

Dare To Be Different

We go beyond the ordinary to be extraordinary. We’re always looking to improve on what we do, to find better ways to work that deliver bigger results, to help our people build on their and our successes. As a team we are open to new ideas and different perspectives, and always think about the greater good rather than personal glory.

Do The Right Thing

We strive to do what is right, every time, with integrity. Going the extra mile is second nature to us, so it makes sense that we want to go the extra mile to support our people, too. We want people who are prepared to take responsibility for their actions, who take time to build and demonstrate trust with others, and who are driven to deliver the highest professional standards.

Smash It!

We seize the moment, do our best and hit it out of the park. Achieving our collective ambition is always our top priority. As a team we are driven and ambitious, and always want to do what it takes to get the job done to the best of our ability. We value people who want to bring the best out in others – people who champion their colleagues’ success and are proud of the work they do.

At Bellrock, we’re proud to embody a set of values that define our company culture and inspire us to reach new heights.

Company update from

CHAIRMAN MANAGING DIRECTOR MASH

// GROWING OUR OWN

We love developing our own people and watching them grow – so I’m delighted to report no less than six promotions within our team. Dominic Cherry (1), a chartered quantity surveyor, has been promoted to Director. Adriaan Muller (2) becomes an Associate Director, and Rajvina Nijjer (3) and Rosie Cornforth (4), both of whom joined through our graduate recruitment programme, have been promoted to Senior Surveyors. Dan Bryan (5) has been promoted to Associate Director and head of the Asbestos compliance team and finally, we are celebrating Rhema Mahama (6) who was also promoted to Senior Management Assistant.

// LOOKING FORWARD

Since becoming part of Bellrock last year, we’ve been busy getting to know our sister companies and I’m pleased to report there are some great opportunities ahead for our clients. In this edition we’ve already introduced you to Concerto and the many benefits that its Property Technology (proptech) software can offer. Over the course of this year, I’m looking forward to showcasing more from the group. So, watch this space!

Mash Halai

1.

3.

5.

2.

4.

6.

// SUPPORTING THE HOUSING FORUM

We set great importance in working with and supporting other organisations within our sector. So, I was very pleased to be elected to join the Housing Forum as one of four new board members. The Forum works hard to promote partnership working nationally across the sector’s supply chain, and I’m looking forward to helping them pursue this goal.

// IIP SILVER AWARDS

John Rowan and Partners also made the final shortlist for the ‘Award for UK Employer of the Year’: Silver in The Investors in People Awards 2022. Sadly, we didn’t win but it was still a huge achievement to be among the top companies in the UK and one that everyone at John Rowan and Partners was immensely proud of.

// WE WELCOME BACK WORK EXPERIENCE STUDENTS TO JOHN ROWAN AND PARTNERS

You’ll know, too, of the importance we place in bringing on the next generation and finding ways of ensuring that the sector can attract the skills it needs to thrive and grow. So, we have been glad to welcome five work experience students back into the workplace to give them a taste of the variety of roles within the construction sector, with more planned over the next 12 months.

// COLLABORATION IS STILL NO 1!

Five years ago, I wrote an article on the importance of Joint Ventures (JVs). I’ve been reflecting on this lately and, interestingly, I would say that JVs are as crucial for the delivery of new housing as they ever were. By working together, partners can share the risks and costs associated with developing new housing projects, and combine their strengths to overcome any obstacles or challenges that may arise. In light of this we will be launching a new series on JV best practice!