Our presenters

Geoff is qualified as a Chartered Surveyor and as a Fire Engineer and runs a firm of Approved Inspector’s. He is highly respected and experienced within the construction industry with over 30 years’ experience in both public and private sector roles. He has appeared frequently in the national and international press, TV and radio and has a regular column on Building Regulations in Architects Journal. 

Grant is head of HKS’ Commercial Design for the EMEA region. Having studied medicine before moving into Interior Architecture, Grant has over 20 years’ experience bringing a research-based, results-oriented approach to design for clients. His wide-ranging knowledge in the corporate, retail, education, healthcare and hospitality fields results in stronger, more rounded solutions. He has proven that intelligent design has the power to increase productivity, satisfaction and profit. Indeed, it can be transformational. A leader of the HKS Place Performance consulting team, the tangible results of his work can be seen at companies such as Disney, American Express, Selfridges, the London Stock Exchange and Edelman PR. Grant believes that good design penetrates deep beyond the surface to impact performance and to enhance resilience.

Perhaps best known as a former Director-General of the BBC, Greg Dyke is a West London Man through and through. Born in Norwood Green in 1947, Greg grew up in Hayes and was educated at Hayes Grammar School. He took the first steps on the path of his journalism and broadcasting career as a reporter for the Hillingdon Mirror, before attending the University of York as a mature student where he read politics. Today, Greg lives in Twickenham with his family.

Greg has been with CGL since completing his postgraduate degree in 2004. He has extensive cross-sector experience leading on residential, retail, commercial and leisure projects in addition to retail tenant/landlord work. Greg has a broad understanding of various procurement routes and contract types, enabling him to offer comprehensive client advice.

He has a varied portfolio including heritage work at Fallapit House in Devon and his recent public realm work in improving Manchester’s Spinningfields.

In his free time, Greg is a member of the Academy of Urbanism, contributing to the Academy’s research output. He also teaches undergraduates at Regent’s University in the Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences.

Mr. Harvey Andrew McGrath is a Co-Founder at Revere Capital Advisors LLC. Mr. McGrath served as the Chief Executive of Man Group plc. He managed the IPO in 1994. Mr. McGrath has over 25 years of financial services industry and international trade experience to Metropolitan. He serves as Chairman of the London Development Agency, he is Co-chair of the Mayor of London’s Enterprise Panel and Chairman of Governors of Birkbeck College, University of London. He serves as the Chairman at Metropolitan Venture Partners. He is also Chairman of Heart of the City, Prince’s Teaching Institute, the Royal Anniversary Trust, Children and Families Across Borders (CFAB), icould and the Mayor’s Fund for London.

Prior to taking on as the Chairman of the London Development Agency, Mr. McGrath was the Chairman of London First, a Director of Gateway to London and the Chairman of the East London Business Alliance. He is a founding donor and Trustee of New Philanthropy Capital and a Trustee of the Royal Anniversary Trust. He served as the Chairman at Man Group plc until 2007. Mr. McGrath holds an M.A. in Geography from St Catherine’s College, Cambridge.

Huw Thomas is the Development Director of Magway, a revolutionary new delivery utility that delivers goods through dedicated pipelines and, in so doing, reducing both pollution and congestion.  As a qualified architect, he has worked on numerous large infrastructure projects including the Haramain High-Speed Railway project in Saudi Arabia, the Thames Hub and various airport projects.  As a partner at Foster and Partners he was a key member of their Research and Development Group, with a special interest in energy and the environmental impact of buildings, a specialism that he continues to advise upon today.    

James Murray, Deputy Mayor for Housing, Greater London Authority

James Murray joined the Mayor's Office in 2016 as Deputy Mayor for Housing, coming from Islington Council where he held the position of Executive for Housing & Development for six years. 

During James's time in Islington, the borough was one of the top building local authorities in the country. He oversaw the introduction of planning policies to raise the proportion of affordable homes in new developments, including a new standard for viability assessments. 

In the Mayor's Office, James will focus on bringing together a broad alliance - including councils, housing associations, developers and business - to support plans to build more new and affordable homes in London. He will advise the Mayor on planning policy, particularly helping to develop and implement new approaches to housing. He will oversee work at City Hall to improve the private rented sector and tackle homelessness, in line with the Mayor's priorities. 

James advised the current Mayor during his selection and election campaigns. Before taking a position on Islington Council's executive, he worked in Parliament and for a management consultancy. He has lived his whole life in London, and currently lives near Kings Cross.

Jason Donovan is an Australian actor and singer. He initially achieved fame in the Australian soap Neighbours, before beginning a career in music in 1988. In the UK he has sold over 3 million records, and his début album Ten Good Reasons was one of the highest-selling albums of 1989, with UK sales of over 1.5 million copies. He has had four UK No. 1 singles, one of which was "Especially for You", his 1988 duet with fellow Neighbours co-star Kylie Minogue.

He has also appeared in several stage musicals, most prominently in the lead role of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in the early 1990s. In 2016, Jason Donovan toured the UK with his Ten Good Reasons and Greatest Hits Tour. Born in Australia, he now resides in London, United Kingdom. Jason presented the West London Business Awards 2015.