As it celebrates its 30th year, leading architectural practice John Robertson Architects (JRA) has announced significant changes to its senior leadership team as it transitions to a new management structure.
Three associate directors previously appointed in May 2022 – Etain Fitzpatrick, Angela St Clair-Ford and Mark Wibberley – have been promoted to directors of the firm. These directors – who collectively have over 30 years of experience working at JRA – bring considerable knowledge and expertise of the UK’s office, residential, education, heritage, and mixed-use sectors, alongside additional workstreams such as client monitoring services and interior fit-outs.
Fitzpatrick, who joined JRA in 2016, has 30 years of international experience with architecture practices in the US, FR and UK. She has worked across a broad variety of markets and sectors, including within office, residential, mixed-use, and educational projects and has a strong track record of delivering complex schemes within challenging built environments. In collaboration with M3 Consulting, Fitzpatrick recently led on the design and delivery of The Northcliffe in the City of London, a state-of-the-art reimagining of the listed former headquarters and print works of the Daily Mail as Grade A workspace.
Outside the Square Mile, Fitzpatrick also recently completed 10 Park Drive and 8 Water Street, a major residential scheme comprising a 43-storey tower and associated 13-storey podium delivering 520 apartments, part of the first phase of the Canary Wharf, Wood Wharf development. Prior to joining JRA, Fitzpatrick held roles at Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates and at the Renzo Piano Building Workshop, where she worked on the design and delivery of The News Building in London Bridge.
St Clair-Ford is the lead architect at JRA’s studio in Edinburgh’s New Town – launched in 2022 – and specialises in workplace consultancy and fit-out of interiors for education sector and commercial occupiers. Recently appointed on the heritage retrofitting of 14 Queen Street in Edinburgh for the British Medical Association, JRA’s expansion into Scotland has also allowed the practice to target the regions including completing 100 Embankment in Manchester and Foundry at Brindleyplace in Birmingham for x + why, a flexible office operator.
Prior to the establishment of JRA’s Edinburgh studio, St Clair-Ford worked extensively for King’s College London at its refurbished Strand campus and on other higher education projects including the UCL Student Union and the University of East Anglia (UAE). St Clair-Ford also has extensive knowledge in the co-working sector including delivering WeWork Spitalfields, Mindspace Shoreditch and for other flex space providers.
Wibberleywill lead on the practice’s growing client monitoring (CMT) workstreams, utilising his extensive industry knowledge and project experience to ensure that contractual and technical obligations are met during construction. Wibberley has been responsible for guiding JRA monitoring teams through multiple complex and multi-faceted residential, commercial, retail and leisure developments on behalf of listed developers and landowners. His recent and current projects include 100 Liverpool Street, 1 Broadgate, Broadgate Exchange Square, 1 Triton Square, and 65 Davies Street.
Festus Moffat, director, JRA said:
”Our 30th anniversary not only marks a significant milestone but also signifies an exciting new chapter in the evolution of our practice. Our founder, John Robertson, has assumed a senior advisor role, entrusting the leadership of the practice to David Magyar, Smita Bhat, Nathalie Bergvall and myself.
“In line with our forward-looking succession plan, we’ve actively fostered a culture of empowerment among our staff, emphasizing the values of creativity, initiative, and ownership and it is with great delight that we announce the well-deserved promotions of Etain Fitzpatrick, Angela St. Clair Ford, and Mark Wibberley to the role of Directors within the practice.
“We eagerly anticipate their valuable contributions to this exciting new phase. We are collectively committed to fostering fresh thinking, nurturing ambition, and perpetually evolving to ensure the continued success and growth of JRA.”