The managing director of Blocc has recently co-founded BAYA, another interior design studio. She shares her belief in the power of positive energy, her admiration for Thomas Heatherwick and her love of seasonal food
Why did you choose construction as a career?
It chose me. I have always followed where people, ideas and opportunity meet, and that path led me here.
What are you most proud of in your career to date?
Awards are amazing, but what matters most is the team I have built and the culture we have nurtured. Watching people thrive, grow, challenge each other – that’s the win.
What has been the biggest challenge of your career to date?
Launching a third business while leading all three, especially in a market that never stands still! It’s a lot but also deeply energising.
If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be?
Design deserves more respect. We are often treated as suppliers measured by price, when we should be seen as collaborators, shaping not just what spaces look like, but how they feel and function.
What is the most helpful advice you’ve ever been given?
Keep moving towards your North Star with focus, grit, and faith in your vision – don’t get sidelined by the noise that will take you off course.
Name your favourite building in the world.
Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The scale, the detail, the drama – every element is a masterclass in emotional architecture. It moves you. That’s what great buildings should do.
Which famous building do you most dislike?
Any structure which ignores its environment – whether that’s social, cultural or ecological. If it’s tone-deaf or over-engineered for ego, I’m out.
Which famous building do you wish you had worked on?
The Pompidou Centre in Paris. It was radical and rule-breaking – and still is. That spirit of invention is timeless.
What single piece of advice would you give to someone starting out in your profession?
Stay curious. The most exciting ideas often live outside your comfort zone, so keep exploring and enjoy the ride!
Who do you most admire in the construction industry?
Thomas Heatherwick. He blends engineering with emotion. And Es Devlin, who turns spaces into stories. Both push boundaries in ways that feel human.
What’s it like being you (and doing your job)?
Busy, brilliant, always moving. I’m a natural juggler – strategy, design, people, progress. It’s a lot, but I love it. If you are energised by what you do, it never feels like hard work.
Do you have a life philosophy?
Do it now. Think bigger. Stretch further. The idea that something is “impossible” just means it hasn’t been done yet.
What do you think your best quality is?
Positive energy. It helps me to lead with momentum and helps others stay motivated too. Optimism is contagious.
What trait do you most dislike in yourself - and others?
Procrastination. I don’t have time for dithering – in myself or anyone else!
Name three things you like.
Music that surprises me. Podcasts that make me think. Fashion that tells a story.
Tell us a secret skill that we don’t know you have.
I am surprisingly good at jigsaw puzzles. I think it’s the mix of pattern recognition and persistence – not dissimilar to running a business actually!
What is your most prized possession?
A battered old cookery book that my mother gave me as a child. The pages are spattered with memories – scents, splashes, Sunday afternoons. It’s a reminder that creativity is something you live, not just at work.
Early bird or night owl?
Both. I run on instinct, not clocks.
What’s your favourite food?
Anything seasonal, shared and served with a good glass of wine.
What would your superpower be?
Time travel. Imagine the insight you would gain from moving across centuries of design and culture.
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