New Year honours for John Pawson and Tolent chairman

Architect John Pawson has been awarded a CBE for services to design and architecture in this year’s New Year’s Honours list.

Pawson (pictured), whose practice is based in London, designed the interior of the new Design Museum, which opened in the former Commonwealth Institute building in 2016.

John Wood, chairman of Tolent Construction, has also received a CBE for services to the building and civil engineering industry.

Wood, who has been chairman since 2016, founded the £178m-turnover company in 1983 after working for Wimpey and Balfour Beatty.

Elsewhere in the 2019 list, Abolade Abisogun, chief executive of Urbanist, was made an OBE for services to diversity and young people in the construction industry.

Also in receipt of OBEs were Chris Harrop, marketing director and director of sustainability, at paving specialist Marshalls for services to the prevention of modern slavery and exploitation, as well as Robert Skilling, a clerk of works for services to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Katherine Stead, regional chair for Yorkshire and Humber at the Construction Industry Council and principal at West Yorkshire architect Stead & Co, also received an OBE, as did Jennifer Schooling, director at the Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Construction, University of Cambridge.

And Baroness Margaret Ford, the first chair of the London Legacy Development Company, is also made an OBE for services to sport and business.

James Richardson, chief economist at the National Infrastructure Commission, received an Order of the Bath for public service.