Our success is built on the strength of our people

Ruth is a seasoned leader with extensive expertise in the corporate finance, power/energy, and healthcare sectors. She has a track record of leading multi-disciplinary teams across diverse professional service disciplines including commercial/sales and operational/service delivery roles. Her leadership is values-driven, emphasising integrity, kindness, and collaboration. Ruth lives in Cheshire, where she enjoys fine art, live music, and walks along the beach, even on windy and rainy days. She has two daughters, a dog, a rabbit and frogs.

Oliver is an entrepreneur and business leader with deep experience in professional services and consulting businesses. As the founder and former CEO of one of the largest independent healthcare consultancies, Oliver has overseen numerous acquisitions and management buy-outs. His leadership style is marked by evidence-based decision-making, transparent communication, and a commitment to continual evolution. Oliver lives in Cheshire and enjoys golf, walking, fiction writing, and the occasional motorboat adventure off the coast of North Wales. He has two sons, a daughter, a dog and a problem with moles in his lawn.

A seasoned professional with over three decades in property consultancy, Ellis co-founded the cost-management consultancy Abacus in 2007. His expertise lies in cost planning and effective development strategies, particularly during inception/feasibility. Ellis is an expert in benchmarking projects for cost and function, ensuring optimal value and minimising risk. Committed to enhancing Abacus’s offerings, Ellis collaborates closely with the team to maintain high-quality service standards while guiding them towards success. This ‘people first’ approach, underpinned by trust and fairness, are values that reflect and align with the Contollo Group. Ellis enjoys walking (with and without golf clubs), loves chocolate, and is partial to a slice of lemon drizzle cake with a ‘thin’ cup of tea!

Sarah is CIMA qualified, with a robust background and over a decade of experience in a varied FTSE 250, £1bn market cap group. She started her finance career as a trainee accountant and has since gained expertise across sectors including logistics, aviation, and renewable energy. A dedicated mentor, Sarah enjoys sharing her knowledge with future finance professionals and values streamlining workflows for efficiency and value added. Outside work, she enjoys dining out with family and friends, attending gym classes, and will soon be celebrating her new role as an auntie.

Mike Perry co-founded the cost-management consultancy Abacus in 2007. Mike’s expertise lies in the ‘multi-room’ sector, having delivered in excess of 25,000 student bed spaces and 3,500 build to rent apartments. Building strong working relationships with clients, consultants and key members of the supply chain, Mike has an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the volume handover product. Outside work, Mike has a single-figure golf handicap and has caught the padel tennis bug, recently representing Cheshire (over 50s!!!). When not undertaking sporting pursuits, Mike enjoys spending quality time with his family.

Andy has over 40 years’ experience in the construction industry, and prior to joining Abacus in 2018, was responsible for managing a national practice's cost/project management services from the Manchester and Sheffield offices. Andy has substantial knowledge of all elements of cost planning, and in recent years, has been responsible for the cost planning and cost management of major schemes for blue-chip clients in various sectors. Andy is a people person with strong leadership qualities and a commitment to providing a quality service. Outside work, he enjoys watching most sports (though rugby league and cricket are his passions), visiting garden centres, and holidaying abroad with his family. You don’t receive a nickname like ‘Tenerife Andy’ for nothing!

Paul has been with Abacus since its inception, and became a Director in 2014. He leads the Sport & Leisure sector, overseeing projects from early concept through to completion. His hands-on approach ensures consistent delivery of schemes from £500,000 up to £100 million. Paul is the Framework Manager for the Abacus Sport England Design and Technical Assurance Frameworks, and has unrivalled sector experience. He is a team-oriented leader who believes in building strong working relations with clients, consultants, contractors and key members of the supply chain. Paul enjoys most sports and spends his weekends watching his son play cricket or football, or running the hills of Saddleworth with his daughter.

Scott is the managing director of KAM’s UK business and has been with KAM since its inception in 2013. As a project manager who has spent the last 18 years working solely in the industrial sector, Scott has been an integral part in the successful growth of KAM. A significant strength of Scott’s is the successful delivery of large complex automated fit-outs and the integration of these systems into the building, including projects undertaken while the building remains fully operational. Outside work, Scott is a car enthusiast at heart, a long-suffering Reading fan, enjoys getting out for walks with the dog, unwinding with a bit of yoga, and spending time with his family.

David is the lead director for our Cambridge office and the managing director of KAM GmbH. Having worked in the industry for over 20 years, he has acquired a broad range of experience from managing and delivering many complex projects in the UK and Europe. His committed and structured approach allows him to integrate well within project teams and ensures that the project delivery meets and exceeds clients’ expectations. Strong attention to detail allows David to deliver projects to the highest standard in a timely and cost-efficient manner. He lives in Cambridge with his wife and two children, and when he isn’t working or with family, he can normally be found on the golf course or walking his dog Fudge to the local pub.

Mark is a director of KAM and leads our Manchester office. He brings 30 years of experience in cost and project management, servicing a range of market sectors across the UK, Europe and Middle East. Mark is also responsible for KAM’s business development and marketing. His depth of experience in successfully leading projects across the property sector and specialist sectors in both UK and Middle East has been underpinned by striving to deliver excellence for clients, to understand their aspirations and to help them achieve solutions to their challenges. Mark was an avid footballer before finding a love for golf. When not perfecting his par, he loves to spend spare time with family, and enjoys a renewed love of the outdoors with the family campervan.

With over two decades in MEP, James has risen through the ranks to become a director at TACE, a position he has held for the past ten years. Known for his deep technical understanding and practical leadership, his experience spans complex building services projects, where he combines hands-on expertise with a clear, strategic mindset. He brings a calm, solutions-focused approach to leadership, shaped by years of delivering technical excellence under pressure. He values collaboration and is committed to developing teams that take pride in quality and accountability. Based in Bolton, James has two children and enjoys a round of golf at the weekend, where he swaps project schedules for putting greens and finds time to reset.

Nick began his journey at TACE as a junior electrical engineer and has steadily progressed through the business to his current role as director. With a hands-on background and a deep understanding of building services, Nick brings both technical insight and practical leadership to every project. As a proactive and forward-thinking leader, Nick is known for driving delivery with energy and precision, while fostering a collaborative and accountable culture within his teams. His career is built on consistency, curiosity, and a commitment to doing things the right way. Nick lives in Sandbach with his family and balances a busy work life with padel matches and rounds of golf – his favourite ways to unwind and recharge.

Nigel founded TACE in 2001 with a clear vision: to create a new kind of MEP engineering service built on genuine collaboration and long-term relationships. Over 20 years later, that vision continues to shape the business. Under Nigel’s leadership, TACE has grown into a respected and successful consultancy, known for its technical depth, reliability, and open approach. As a strong believer in partnership and shared success, Nigel combines strategic oversight with a hands-on understanding of what makes projects work. When not steering the TACE ship, Nigel enjoys village life in Bramhall, where he can unwind with a quiet drink – as long as he’s not being recruited as project manager for his family's latest home renovation.

Nick is a respected building services consultant with extensive experience in the design and construction of large-scale projects across a wide range of sectors. He has a particular passion for the challenges of industrial and eCommerce environments, including robotic last-mile delivery fulfilment centres along with large-scale multi-temperature-controlled projects. Nick leads from the front with a hands-on, solutions-focused mindset, an approach that makes him a pivotal member and leader of MBA Consulting Engineers. His broad technical expertise makes him a trusted advisor in high-performance, operationally critical environments, supporting a diverse portfolio of clients both in the UK and internationally. Outside work, he is a keen golfer, a passionate rugby fan, and enjoys field sports and spending quality time with his family.

Naresh is a highly motivated professional with over 30 years’ experience in building services design. His expertise spans a wide range of sectors, including industrial and logistics facilities, large scale e-commerce facilities, commercial, retail, and leisure developments. Naresh has a reputation for dynamic problem solving and decisive action planning while managing to ensure all stakeholders are engaged and heard. His ability to communicate complex designs enables the resolution of emerging challenges in large-scale projects, expertly managed from concept to completion. Naresh values strategic foresight, adaptability, and leading with humility. Outside work, Naresh enjoys cooking authentic Indian family meals paired with Irn-Bru! His idea of a balanced weekend involves golf and spending quality time with family and friends and his two ragdoll cats.

Dom is a seasoned professional with over 21 years’ combined experience in electrical design and installation across a wide range of sectors. Backed by a Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Building Services Engineering, he brings deep technical expertise and commercial insight to every project. His broad practical knowledge coupled with his ability to act as an effective liaison between contractors and clients ensures seamless project delivery – from initial design through to construction and final handover. Dom’s strength lies in translating complex technical requirements into clear, actionable outcomes, making him an invaluable asset in any project environment. Dom is a passionate fan of Formula One and football, an avid cyclist, and a devoted family man who cherishes quality time with loved ones.

James has worked in building services engineering for over 20 years, and is especially interested in the data behind the systems we design. For the past eight years, James has been an integral part of a forward-thinking company where he’s had the chance to lead teams, tackle complex challenges, and get involved in projects that make a difference. Outside work, you’ll usually find him in the middle of a DIY project, on the golf course (usually in the rough), discovering new food from around the world, and unwinding with a good single malt whisky. He lives with his wife, their two daughters, and an old dog who’s happily embracing a slower pace these days.

Alistair joined ESP as Regional Director for the Scottish office in 2014. Having worked for over 35 years in the engineering industry, Alistair has exceptional leading-edge experience of lessons learned and best practices from his experience in a wide range of sectors, including health, custodial, commercial, retail, logistics and aviation. Alistair spends his free time relaxing on the golf course, trying to improve his handicap, and playing padel tennis (as he was never any good at proper tennis!).

Philip is a Chartered Electrical Engineer, and coordinated the formation of ESP in 1997 as Managing Director. Starting his career as an electrician, he then trained as a graduate engineer gaining extensive experience and formal qualifications in building services design, consulting, contracting and management. Following a move into design and build contracting organisations, he was appointed as a director of a multi-discipline design consultancy, prior to forming ESP. Philip has significant depth and diversity of engineering experience, commercial awareness and innovation, with the ability to tailor services to suit specific client, project and programme needs. He is married with one son, two daughters and three granddaughters. In his spare time, he enjoys swimming, running and cycling plus travelling to experience different cultures and landscapes around the world.