We dont fit in the box

You don’t really get what we do.
We understand.
At first, we thought that was on us.
We brought in experts to package our work into one punchy line.
But then, we stopped.
Because if we could sum it up in a sentence,
we’d be doing what everyone else is doing.
And we’re not.

We’re a B Corp that works across impact, cost, and construction innovation.
On housing, social and linear infrastructure, data centres and mixed-use schemes.
Working with government, funds, developers, Tier 1s and suppliers.
We get involved early enough to shape policy and strategy
and stay long enough to make sure it delivers.

We help clients go from vision to value.
Design systems, not just assets.
Challenge assumptions, not just briefs.
A team that’s delivered complex projects, not just studied them.
Not an advisor. Not a traditional service. Something else.
Now try categorising that.

Our industry loves neat definitions.
PM? Cost consultant? Social value advisor?
Please pick one. Tick the box.

But here’s the problem: It’s the boxes that are breaking the system.
The housing crisis isn’t just a cost problem.
Failing estates aren’t just a design problem.
Net zero isn’t just a technology problem.
These are human problems. Wicked problems.
Systemic problems that demand joined-up thinking.
And if your solution fits neatly into one box, it probably isn’t solving much.

So, no – we don’t fit neatly.
And we’re okay with that.
One week we’re procuring a major programme.
Next, shaping an innovation strategy.
Or planning a 20-year impact-led regeneration.
You might call that unclear.
We call it useful.

Because the truth is: our clients don’t need another advisor.
They need help to do things differently.
Not to write another report. But to make change happen.
To spend public money well.
To align partners.
To deliver outcomes, not just outputs.

Is it inconvenient that we don’t fit the box? Maybe.
But maybe it’s time the box changed shape.

Work with us to deliver betters, not just goods.

 

 

Jamie Hillier

Partner
Contact

With a penchant for tweed and jackets with leather arm patches, Jamie began his career as a quantity surveyor, before climbing the ladder to lead major projects for a Tier 1 contractor.

Eventually expanding his book collection beyond copies of SMM7, Jamie has interest in a broad range of subjects linked to delivering better outcomes for society and the environment.

His strategic insights on MMC and behavioural science have made their way into numerous government, industry and academic publications, including the Construction Playbook, Transforming Infrastructure Performance Roadmap to 2030, the Platform Rulebook and the RIBA DfMA Overlay.

John Handscomb

Partner
Contact

Construction is in John’s blood. Learning from his father who was a planner and project manager, John began his career by working on some iconic projects in both the public and private sector.

As a procurement expert and integrator of new ways of working, John has pioneered the integration of platform principles, DfMA processes and supply chain within over £5bn projects in the last 15 years, for some of the largest building programmes in the UK. Despite his considerable expertise, John keeps it simple, communicating complicated ideas with ease and helping to equip the industry with new knowledge and skills.

Outside of Akerlof, John enjoys his executive role with technology start-up ScanTech Digital, spending time with his family, taking trips down the football, playing a bit of golf with friends and the odd pint. 

Our name is shared with George Akerlof, a Nobel Prize-winning economist.

His seminal paper, Market for Lemons, demonstrated the devastating consequences of making decisions under the conditions of quality uncertainty and unequal information between buyers and sellers, increasing the chance of buyers ending up with a ‘lemon’.

This 50-year-old concept continues to retain parallels within the construction industry.

Through our insight and experience, we can rebalance this information asymmetry on behalf of our clients, levelling the playing field to deliver better outcomes.