Thomas White Oxford has announced the appointment of Dame Alison Nimmo DBE to provide property and sustainability advice across its activities, which includes Oxford North, a new £500m global innovation district
Dame Alison has more than 30 years of experience in real estate, sustainability, and leadership. As the former chief executive of The Crown Estate, Alison has held senior roles delivering the award-winning “big build” for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Prior to this, she led major city-centre regeneration projects in Sheffield and Manchester.
Dame Alison is a commissioner of The Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 and is a non-executive director in government and a member of Imperial College London’s Property Committee.
Her previous non-executive roles included: FTSE100 Berkeley Group Plc, St Modwen Properties, chair of the CBI’s Economic Growth Board and a trustee and COP26 Ambassador for the UK Green Building Council.
Additionally, she was awarded a DBE for public services and services to the Exchequer in 2019.
Thomas White Oxford has also appointed Matt Dawkes to its board, who is an experienced major mixed-use development chief financial officer, and has more than 23 years’ experience previously working for North West Cambridge as finance director, Argent Group as head of finance, Euromoney, and Grant Thornton.
Six new members have also been appointed, which includes:
- Bernard Taylor CBE, DL, FRSC: A scientist and corporate financier with more than forty years’ corporate business and finance experience, has been appointed chairman.
- Professor Dame Kay Davies, DBE, FRS, FMedSci: A world-leading human geneticist with a research focus on the molecular analysis of neuromuscular and neurological disease.
- Professor Andrew Parker ScD, FRSB: A professor of neuroscience and previously principal bursar of St John’s College.
- Zoe Hancock MA, ACA: The principal bursar of St John’s College.
- Professor Jason Schnell: A fellow at St John’s College and a professor of biochemistry.
- Professor Jan Obloj: A fellow of St John’s College and a professor of mathematics.
The new members have joined William Donger, chief executive officer of Thomas White Oxford, and Mark Taylor, a legal professional with more than forty years’ experience.
Outline consent was granted by Oxford City Council in March 2021 for the overall 64-acre Oxford North masterplan to deliver more than 900,000 sq ft of laboratories and workspace, 480 new homes, three new parks, and significant upgrades to the local infrastructure.
Detailed consent was also granted for the first new laboratories and workspaces, link road, and Central Park.
In addition to this, new landscaped, open spaces will be delivered, which will encourage community interaction, enhancement of biodiversity, and new places for the wider public to enjoy.
Hill Group has been appointed as residential development partner to deliver 318 new homes, of which 35% will be affordable.
‘Creating a vibrant, state of the art new district’
Bernard Taylor, chairman of Thomas White Oxford commented: “The board is committed to providing a new sustainable place for Oxford which meets the current high demand from businesses wishing to be part of the ‘Oxford Ecosystem’ and promotes model levels of sustainability to ensure we are creating a vibrant, state of the art new district.
“Alison’s considerable experience will be of huge benefit to Thomas White Oxford, and I am delighted she has agreed to join our board. Matt’s wide financial management experience will be key as the project is delivered.
“Our Oxford North investment will deliver an extraordinary place to live and work and be a facilitator of life-improving science and technology discoveries made in Oxford, for everyone’s future benefit.”
‘Making a positive impact – economically, socially and environmentally’
Dame Alison Nimmo added: “I’m absolutely delighted to be joining this exceptional board as Oxford North enters its delivery phase.
“I hope that my property and sustainability experience can help us deliver something really special for Oxford that makes a really positive impact – economically, socially and environmentally.”
