Allect Design Group Hosts Annual Keynote 2026

On Thursday 23rd July, the Allect Design Group — comprising Rigby & Rigby, Helen Green Design and Lawson Robb — held its annual keynote presentation at the Battersea Power Station cinema. The event brought together all teams from across the Group to reflect on the past year, share achievements, and look ahead to the future.

The keynote opened with our CEO Iain Johnson, sharing his view on what sets us apart: not just providing turnkey solutions, but being craftsmen and innovators — pairing exceptional customer service with a standard of design and delivery that never compromises.

Joanna Benton, the new Director of Helen Green Design, shared her vision for the studio's next chapter, honouring its heritage while embracing a more curious, collaborative and purposeful approach to design. Brought to life through the creative division's brand refresh, the keynote championed storytelling, craftsmanship and curiosity.

George Wolstenholme, Director of Lawson Robb gave an alternative talk on protecting creativity in a noisy world that tempts us to just get from A to Z, and on giving "ugly baby" ideas the time and space to become great designs.

The Creative Division has grown from two designers into a team of five, with work now extending beyond property into advertising, web design and build, motion graphics, and product design.

Interior Design shared photos from the install of their largest project to date, BKK 207, including some of the more memorable moments along the way, as well as celebrating our recent work at WowHouse.

Architecture presented major project updates, planning successes and construction milestones across the UK and internationally. Achievements were showcased across the three teams lead by Associate Directors, Dave Ellis (Country), Charlie Kentish (Global) and Paul Jones (Urban)

We saw a strong influx of new recruits this year as well as proudly supporting two architects reach further educational qualifications. Charlotte Pires was praised for her exceptional work leading the large country project, showing ability beyond her years. Isabelle Doumet was recognised for creating an innovative live website linked directly to the Thailand project, and Miguel Samanez praised for his leadership on complex construction detailing. Panya Chaonsri was acknowledged for his technical expertise, Steve Harrison for driving BIM and Revit integration, and Frankie Foord for making an immediate impact following her return from maternity leave.

"We redesigned the machine in 2025. In 2026 we developed the people who power it. The most enduring structures are not built from concrete and steel; they're built from people, shared values, and a collective commitment to excellence."  - Mark Cowley, Director of Architecture

Construction closed things out with the latest site photos from Surrey Estate, one of several projects this year — alongside KY 247 — that showcased strong cross-team and cross-company collaboration.

Across the business, it's been a standout year: for winning new iconic work, transitioning out of the design stage and moving into delivering long-awaited projects, and growing and developing the team.

As part of the afternoon’s programme, select individuals from across the Group were acknowledged for their exceptional contributions over the past twelve months. The following team members received awards in recognition of their performance and commitment:

• Stealth Mode Genius – Amber Kemp & James Ashfield

• Emerging Leader – Daisy Watson & Amber Kemp

• Personal Growth – TY Wong & Daisy Hayward

• Innovator of the Year – Isabelle Doumet & Zak Pulis

• Precision & Excellence – Yuchen Wu & James Ashfield

To close the event, the team had the privilege of hearing from Robert Sadler-Brocklehurst - Discover Develop Retain Learning and Rupert Wesson - Debrett's, who both delivered compelling talks on how to develop our pitching and marketing skills — a fitting conclusion to a day focused on ambition, refinement, and professional development.