Meet the team
We’re proud of the expert team who make up the Blakes family. Together, our architects, interior designers, carpenters, draughts-people and builders nurture ideas and creativity. In other words, we have a vast in-house skill set to draw on. What you get with us are discerningly stylish, one-of-a-kind kitchens and joinery, crafted with finesse and the utmost attention to quality and detail.
Design
After graduating, Jeremy spent more than a decade in investment banking. During this time, he brought his creative side to bear on a range of projects, including launching and fund raising for a number of well known spirits brands. He is responsible for our strategic direction and also works with our trade clients on larger scale residential and commercial projects.
JEREMY BOTT
Managing Director
Ash developed a keen interest in playing with colours, textures and materiality while studying Interior Architecture and Design at the University of Essex. She honed these skills working for a bespoke joinery studio in Ireland where she designed traditional style kitchens, dressing rooms and furniture for luxury properties. After a move to London, Ash spent three years as a sales designer for an interior design studio.
At Blakes London, the highlight of Ash's job is taking clients on a journey from initial concept to full design, with a balance of functionality and aesthetics.
ASH McCULLOUGH
Lead Designer
Hugh graduated with first class honours in 3D Design from the University of Loughborough. He also won 3 awards at New Designers 2012 for his graduate furniture collection and was shortlisted for Homes & Gardens’ Young Designer of the Year Award in 2013. He has a meticulous eye for detail and a love of creating great looking furniture.
HUGH LEADER-WILLIAMS
Creative Lead
A professional photographer by training, Magnus spent time living and working in Australia and south-east Asia before hanging up his camera to pursue a career in kitchen and joinery design. With more than 18 years’ award-winning design experience, he consistently offers clients considered, fresh and exciting ideas for their one-of-a-kind kitchens.
MAGNUS NILSSON
Lead Designer
Annie’s approach is warm and personable – she takes the time to make sure she truly understands a client’s needs. Her 6 years with us have seen her design considered, functional and, ultimately, beautiful kitchens. She has a BSc in Sociology and Politics from Bristol University and a PGDip in Interior Architecture from the Inchbald School of Design.
ANNIE BURROWS
Lead Designer
With a degree in Architecture, Reuben started his career in practice working on listed residential and commercial buildings in the West Country.
Not long after securing planning permission for a new build project for The Dutchy of Cornwall, Reuben moved to London to uses his layout and problem-solving skills designing exemplary kitchens. As well as more opportunities to play with finishes and materials, Reuben enjoys the faster pace at which he sees his kitchen designs come to life.
REUBEN WARD
Lead Designer
Amy studied Interior Design & Architectural Engineering at ARA, Christchurch. Growing up in "the new world" Amy moved to the UK inspired by the unique way in which London blends historic buildings with cutting edge contemporary architecture.
Graduating with an Award for Best Joinery Design, as a kitchen joinery specialist, Amy enjoys the process of getting to know clients in order to design them what she believes to be the most important room in the home.
AMY HICKS
Lead Designer
Technical Design
Katherine has a degree in Spatial Design from Falmouth University and has spent the last 13 years working as a designer for a number of leading German kitchen design companies. She says she thrives on the diversity of projects she works on at Blakes London and enjoys bringing her expertise to each of them.
KATHERINE McELWAINE
Lead Technical Designer
Vanesa started her career as a practising architect in Caracas, before coming to the UK to complete a Masters Degree in New Methods of Design at the University of Newcastle. Bringing her considerable experience of technical drawing design, honed while working for contractor developers and bespoke joiners, Vanessa values her freedom to design solutions for our clients from scratch, without limits.
VANESA TORRES
Technical Designer
Dulcy relishes the freedom Blakes London offers for her to create bespoke designs that go beyond the norm. With a National Diploma in Interior Design from the University of Johannesburg, she is a perfectionist at heart. Her critical eye helps her make sure her designs both work well and look fantastic.
DULCY De PONTE E SOUSA
Senior Technical Designer
Maria will happily tell you that one year at Medical school, was all it took for her to pivot and follow a very different career path!
An architect by training, Maria spent 5 years in her native Venezuela specialising in kitchen design and a further 4 years in commercial construction honing her drawing and project management before moving to the UK.
Bringing her deep knowledge of expert craftsmanship, technical drawing and construction management Maria's dedication to detail and precision has made her an invaluable part of our technical design team.
MARIA VILLAVERDE
Technical Designer
An Interior Design graduate from the Manchester School of Art, Sarah has spent her career in luxury kitchen design.
A problem solver whose mantra is "pretty designs that don't work, don't make you happy", Sarah thrives in the Blakes environment where no day and no design is ever the same. Sarah spends her time ensuring that both form and function are working in harmony in the designs that she works on.
SARAH ELLIOTT
Technical Designer
It could be said that kitchens are in Andrew's blood! After finishing school, Andrew went to work for his fathers kitchen business learning the industry from the ground up.
13 years later, with experience working for a number of well known kitchen companies, Andrew brings his considerable experience to bear at Blakes London.
Logic focussed with strong technical design & software skills, Andrew enjoys trouble shooting and finding solutions for tricky one-of-a-kind designs concepts.
ANDREW ZWIRN
Technical Designer
A graduate of the School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment at Nottingham Trent University, Tom comes to us with 5 years of specialist industry experience working as both a technical designer and a project manager for leading bespoke furniture manufacturers in the UK.
With a keen eye for fine detail, Tom combines his meticulous eye with creative flair ensuring our joinery projects meet the highest standards.
TOM OAKES
Technical Designer
Project Management
Graduating from the University of Derby with a BA in Product Design, Innovation & Marketing, Rob started his career as a kitchen fitter. A pro-active multi-tasker with more than 12 years of industry experience, Rob’s expert understanding of the kitchen design, manufacture and fitting process makes him uniquely placed to manage the production and installation functions at Blakes London.
ROB MALECKI
Operations Manager
When other teenagers were buying fashion magazines, Lizzie spent her pocket money on interior design publications.
With more than 25 years of experience in kitchen and joinery roles covering everything from operations, project management, kitchen design and even on occasion kitchen fitting, there is little Lizzie doesn’t know about operations at Blakes.
Lizzie’s military style organisation skills ensure that Blakes ordering, supply chain management, invoice payments and much more are meticulously ordered and under control.
LIZZIE VINES
Finance Assistant & Operations Coordinator
Lee is a graduate of the London College of Furniture and has more than 32 years’ experience in furniture making, fitting and installation. Using laser surveying skills, he works closely with our designers to check each plan for structure. Only when he is fully satisfied will he give the OK for us to manufacture and install.
LEE COMPTON
Technical Manager
Niccy gained a Bsc in Biological Sciences from Exeter University and used her degree working in women's health for a leading biotech firm.
Lock down offered Niccy an opportunity to re-evaluate and she chose to use her project management and operational optimisation skills to follow her passion and work in the design industry. During the week Niccy spends her time client servicing and making sure the team are optimising our CRM systems, however, on the weekends you will find Niccy with her head in the books studying for a British Academy of Interior Design diploma.
NICCY FOSTER
Project Manager
Sofie has a BA in Business Administration & Mandarin from Copenhagen Business School.
With 12 years project management experience working in property development for high networth individuals, and more recently with a bespoke wine room joinery specialist, Sofie uses her years of construction experience to ensure that our clients installations take place with utmost efficiency.
A vintage fanatic, Sofie spends her weekends improving her 1820's cottage where she recently repurposed vintage kitchen joinery for her own kitchen.
SOFIE RISGAARD-JENSEN
Project Manager
Carpentry
Danny is highly valued for his expertise in painting, fitting and finishing our bespoke joinery projects.
Having worked in the luxury building, painting and joinery industry in Portugal and the UK since 2005, Danny has unparalleled knowledge and experience in installing and finishing beautiful, bespoke furniture.
He takes enormous pride in delivering an exceptional service to our clients, working to get all the small details right and setting high standards of workmanship.
DANNY FONSECA
Fitter
A career specialist painter, Jorge started his apprenticeship learning the trade under a master painter who taught him the art of the luxury hand finish techniques that he relies on today.
Jorge and his brother Danny work together as a formidable duo, bringing their combined 38 years of high-end fitting and painting experience to bear on Blakes London projects.
JORGE FONSECA
Painter
Carlos has worked at Blakes London for the past 7 years. With a background in carpentry for luxury residential developers, his can-do attitude has proved infectious among his team of Portuguese fitters. For them – as for him – everything is possible, earning them respect and recognition from colleagues and clients alike.
CARLOS NASCIMENTO
Fitter
Finance, HR & Marketing
Over 20 years as a qualified accountant (CPA Australia), Kristen worked at Macquarie Group in Sydney and London as an Associate Director in the Fixed Income, Currencies and Commodities Group and the Financial Management Group. Following a break raising a young family, Kristen took on a project management role at BP, before joining Blakes and group companies as Chief Financial Officer.
KRISTEN EDWARDS
Group CFO
MICHELE MELDRUM
Group Marketing & PR
Ana has a BSc in Architecture from Unisinos Brazil. Hyper efficient and enthusiastic, Ana is the oil that keeps the Blakes, Mascot and Bespoke Glazing Design cogs spinning smoothly. Looking after everything from bookkeeping and payroll to the day to day running of the office, Ana’s organisational skills are second to non.
ANA LIPPI
Group Office Manager & Accounts Assistant
Flying the flag for Kiwi's in the Blakes studio, Maddy has lived in the UK since graduating from The University of Otago with a BSc in Psychology and Education.
When not traveling around Croatia, Maddy can be found pouring over invoices and paying bills ensuring the lights stay on in the studio.
With a meticulous eye for detail, our numeric superstar can be counted on to make sure that all our group offices remain organised and efficient.
MADISON EARLEY
Finance & HR Assistant
Kate is responsible for talent sourcing the incredible people that make up the Blakes family.
With an MA in Personnel & Development from the University of Westminster, Kate is also a chartered member of the CIPD.
Following 10 years of human capital & talent management experience at PwC, Kate now uses her considerable expertise to ensure that Blakes people represent the best in the industry. And once we're lucky enough to hire the talent, Kate focusses on people development to ensure that we keep them. Our staff retention rates speak to the fabulous job that Kate does!
KATE WARING
Group HR
Sister Company: Mascot Bespoke
Jonathan & Chris founded Mascot Bespoke Homes in 2008, an esteemed developer, contractor and house builder in South West London.
Jonathan oversees investment and development projects for Mascot and works on business development within the group.
Chris has worked in property in South West London for 20 years and actively sources and assesses development sites.
Jonathan and Chris have successfully delivered multiple prestigious projects across South West and West London over the last decade. Chris’s keen eye for detail and focus on client satisfaction has been instrumental in creating the Mascot brand today. Day-to-day Chris oversees the client liaison and build operations of Mascot. He works a
JONATHAN MARTIN & CHRIS SCOTT
Joint Managing Director