Event

Tom is the Group Chief Executive of Kingdom Housing & Care Group, headquartered in Fife.

Tom was previously Group Director of Property & Development at the Wheatley Group, Scotland’s largest housing & care organisation, leading it to be the largest developer of social housing in the UK for four consecutive years.

Prior to that he was the Group Chief Executive of Clyde Valley Group, based in Lanarkshire.

He is the former Co-Chair of the Scottish Government’s Joint Housing Policy & Delivery Group and is also formerly a member of RICS Global Board representing Scotland, RICS Scotland Chairman and media spokesperson for housing. He currently serves as a member of RICS Global Audit, Risk, Assurance & Finance Committee.

Tom takes over as Chairman of the Herald Property Awards Judging Panel after over a decade of supporting it as a panel member.

Stephen O’Neill began his career in property in 1976 at his family’s surveying firm, gaining early insights that shaped his lifelong approach to business. After nearly two decades with O’Neill & Partners and consultancy work for Quality Street in Aberdeen and London, he launched O’Neill Letting, which grew rapidly before being sold in 2000.

That same year, Stephen founded Newton Property Management, now a market leader with 85 staff and £40 million transactional turnover. Central to Newton’s success is Stephen’s vision of a generational business, with his daughters and son-in-law joining to carry the company forward.

Rejecting the idea of exit driven businesses, Stephen has built Newton on longevity, loyalty, and legacy, making it not just a company, but a family and a promise for the future.

Bio coming soon.

Following an earlier career in local newspapers, a degree in Communication, and 10 years as PR Manager for Slater Hogg & Howison, Bev Brown has been writing about homes and interiors for newspapers and consumer magazines for the last 28 years, including a five-year stint as editor of the monthly Home Show Magazine, which supported the Scottish Television programme of the same name. Currently the property writer for the Herald – a post she has held since 2011 – and for which she is known as ‘The Voice of Property,’ she is also one of the judges of the Herald’s annual Property Awards.

Bev is passionate about property, be it an ancient pile steeped in character, a cutting edge contemporary eco new build, and every other genre in between. “She says: “I love good design and architecture in any form and the Herald’s Property Awards is an outstanding opportunity to showcase and celebrate excellence and innovation across the property spectrum. I’m excited to see what 2023’s award entries will bring!”

Alison has more than 30 years’ experience as a chartered architect and was a founding Director of Barham Glen Architects Ltd in 2011.
She has a background in social housing, community, conservation, sustainable and ecological architecture.

She has a particular interest in accessibility and inclusive design and is an NRAC Registered Access Consultant. She is a member of the RNID and sponsor of a RNIB guide dog.

Alison has been a member of The Herald Property Awards for Scotland Judging Panel since 2010.

She is a keen amateur musician and is the longest serving clarinettist and treasurer with the City of Glasgow Wind Orchestra. She also has a passion for handbags and walking the dog!

Richard is a Business Development Director for McLaughlin & Harvey Workspace.  His career in architecture and construction has spanned nearly four decades working for architectural practices ranging from a small practice in London to being a board member of one of the largest practices in the world.  He made the move into construction in 2017.

Variety has been present on the projects he has worked on.  He recently worked on the major redevelopment at Haymarket before joining Workspace in June 2024.  His experience has ranges from various residential projects for a series of high-net-worth clients to large shopping centres and major education programmes.  Variety has also existed in project locations as he has worked across the UK and internationally in Russia, the UAE and Canada.

Away from the workplace Richard enjoys skiing and sailing and is a former ice hockey referee.

As Managing Director, Donna Milton leads the Arneil Johnston team with direct responsibility for the delivery of all consultancy services, as well as the direction and management of the company. Donna is a strategic thinker with extensive working knowledge of all aspects of social housing service delivery. She is expert in housing strategy development, asset management, housing business planning, development and regeneration appraisal and housing related research. She has extensive experience of developing strategic housing plans and is skilled in translating business, corporate, community and economic objectives into practical investment strategies.

Donna has a proven track record in consultation with stakeholders across the housing profession. Her consultancy work has involved the provision of advice to local government and national government, Registered Social Landlords, statutory bodies and the voluntary sector. Donna has an MA (Honours) degree in Politics; a postgraduate diploma in Housing Studies, is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing (and previous Scotland Board member 2009-15), was a Commissioner of the RICS Scottish Housing Commission in 2015 and is the Chair of Clyde Valley Property Services.

With two decades of extensive experience in promoting and managing prestigious showrooms across Milan, Paris, Pimlico Road, and Clerkenwell, Sara Seravalli has established herself as a prominent figure in the architecture and design industry. Her career is marked by a deep understanding of the intricacies of the A&D communities and the specification market, coupled with a passion for fostering meaningful connections within these sectors.

Sara’s journey took a transformative turn when she moved to Scotland and founded #DesignPopUp. This innovative event series was conceived to bring together the architecture and design communities across major hubs in the UK and Ireland, creating a unique platform for collaboration, inspiration, and networking. Under her visionary leadership, #DesignPopUp has grown into a celebrated fixture in the industry calendar, known for its dynamic exhibitions and engaging content.

Sara has been a judge for The Herald Property Awards for Scotland since 2016.

Having been involved in the design industry for over four decades Doreen has a wealth of experience and founded Doreen Smith Interiors in 1998. She has built her reputation creating timeless elegant and contemporary interiors for residential and commercial clients which reflect what she values in design – attention to detail, how the space makes you feel and designing with practicality in in mind. This has led to Doreen writing columns and articles for several national newspapers and home style magazines. She draws her inspiration from a broad range of sources, from architecture to textiles, art and travel.

Having spotted a niche market for bespoke luxury fabrics, soft furnishings and large statement wall art Doreen launched her brand Sophia & Joseph in 2016. Sophia & Joseph design, illustrate and manufacture beautiful unique fabrics and wall art printed and produced in the UK that showcase her passion for individual style, injecting originality and a splash of colour. Selling her products internationally and at home.

Prior to launching her interior design company, Doreen was appointed Art Editor of an international publishing house, working in Glasgow and London.

Doreen has been a judge for The Herald Property Awards for Scotland since its inception in 2007.