Graham Lambert has spent over 35 years in the development and construction sectors. Originally a quantity surveyor – working on projects ranging from health, education and leisure schemes (including exposure to PFI and BSF programmes) to defence and STEM projects – before moving into commercial and programme management roles that gave him a deep grounding in the securing, structuring, pricing and governance of development projects.

That commercial foundation led to senior leadership roles with two of the UK’s major developer-contractors. As Operations/Contracts Director, and subsequently Regional Director at Bouygues Developments (subsequently renamed Linkcity), he built the operations team and enhanced integration with the wider business. He took project ownership of complex mixed-use and residential schemes across London, Bristol and Birmingham, managing delivery, design development, viability and the interface between developer, investor and local authority teams. He also served on the Linkcity UK Executive Committee and led the company’s engagement with the UKGBC.

As Managing Director of VINCI UK Developments, he re-established the development business from the ground up – recruiting and leading the team, building development-specific models, systems and processes within the wider VINCI governance framework, and generating a forward pipeline focused on public sector regeneration, including successfully securing the company’s position on the PAGABO National Developers’ Framework’. He held statutory director responsibilities with full P&L accountability and served as Board Director for multiple joint venture initiatives overseeing programmes in excess of £1Bn, including the reprovision of New Covent Garden Market in Nine Elms and key regional regeneration schemes in cities such as Derby and Coventry. He refocused the company’s ESG policy, reanimated its investor relations, and secured key exclusivities through competitive framework bids.

He founded Clerestory Advisory to offer that depth of experience on a different basis; senior development advisory for organisations and partnerships that need experienced oversight without permanent overhead. The practice works across JV governance, regeneration strategy and development delivery – including bid strategy and leadership for competitive development opportunities – with developers, local authorities, housing associations, health bodies, universities and institutional investors.

Qualifications

MSc Construction Law & Arbitration (Merit) – King’s College London

BSc (Hons) Construction Management (1st Class) – Nottingham Trent University