Hayball has announced that Sarah Buckeridge will take on the role of co-managing director at the firm, joining current managing director Tom Jordan, who has been in the role since 2008.
Buckeridge and Jordan will share the responsibilities of managing the practice as it seeks to critically respond to the challenges and profound changes transforming the built environment.
“Sarah has demonstrated exemplary leadership and broad influence across the culture of Hayball, as well as being a remarkable architect delivering award-winning projects for the past two decades,” said Jordan. “The appointment is part of the careful consideration we put into our long-term succession planning we recognise what she has accomplished to date but also our confidence in her significant contribution into the future.”
Buckeridge joined Hayball as a graduate architect and was promoted to director in 2007, becoming the first woman to join the senior leadership team at the time.
The firm said in a statement that her strategic intelligence and holistic placemaking approach to design had been an integral part of Hayball’s success and growth as it has become a national firm with offices in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
Buckeridge leads Hayball’s strategic urban design and differentiated housing sector and is focused on creating well-connected and sustainable communities. “Beyond the immediate challenge of overcoming the health crisis, we must also look ahead at our economic recovery and the actions that will help get us there,” she said. “The past few months reaffirmed the importance of creating a culture that is strategically aligned and intensely valued. Interconnection between our studios and strong engagement has enabled us to innovate, experiment, and quickly take advantage of new opportunities.
“Our new working practices will be further supported by our new Melbourne studio which has been designed to enhance knowledge sharing and collaboration. The variety of different settings embrace flexible and agile ways of working and promotes equality and wellbeing”.
Buckeridge said she would work with Jordan to foster Hayball’s rich internal culture, continuing Hayball’s ongoing commitment to Male Champions of Change and the Australian Architects Declare movement. Other goals include establishing formal research programs with tertiary institutions and strategic partnerships with like-minded organizations.
