About us
Diversitas is chaired by Jessica Taylor (Consultant, Beale & Co) supported by Vice Chair Gail Royston (Senior Cost Manager). They are currently comprised of four member organisations and operates through its Council.
Jessica Taylor, Chair
Jessica is a specialist construction and engineering lawyer and has spent her entire career in the construction industry. She has over 30 years’ experience in advising on construction and engineering law. Her expertise includes working with property investors, institutional clients, banks, contractors and consultants as well as for housing providers and local authorities on high value projects in a number of sectors including the residential sector as well as in the commercial, hotels and leisure and healthcare sectors.
She is a former Deputy Director of the Quantity Surveyors Division of the RICS and is a current non-executive director of the Construction Industry Council (CIC) Board as well as a member of the Society of Construction Law and of the Worshipful Company of Constructors. She is ranked in the Chambers and Legal 500 directories where she has been called “exemplary” and “inspiring”.
Gail Royston, Vice Chair
Gail is a highly skilled and dynamic Senior Cost Manager with over ten years of experience, specialising in commercial office spaces, retail, data centres, and high-profile residential and hotel projects.
Her expertise spans multiple countries, including New Zealand, Malaysia, France, Spain, and England, where she has successfully managed costs and delivered value on a wide range of developments.
Passionate about driving positive change in the construction industry, Gail has been actively working with CIC for the past few years to promote diversity and improve industry standards.
Dr Nike Folayan MBE
Nike chairs AFBE-UK, a not for profit organisation which promotes higher achievement in Engineering and Education amongst people of Black and Ethnic minority backgrounds in the UK. She is a Trustee at the Institution of Engineering and Technology, EngineeringUK and StemetteFutures.
Dr Bola Abisogun OBE
Bola is a well-documented industry disruptor, a longstanding Member of CIOB and an eminent Fellow of RICS. He is the Founder & Chairman of DiverseCity Surveyors (DCS) – who are an Honorary Affiliate Member of the Construction Industry Council, noting their highly successful peer-to-peer network promoting excellence and thought-leadership across the global, non-traditional talent pool.
Helen Fadipe MBE. FRTPI, FRSA
Helen Fadipe is the current President of the RTPI. A Strategic Planner with over 30 years’ experience working across public and private sectors, both in the UK and internationally. She is the Founder and Chair of BAME Planners Network, promoting diversity and inclusion in the planning profession.
Amos Simbo, OBE
Amos is an engineer and founder of the BPIC Network, a built environment inclusion business working with major national and international construction industry organisations to improve ethnic minority representation as well as retention. Amos is also a board member of Construction City & Guilds.
Jonathan Fashanu CEng MICE
Jonathan is a chartered civil and structural engineer and founder of Dash, an engineering and regenerative design practice in London. Jonathan volunteers and works closely with the AFBE-UK, ICE, NSE, EWB-UK and the UKGBC. Jonathan also tutors young architects at the Architectural Association.
Nessa Primus
Nessa is the Deputy Chief Executive of the Digital Twin Skills Academy and is also Head of Engagement and Outreach at DiverseCity Surveyors. With over two decades of experience, she is a seasoned Engagement Specialist, Life Coach, and Consultant. Her focus is on empowering individuals to unlock their full potential, achieve their goals, and navigate challenges with resilience and confidence.
Ransford Stewart MBE
Ransford is a founding member of the BAME Planners Network. Formerly, Head of Planning and Transportation and member of the Corporate Management Team at Watford Council, he now runs Stewart Management & Planning Solutions, a town planning and management consultancy in west London.
Debansu Das, Diversitas Committee Representative
Debansu has 20+ years of experience in the UK housing sector, specialising in sustainability and offsite construction. He collaborates with key stakeholders to drive innovation and technology while addressing social and environmental inequalities. As Chairman of the Housing Diversity Network and a CIC member, he champions diversity.
Lawrence Bellinfantie, Diversitas Secretariat
Lawrence’s experience in the construction and built environment began in 2021 upon joining CIC supporting website and LinkedIn management. Lawrence brings his expertise of Marketing and Communications in the Built Environment industry to Diversitas; putting their marketing communication goals into action and supporting in a Secretariat capacity.
Fabiana Jaramillo, Diversitas Secretariat
Fabiana is from Chile although she lived in Spain before moving to the UK some 25 years ago. Her work in the UK, as well as supporting Diversitas, include a Trustee for the Anglo Chilean Society. She majored in B.B.A and Marketing from University in Barcelona.
Diversitas
Construction Industry Council
The Building Centre
26 Store Street
London
WC1E 7BT