Julie

What is your role at the ODA?
I am responsible for delivering the Legacy Masterplan on behalf of the ODA.

What is your background?
After undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Planning and Building Conservation, my professional background has been a mixture of private sector, Government and local authority experience. Before joining the ODA I worked at Southwark Council, where I was responsible for providing design advice to architects and developers on their town planning applications. I was closely involved with several major projects, including the ‘Shard of Glass’ by Renzo Piano, and the Elephant and Castle masterplan. I also set up and managed Southwark’s Design Review Panel, which is independent of the council and provides design advice on major schemes.

Describe a typical day?
My main responsibility is ensuring that the Games venues that will remain after the Games are interfaced with the Olympic Park and secure the maximum benefit for legacy. I am also closely involved with the masterplan that will suggest what type of development will go into the Park after the Games. I therefore work closely with the London Development Agency and the five Host Boroughs, which are the ODA’s development partners.

What is your favourite aspect of the role?
I love the pace and the complexity of the project. The people I work with are fantastically talented, focused and very enthusiastic.

What inspired you to join the 2012 team?
Working on the Games was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I really wanted to be involved with a project that had a start and finish date. I also knew that I would have the opportunity to work with some serious talent and I have not been disappointed in that respect. I often say to people ‘they have ordered the ribbon’ – delay is not an option and the pace is wonderful.