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Photo of James Breckon, Director of Estates

James Breckon
Director of Estates

James joined Warwick as Director of Estates in October 2014. Overseeing all the University real estate across two main campuses, on the outskirts of Coventry and close to Stratford Upon Avon, he takes responsibility for the Capital Programme, Campus operations (maintenance and facilities), Student Accommodation and Transport mobility. He serves as a member of the University’s senior officer team, reporting directly to the Group Finance Director, and takes a lead role in environmental sustainability.

Trained as a professional engineer, with an MSc and exec MBA, he has lead consultancy, construction and services businesses in the UK across multiple market sectors. He has a significant track record in collaborative and integrated design and construction, creating and delivering built environments within research, development, manufacturing, healthcare, education and commercial organisations.

He leads on the real estate strategy and sustainable, inclusive placemaking for the University campuses.

James's previous role was Director at Balfour Beatty Heathrow Airport, responsible for the design and delivery of the £300M development programme across terminals 1, 2 and 4. Before this, he worked within blue chip public limited companies as a Director Parsons Brinckerhoff (WSP), Morgan Ashurst and AMEC (Wood Group).


Photo of Rob Morgan, Chief Finance Officer

Rob Morgan
Chief Finance Officer

Rob joined Warwick as Chief Finance Officer of Estates in July 2023, he will be responsible for shaping the Estates financial strategy whilst overseeing the Financial Operations and Commercial Reporting functions.

Qualified as an accountant (ACMA) he has extensive experience leading projects and departments including HR, IT, Procurement, and Finance, in the HE Sector in the UK and China along with experience within the financial services and utility sectors.

Rob strongly believes in the societal benefits of a strong educational system and is a Trustee and Finance Committee Chair of the Greenwood Academies Trust.


Photo of Parvez Islam, Director of Transport and Future Mobility

Parvez Islam
Director of Environmental Sustainability & Infrastructure

Parvez is responsible for the portfolios of Energy and Carbon Management, Environmental Sustainability and Mobility at the University of Warwick. He is leading the implementation of the strategic sustainability plan “Way to Sustainable” along with the Future Mobility strategy that have emerged from Masterplan activities and approved through internal Governance.

His team are supporting the delivery of the University’s net zero ambitions, enhancing ecology and biodiversity of the campus and the long term infrastructure opportunities of road and rail developments as well as the more immediate positive modal shift improvements required on campus. This is being conducted in conjunction with other functions within Estates and across several University departments. Furthermore, external relationships with local authorities and regional bodies have been extensively developed to aid the success of the University’s ambitions.

Parvez previously was responsible for the sustainable transport and surface access portfolio at London Luton Airport. He developed and implemented several innovative solutions which helped improve the customer journey whilst catering for the continued growth of the Airport and ensuring commercial viability.


Photo of David Hammond, Capital Programme Director

David Hammond
Capital Programme Director

David is responsible for the realisation of the Capital Development Programme at the University, working with a multidisciplinary team of Project Managers, Surveyors and Designers to transform our campus.

He has extensive experience of leading multidisciplinary teams on a diverse range of complex projects, and has been responsible for the creative direction, technical and commercial performance of integrated design businesses, and delivery teams through all work stages, from concept to completion.

David has experience in a variety of market sectors, including education, commercial office, residential, pharmachem, research, industrial, manufacturing, healthcare, transport and defence, and has worked both in the UK and internationally.

David is a passionate believer in the benefits of multidisciplinary design and integrated project delivery, with a keen interests in the use of technology and “offsite” manufacture. He aims to ensure the consistent safe delivery of coordinated solutions to procurement and construction teams, in order to maximise programme, cost and quality benefits.


Photo of Wendy Roberts, Chief Finance Officer

Wendy Roberts
Director of Staff and Student Accommodation

Wendy currently manages a team responsible for income of £45m with operating costs of £34.2m with a team of 675 staff. Her teams manage 10,000 on and off-campus rooms and clean the vast majority of the University buildings. She's been integral in the project teams developing an additional 1,300 student bedrooms on the campus.

She is an experienced Commercial Manager with a successful history of working in the higher education industry, skilled in customer service, project management, business planning, coaching and strategic planning.

Wendy has managed large scale facilities teams in complex operations across the country, including facilities management of Cleaning, Porters, Switchboard, Car Parking, Conference Reception and Student Reception.

Before joining Warwick, Wendy was the Site Manager for ISS a leading global provider of facility services where she managed the contracted out services of Cleaning, Portering, Switchboard and Car Parking for Singleton Hospital. Wendy also completed her MBA at Warwick.


Photo of Duncan Stiles, Compliance and Assurance Manager

Duncan Stiles
Head of Assurance, Risk and Property

Duncan works alongside the Estates Management Team to systematically make significant improvements to support operational and projects health, safety and compliance practices. He and his team of specialist Property, Health, Safety, Risk Management and Business Continuity professionals, who among other services, conduct regular audits and reviews for reassurance of compliance across the Estates Office activities.

He has over thirty years of experience working and managing public sector buildings and property portfolios, having a variety of roles including Building Surveyor, Property Manager and Facilities Manager. His experience has stood him well to fulfil his current role at Warwick.

Duncan has been responsible for setting up and implementing the Estates Strategic and Consultative Health, Safety and Wellbeing Group, University Water, Statutory Inspection and Asbestos Management Groups to provide the framework to ensure compliance for the coordination of activities related to the management, procurement, development, maintenance, training requirements and safe use of systems.

At National level, Duncan is an active member of the Association of Universities Directors of Estates (AUDE) Estates Management Group and former member of both the Universities Safety and Health Association (USHA) Compliance Sub-group, and UUK Code of Practice Governance Board. These positions have enabled him to network with colleagues from other universities to share best practice within the university sector.


Photo of Steve Twynholm, Operations Director

Steve Twynholm
Operations Director

Steve is responsible for Estates Operations which includes maintenance, waste management, customer service desk, information management, furniture, post and grounds and gardens.

Having spent the last ten years at Coventry University in a variety of senior leadership roles within Estates he has a deep understanding of the challenges facing Higher Education and what is required to lead an effective Estates function in a large complex organisation.

Prior to this Steve worked for a variety of public sector organisations in the North-West of England including the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) working on emergency planning and public consultations.

Steve brings experience and expertise in customer service, process and performance improvement at a time when customer expectations are increasing and the need to provide value for money has never been greater.


Photo of Steve Twynholm, Operations Director

Richard Seago
Development and Services Director

Richard joined Estates in October 2023 after six years with the University as Facilities Development and Services Director at WMG where he was responsible for working closely with Estates on all the buildings and projects in WMG including the award winning National Automotive Innovation Centre.

Richard has a degree in Engineering and started his career as a design Engineer with Arup. He moved to the BBC in 2001 as a project manager refurbishing TV and radio studios and later becoming Programme Manager responsible for all the BBC’s property projects outside London; including the 1500 person, £40m move of several departments to Salford. From 2014 Richard lead the capital projects team in the property department at Severn Trent Water until his move to WMG.