Rising stars: Yorkshire and Humber members in the running for a Matrics Surveyor Award

Joshua Berry, Student of the Year nominee

Joshua’s commitment to his studies, his profession, his future career and the experiences of those studying in the built environment has seen him build a profile for himself during his time at Sheffield Hallam University.

A presentation exploring long- and short-term solutions to the housing crisis was recognised in the CIOB Tomorrow's Leaders challenge, and he was also awarded the Robin Jones Award by CICES for overcoming challenges. Meanwhile, he founded a new university Built Environment Student Society, creating opportunities for students to engage with industry professionals, and has delivered talks to A Level students about the profession through volunteering with Class Of Your Own.

Joshua’s combined dedication to the profession, his peers and shaping change in the industry saw him stand out in the category.

Alexander Davies-Terry, Land and Natural Resources Surveyor of the Year nominee

Alexander Davies-Terry is Head of Estate at Fitzwilliam Estates. Key to his nomination is his aptitude for combining traditional estate management with strategic thinking, disciplined governance, long-term stewardship and a future-focused approach. Alexander has challenged historic assumptions, finding new uses for land, including driving the estate’s move into renewable energy. He knows the power of robust data, active management and accountability to achieve progress and improve financial results, while maintaining strong relationships with all involved.

Alexander’s work is a clear example of the positive impact a capable surveyor can have on land, natural resources, organisations and future generations.

Mo Fallah Larijani, Residential Surveyor of the Year nominee

Mo is a principal surveyor at 4Sight Surveying Ltd, based in Hull and York. Mo’s nomination celebrated his commitment to both technological progress and upholding standards.

Mo is credited with transforming customer experiences, having introduced drone technology alongside the latest software to improve turnaround times and provide detailed, comprehensive analysis in his surveys.

Moreover, he’s established as deeply committed to upholding and promoting RICS standards, winning high levels of repeat business as a result. He is focused on ensuring clients fully understand risks and make informed decisions, as well as recognising the critical role surveyors play in protecting property investments. This everyday advocacy helps address a wider industry challenge: improving public awareness and trust in surveying as a profession.

Bianca Gribnitz, Impact Surveyor of the Year nominee

Bianca’s nomination highlights her approach to the challenge of decision-making under pressure on major infrastructure sites. She is an associate cost consultant at Arcadis, committed to systems and processes that deliver real-time data, engaged and connected teams, and governance embedded into day-to-day delivery.

Her approach sees costs reduced, clarity for all involved and stronger practitioners across projects. Her leadership and commitment to clarity ensure that her impact reaches whole project delivery teams, supporting negotiation and understanding through the use of live data and trust under pressure.

Bianca has been instrumental in upskilling engineers, surveyors and managers, supporting progression to RICS, APM and CICES membership, and helping individuals develop the confidence to operate effectively in complex environments.  She creates impact that lasts, ensuring that technical excellence translates into better outcomes for clients, stronger teams and a profession equipped to manage complexity with confidence.

Danny Monaghan, Student of the Year nominee

A building surveyor at Hollis Global, Danny has demonstrated an aptitude for innovation, a commitment to supporting the next generation and an ability to think strategically.

Within his first two weeks at Hollis, Danny independently designed and built an AI revision agent to support colleagues preparing for professional assessments. He saw and addressed a genuine business need and followed through by working with colleagues to turn that agent into a tool that has since been refined and rolled out company‑wide, creating huge impact. He then spotted further opportunity elsewhere in the business and has developed a prototype costing agent.

Meanwhile Danny has proactively delivered talks to university students about his placement experience, encouraging others to undertake placements and engage with industry. He shows a passion for the industry, a desire to see it evolve and improve, and an ability to lead where others may have followed.

Harry Ward, Apprentice of the Year nominee

Harry is in the fourth year of his Quantity Surveying Degree Apprenticeship and final year of his studies at the University of the Built Environment. He’s on track to receive a first-class degree, but the crux of his nomination is not his academic success, rather the impact he’s made during his apprenticeship at Mott MacDonald as a Degree Apprentice Quantity Surveyor.

On a c.£25m defence scheme, Harry’s diligence and meticulous attention to detail directly contributed to client savings of over £850,000. He has been entrusted with full project ownership on projects requiring demonstrable advanced capability, and has proven his skills beyond any doubt.

Harry is also committed to improving the apprenticeship experience for future Mott MacDonald apprentices and has played a pivotal role in creating a structured mentoring programme, now being explored for roll-out across a range of disciplines. He is a passionate advocate for the profession, apprenticeships and new starter apprentices. He has far exceeded the expectations of his colleagues, and his career ahead shows exceptional promise.