http://www.benoy.com/
Graham Cartledge CBE became Chairman of award-winning, international Architecture practice Benoy in 1992 following his management buy-out, which transformed the commercial nature of the business.
Whilst specialising in retail design as the Architects of Bluewater in Kent, the Bullring in Birmingham and Elements Mall in Hong Kong, Graham has worked tirelessly and successfully to establish Benoy as a world-leading brand engaged on some 400 projects in over 36 countries.
Under his leadership, Benoy has experienced phenomenal growth by trading its design expertise internationally since 2002, and diversifying away from its traditional sector to work in the urban regeneration, reconstruction, transportation, high-rise, hospitality, sports and leisure sectors. Graham believes that to work internationally you have to think locally and opened offices in Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Shanghai and Singapore to complement the existing UK operations.
Striving to promote the British creative offering overseas, Graham has worked closely with UKTI and been a proactive member of the UK India Business Council for the past few years.
Since 2005, Benoy has become a recognised brand in India. Graham participated in two high-level Ministerial UKIBC business delegations led by Lord Bilimoria. These official visits have helped establish Benoy as a leading player in the market and extended the Company's activity in this important region. In 2007, Benoy was named UKTI's New Market Entrant of the Year in India.
Graham's dedicated design team in the region is currently contributing to the development of major sites in Aurangabad, Bangalore, Bhubaneshwar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Delhi, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Jamshedpur, Jodhpur, Kolkata, Kurla, Mumbai, Mysore and Pune.
In 2007, Graham and his wife Jo established the Benoy Foundation - a charitable trust that supports tangible, lasting projects in building, sustainability, community and education throughout the UK and across the world. The Benoy Foundation has built 140 homes for Dalit families on the outskirts of Bangalore in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. Last year, Benoy sent an international team out to India to build one of these homes.
Graham is a Non-Executive Director of Nottingham Forest FC and a Judge for the Annual Prince Philip Designers Prize. He is also an Ambassador for The Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts.