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Since we began in 2011, Urbano has had a proud track record of championing opportunities for women, especially in historically male dominated industries and sectors, such as construction, engineering and technology. 

Urbano is 50% female owned: Caroline Brock, who leads on UWACTE, tenders (Caroline is ex Work Winning Assocites at AECOM), and increasingly social value (she is also a qualified Social Value Paractitioner. Read more about Caroline here: Caroline Brock

Around 50% of an Urbano Build event audience has always been female, many running their own companies or with senior positions at larger companies. Our speakers have also included many leading and inspiring women from across the ACTE & STEM sectors.

To develop deeper connections between women in SMEs and larger ‘corporates’, we added a new community to Urbano: UWACTE (Urbano Women In Architecture, Construction, Technology & Engineering) where women in Urbano member firms can develop and enhance their connections across our network. This also links into other Women in Business events for true diversity across industry.

We have also had more female speakers from across the 'Build' sectors and beyond, whilst encouraging an approach to networking that ignores negative barriers to connections based on race, seniority, sector, background, wealth or that just values sales rather than people.

URBANO NETWORKING BREAKFAST AT DISHOOM SHOREDITCH

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 16TH  |  09:30 - 11:00

After the sold out success of our first Urbano Network business networking breakfast at Dishoom King's Cross, we have managed to grab a table for 20 at Dishoom Shoreditch.

Like all our events, you will meet a great range of companies, drawn from across our business communities: Build, Finance, Media, Host, People, & Tech, all looking forward to making new business connections in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.

DETAILS & BOOKING: URBANO NETWORKING BREAKFAST

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URBANO ENGAGE EVENT with LOCKTON Insurance (ONLINE)

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 24TH  |  09:30 - 11:00

Professional Indemnity Insurance – an examination of 2022 for those in the ACTE sectors and beyond

Currently, PI insurance is one of the biggest challenges facing a range of companies, including those who tender for new work. 

Urbano Members, Lockton Insurance, will be joining us on this webinar to look at the current hard market around PI provision and the outlook for 2022 and beyond. After the presentation,  Mark Herring, Urbano's Connector-In-Chief, will facilitate a Q&A where you can put your own queries and where advice around mitigation of fees and cover will be provided.

FREE FOR ALL COMPANIES

DETAILS & BOOKING: PROFESSIONAL INDEMNITY INSURANCE FOR ACTE SECTOR

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URBANO NETWORKING EVENING IN CLERKENWELL

WEDNESDAY MARCH 2ND  |  17:30 - 19:00

Back to live! Our first networking evening of 2022 takes place in Clerkenwell on Wednesday, March 2nd, 2022.

Our hosts and sponsors are Sagal Group, are high quality office furniture suppliers providing a range of  furniture for workplaces, meeting rooms, restaurants and the home office in the UK and Europe.

Sagal celebrates its 30th anniversary and we are delighted to help them mark this amazing achievement.

DETAILS & BOOKING: URBANO NETWORKING EVENING

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 MIPIM NETWORKING RECEPTION @ CHURCH HOUSE WESTMINSTER, LONDON

THURSDAY MARCH 17TH  | 18.00 -20.30

Around this time, many Urbano member companies will be planning their participation at MIPIM - the international property event - which takes place in March. Due to different factors, many companies have already chosen either not to take a team over to France or with much reduced representation.

Sponsored by Stewart Title - a leading provider of title insurance and real estate services for the commercial and residential sectors - this event will provide great networking and hospitality courtesy of  Urbano and the team at Church House Westminster.

For this event, Urbano Members can book up to three representatives. Non-members can book a maximum of two representatives, subject to our usual restrictions. 

DETAILS & BOOKING: URBANO MIPIM NETWORKING RECEPTION

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URBANO NETWORKING LUNCH CELEBRATING IWD2022

WEDNESDAY MARCH 9TH  |  12:30 - 14:00

Urbano is hosting this special lunch to celebrate International Women's Day (IWD) 2022, which this year has the theme of #breakthebias.

Caroline Brock, Urbano's Co-Director, is hosting this IWD networking lunch at the Mercer Street Hotel in London, a luxury boutique hotel in the Seven Dials neighbourhood of Covent Garden. Hosted in their Monmouth Kitchen restaurant, our guests will enjoy a special three-course menu (see below), including a glass of wine or soft drink.

DETAILS & BOOKING: URBANO LUNCH IWD2022

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DARE WE TALK MENOPAUSE AT WORK

FRIDAY APRIL 1ST  |  09:30 - 11:00

A frank and open conversation between Urbano's co-Director, Caroline Brock and Urbano Member, Debra Spurway from HR Dept, where they shared personal experiences, evolved into making this event happen. With Debra’s specialist expertise, this event is essential for employers taking menopause seriously who want to create an inclusive workforce and retain talent.

Our speaker - Debra Spurway, Director at HR Dept - has 25 years’ experience advising on matters relating to HR, Employment Law and Training & Development. She has a reputation for providing straightforward and pragmatic advice to employers and has personal experience of managing menopause in the workplace while running a successful business.

DETAILS & BOOKING: URBANO SEMINAR FEATURING DEBRA SPURWAY

At Urbano, we see all our events  as catalysts to quality connections and as such our events are open to not only women and men, but also companies from any sector and stage of business. UWACTE will help support our own efforts to support diversity and encourage entrepreneurship across the ACTE & STEM sectors at events and also online.

“Having presented on sustainable construction for Urbano Build, I would definitely speak at an Urbano event again. Not only was I warmly welcomed by the Urbano team, but I was particularly delighted at the depth of the Q&A with such a multi-disciplinary and informed audience from across the built environment sector. Urbano clearly has a great reach into the industry, and to see so many women attending was indicative of the high quality of the event and the relevance of the topic to women in industry.” 
Jacqui Glass, Professor of Architecture and Sustainable Construction at Loughborough University & Director of the Centre for Innovative and Collaborative Construction Engineering (CICE)

"Urbano events are always unique. I loved the variety of attendees and the interaction with the audience. The events are well organised and they know how to make the most of the time: a great combination of network opportunities, learning and Q&A session. Listening to different points of view is always refreshing even if you are the subject expert. I hope to speak again in future Urbano event!"
Dr Marzia Bolpagni, BIM Advisor at Mace, Task Group Leader of the European Committee for Standardization, and Ambassador of the UK BIM Alliance

Upcoming UWACTE events

* Women In Business events always include and welcome attendees from UWACTE companies and individuals

MEMBERSHIP & COMMUNITIES SUPPORTER INFORMATION

Non-member companies are welcome to book and send representatives to a maximum of TWO Urbano events in total, including Urbano Build events before needing to join and experience the full benefits of membership. Click through to the Membership page for options, fees and download on joining Urbano: Urbano Membership

If you would like to consider becoming an Urbano Build & UWACTE Community Supporter, helping our Zero Carbon in Construction Programme and efforts to inspire diversity across in the ACTE sectors, please click here:
Urbano Build/UWACTE Community Supporter download

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Some of our past female speakers at Urbano include:

• Ella Bennett - HR Director, Fujitsu UK & Ireland
• Pauline Bickerton - Entrepreneur in Residence at Cass Business School
• Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne - Founder, Genius Foods
• Charlie Duff - Global Social Media Relations Manager, Ernst & Young
• Jane Duncan - ex President of RIBA
• Prof Jacqui Glass - Professor of Architecture & Sustainable Construction
• Teresa Gonzalez Rico - Future Cities Catapult Project Lead
• Daisy Goodwin – Producer/Writer of ITV Series ‘Victoria’
• Jo Haigh - Dealmaker and responsible for over 300 multi-million deals
• Kate Holt - HR Director at KPMG UK
• Nicola Horlick - 'Superwoman', CEO of Derby Street Films
• Lara Morgan - Entrepreneur & ex CEO of Pacific Health
• Sadie Morgan - Founding Director, dRMM
• Ann Pickering – Chief HR Officer at O2
• Modwenna Rees-Mogg - Editor of Angel News
• Dr Anne Kemp - Chair UK BIM Alliance & Director at Atkins for BIM Strategy 
• Jackie Sadek - CEO of UK Regeneration
• Jo Taylor - Former Head of Talent Management, TalkTalk
• Katie Wood - Director of Operations Consulting, ARUP
• Dr Kerstin Sailer - Social and Spatial Networks, The Bartlett School of Architecture
• Bola Fatimilehin - Diversity & inclusion expertise, the Royal Academy of Engineering
• Dr Marzia Bolpagni - BIM Advisor at MACE & UK BIM Alliance Ambassador
• Dr Judith Grant - Director of Health & Wellbeing at MACE Group