Meet our UKGBC Future Leaders

We’re proud of Ainsley Diprose, Associate Director, and Petro Michaelas, Principal Sustainability Consultant, for representing Verte on the UKGBC Future Leaders programme – we’re honoured our team made up 10% of this year’s intake!

Following the group’s final reflections workshop last month, we spoke with Ainsley and Petro about their experience.

What has been your UKGBC Future Leaders highlight?

Petro: I enjoyed the whole programme — it was hugely valuable connecting with brilliant speakers, facilitators, and fellow leaders. It was truly inspiring to meet so many passionate, like-minded individuals from across the built environment. We felt like one big family!

The highlight for me? An audience with sustainability campaigner & writer Jonathon Porritt. We delved into tough issues that made me reflect on the urgent need for action. The realisation hit me hard: our environment and humanity are on a collision course with a metaphorical iceberg. But Jonathon’s message was clear—there is hope. Every individual and every action can make a difference. Together, we can turn this around!

How will you use your new skills to accelerate change?

Ainsley: As an industry let’s have more conversations, let’s talk beyond the brief! We are so capable of delivering to industry standards, but I want to work with clients to push boundaries. I want us to embrace community impact and involvement, to look at what is beyond biodiversity net gain and find ways to secure long-term commitment and investment. 

Buildings may be static but the impact they have is not and there are so many questions to be answered and conversations to be had. The UKGBC Future Leaders programme has given me the confidence to hold space for these discussions so that we can together drive positive change at pace.