THE JUDGES
Vaso Vaina, Chair, RIBA Surrey, Managing Director, Stripe Consulting
Vaso Vaina is Chair of the RIBA Surrey branch, a RIBA chartered architect, and fellow of the Chartered Managers Institute and has been practising since 2004 as a fully qualified architect. Her election as Chair of the RIBA Surrey branch follows her involvement with the ‘RIBA Future Architects Scheme’ mentoring the next generation of architects. She is an active member of the British Parking Association and participates in the Association’s Suicide Prevention Working Group and Women in Parking Group. She joined Stripe Consulting as Design Manager and progressed to become Head of Architecture before taking the role of Managing Director in 2022. Vaso has been instrumental in shaping the company’s vision for the future to lead and contribute to developing each sector to ensure the timely delivery of sustainable, quality and cost effective designs.
Chris McLaren-Clark, Founder and Chairman, McLaren Clark Consultancy
Chris joined the industry in 1964, working in an estate agency which he bought and ran successfully for 15 years. He subsequently entered the new homes sector and proceeded to work for a number of agencies across the South East and Midlands at Director level. Seeing an opportunity in the market, Chris went on to launch the McLaren Clark Consultancy, which for over 20 years has been the trusted, independent go-to brand for landowners, housebuilders and property professionals, providing expert advice for land acquisition and disposal, research and working with developers of all sizes to achieve the successful delivery of new homes. Whilst he is now retired, Chris maintains a position as Chairman of the business and the principal anchor for his two sons, Dan and Will, who have been with the Consultancy for over 20 years. He is delighted to have been invited to be one of the judges for the 2024 Surrey Property Awards.
Lee Newlyn, Former Senior Partner, Barton Willmore and Director, Mayfield Market Towns
Lee worked in Hampshire in Local Government Office for 10 years before joining Barton Willmore in 1982. With a passion for both business and planning he expanded the practice to deliver three new fully operational offices during the 90's and finally finished his planning career as the company's Senior Partner for its London office, having been an expert witness in over 500 Planning Appeals and over 100 Local Planning inquiries at the point when he retired from Barton Willmore to take up property development in the luxury retirement market sector. For the past 12 years Lee has been a Director of Mayfield Market Towns Ltd, a specialist development company that was set-up with Peter Freeman, the current Chair of 'Homes England', Lord Jamie Borwick and Lord Mathew Taylor to develop a new town of 10,000 homes in mid Sussex. Aside from an illustrious career in the property and planning sector his biggest claim to fame is having played against Pele, when playing in the North American soccer league in 1975.
