Meet the PCA Board

Meet the Board Members of the Property Care Association

With extensive background and unparalleled knowledge in the construction and property care industry along with years of served experience in environmental management.

Ben Hickman - Chair

Company: CSSW London Waterproofing

Ben Hickman has been in the damp and timber industry since 2010 having previously been a contractor member and then an independent surveyor. Ben is now the technical director of CLW and consults on structural waterproofing including defect diagnosis, expert witness and waterproofing design development.

He has a Masters from the University of Cambridge. His research, which was partly funded by the PCA Bursary, included topics such as waterproofing additives for basement concrete and podium deck waterproofing. Ben sat on the British Standards committee revising BS 8102 and has contributed to best practice guidance with NHBC, Premier Guarantee and CIRIA.

Richard Schofield - Deputy Chairman

Company: Phlorum Ltd

Richard has been an environmental consultant for over twenty years. He started as a contamination specialist and then developed as an environmental manager. Richard co-founded Phlorum in 2003, which became a key player in the knotweed control industry.

Richard’s invasive species experience includes providing specialist advice and services to treat a range of non-native invasive species, including expert witness services for several legal cases. Richard has contributed to the working groups that produced the knotweed guidance for the RICS and numerous documents for the PCA. He also assists with the marking of examination papers for the PCA Japanese knotweed courses.

Neil Marsden - Executive Officer

Company: Neil Marsden Independent Damp and Timber Consultants

Having progressed from a time served trade background to a well established independent preservation surveyors for the last 35 years, Neil has achieved various vocational qualifications including HND and NVQ (level 5) in Business Management, as well as various PCA Qualification’s.

In his current roles as a PCA RSO, PCA Trainer, Independent Surveyor/Consultant and Expert Witness all provide Neil with a unique insight into the diversity within our industry and what is needed to drive it forward, to meet the challenges it faces, in an ever-changing world.

John Bradley

Company: Cornerstone Management Services Ltd

In 1980 John joined his first ventilation company, Colt International, as a company trainee on a 4-year training programme. Now, over 40 years later, he’s putting the experience and knowledge he has gained over the years to good use as a Specialist Residential Ventilation Consultant.

After leaving Colt in 1992 he spent 14 years with The Nuaire Group, most of which was as Managing Director of their residential ventilation division. He then spent a number of years as Managing Director and major shareholder of a specialist independent residential ventilation company called Positive Ventilation, which provided a full consultancy, surveying, design, supply, installation, commissioning, certification and maintenance service. Prior to joining his current employer, he was Managing Director of Homevent, a division of Elta Fans.

John is a Chartered Building Engineer and has spent the vast majority of his career working in the ventilation industry, primarily focused on residential ventilation. He is currently 'Principal Technical Consultant - Residential Ventilation at Cornerstone Professional Services', which is a division of Cornerstone Management Services.

Emily Walker

Company: GCP Applied Technologies Ltd

As a ‘self confessed waterproofing geek’, Emily has many years of experience within the waterproofing sector and currently works for GCP Applied Technologies Ltd. Emily also draws on experience from working with Mining Engineers in the heavy civils industry. 

Her philosophy has always been that ‘every day is a school day’ and she is committed to the continuous development of skills and knowledge.

Sarah Garry - Chief Executive

Company: Property Care Association

Sarah join the PCA in November 2023 after spending 20 years working with membership and trade associations; including for construction trade bodies and in the international medical sector. 

Prior to PCA, Sarah led the British Society of Soil Science (BSSS) where she was Company Secretary and responsible for the day-to-day management of all of its activities including delivering the annual strategy, operational and staff management. She led the delivery of the multi-award winning World Congress of Soil Science 2022, and was a trustee of the company set up to manage the delivery of the event.

PLEASE NOTE: Sarah is NOT an elected board member.  As CEO of the PCA, Sarah's role within the elected board is to serve the direction and requested actions of the board.

James Berry - Deputy CEO

Company: Property Care Association

James joined the PCA team as Technical Manager in 2016 and later became Head of the Technical Department. He is a graduate of the University of Plymouth, where he achieved a BSc (Hons) in Applied Geology but some of his earliest work experience is in the world of preservation, and has held various roles within an industry he now feels proud to represent. James is the lead on the Residential Ventilation Group sector of the PCA and is hugely enthusiastic about the need for improving standards for dampness and ventilation within existing buildings.

In 2023 he joined the senior management team following his promotion to Deputy Chief Executive and is thrilled to begin this next chapter and help drive the association forward into 2024 and beyond.

PLEASE NOTE: James is NOT an elected board member. James' role within the elected board is to serve the direction and requested actions of the board.