Ridge has announced the appointment of six new equity partners as the business continues growing in key sectors and deepens its focus on operational excellence.

The appointments span a number of priority areas of the business, including data centres, defence and security, expert witness services, people and culture, and marketing and communications. They mark a significant step in the Ridge vision to redefine excellence in the built environment, and to strengthen its multi-disciplinary strategic offer.

These leadership additions come at a time of continued momentum for Ridge, which now employs more than 1,300 people across 14 locations nationally. The appointments reflect rising demand across strategic sectors, as clients increasingly seek partners who can combine deep technical expertise and practical problem-solving ability with a strong, values-driven culture.

The appointment of the six new equity partners brings the total number across the business to 40. The new equity partners are:

• Rennie Dalrymple, Head of Data Centres
• Chris Taylor, Head of Defence and Security
• David Pope, Partner, Expert Witness Services
• James Milne-Smith, Partner, Cost Management
• Nicky Dixey, Director of People and Culture
• Julie Guppy, Director of Marketing and Communications

Driving sector expertise and strategic leadership

Each new equity partner brings a wealth of expertise and a proven track record in delivering impact for clients and colleagues alike.

Rennie Dalrymple joined Ridge via the acquisition of Concert in 2023, bringing more than 30 years’ experience of delivering fast track and high intensity projects for a range of built environment clients throughout the UK and Europe. Rennie heads up the Data Centres sector, a key area of growth for Ridge as the demand for digital infrastructure, cloud services, and data storage continues to accelerate.

Chris Taylor adds more than 25 years’ experience in Defence and Security to the leadership team. Chris is experienced in mobilising and leading complex projects typically with high levels of technology, security and MEP integration. He has worked across multiple sectors including defence, data centres, corporate finance, banking, technology and Big 4 and as Head of Defence will continue to drive strategic growth in the sector.

David Pope is an experienced expert witness with a proven track record of delivering highly impactful technical opinion for clients in construction and manufacturing industry related disputes. David specialises in large-scale international matters and navigating complex multi-disciplinary engineering design issues.

James Milne-Smith joined Ridge in 2021 and has over 20 years of experience in quantity surveying, contract administration, and employer’s agent roles. He specialises in negotiating and building strong client and contractor relationships and consistently delivering added value across all stages of the project lifecycle – drawing on his extensive expertise to guide projects to successful, cost-efficient outcomes. Key client relationships for James include Ellison Institute of Technology and the country estate, The Newt.

Nicky Dixey joined Ridge in 2022 and in this time has transformed the HR function. With over 30 years of HR expertise, and a strong focus on building a positive, inclusive culture, alongside developing people strategies that support growth and opportunity, Nicky has helped Ridge to embed a commitment to deliver lasting impact on the strength of its people.

Julie Guppy is a marketing communications leader with over 30 years of experience in B2B environments. Having joined Ridge less than two years ago, Julie has a strong track record of delivering impactful, market-relevant campaigns that align with business goals. Her experience is key to strengthening Ridge’s position in the market, diversifying its growth services, and reinforcing its position in a high-demand market.

Shaping the future, together

These appointments reinforce Ridge’s focus on scaling responsibly, with a leadership team committed to delivering outstanding results for those it works with, while also creating meaningful opportunities for its people.

Commenting on the appointments, Senior Partner, Adrian O’Hickey, said: “This is a great moment for Ridge, and I couldn’t be prouder to welcome these six exceptional people into the Equity Partner group. Each one of them brings something unique—deep sector expertise, creative thinking, commercial drive, and a genuine commitment to our people-first culture.

“These appointments are not just about recognising individual talent but about investing in the future of Ridge. We’re growing in the right way—strategically, sustainably, and always with a focus on delivering excellence for our clients and creating opportunity for all. With this group helping to lead the charge, I’m confident we’ll continue to make our mark in the market, evolve how we operate, and show the world just how special Ridge really is.”