Ridge has made two high-profile senior appointments in Manchester, bringing heavyweight expertise to our engineering leadership team as we accelerate our growth across the North West and beyond.

Jon Moister joins as a Partner and Structural and Civil Engineering Lead from Curtins, and Martin Bissell as a Partner and Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Lead from Ramboll. Jon and Martin join Partner Mark Dewhurst and the Manchester leadership team in driving the 135-strong Manchester workforce into the next phase of ambitious business growth with a target of 200 employees by 2027.

The appointments mark a significant milestone for our Manchester office, where headcount grew by 18% in 2025 across architecture, structural and civil engineering, project and cost management, sustainability, building surveying and property consultancy.

Our team is working across some of the region’s landmark projects, including Viadux 2 in central Manchester, the Eden Project in Morecambe and the redevelopment of Oldham town centre, recently named as a recipient of Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham’s £1bn Good Growth Fund.

Jon and Martin will each lead a diverse portfolio of projects within their disciplines while also working together to deliver integrated, multidisciplinary design services. Their work will span sectors including high-rise residential, hospitality, town centre regeneration, defence, and advanced manufacturing.

Jon Moister, Partner and Structural and Civil Engineering Lead

Jon will lead Manchester’s growing Structural and Civil Engineering team. With 25 years’ experience in structural and civil engineering, strategic leadership and change management, Jon joins Ridge from Curtins. He has a proven track record of scaling teams and delivering complex programmes of work for major projects in the city, including the 2.4 million sq ft Circle Square development, the £1bn development of the St John’s Quarter creative district, and Northview and the wider North Manchester General Hospital redevelopment.

On joining Ridge, Jon commented: “Ridge’s ambitious growth plans present an opportunity to drive real impact, and I’m pleased to be joining at such an exciting time in the company’s journey. My goal is to build on Ridge’s strong foundations, help it to expand its structural and civil engineering capabilities, and deliver projects that leave a lasting legacy for the future, across the North West and beyond.”

Martin Bissell, Partner and Mechanical and Electrical Design Lead

Martin comes on board to lead the Mechanical and Electrical Design team, bringing extensive experience in driving innovation and building-high performing teams. Martin spent 21 years at Ramboll and most recently led its Northern MEP team, where he delivered major programmes including several projects for Bruntwood SciTech, and over 30 major education projects, primarily via the Department for Education Framework.

Martin takes on the regional MEP leadership as Chris Bradburn, who has led MEP in Manchester for over 10 years as Partner, transitions to a national role focused on growing Ridge’s MEP capabilities across the entire business.

Martin commented: “With the perfect scale – not too big, and not too small – Ridge has the agility to take on a broad range of projects, from low carbon offices to residential towers and manufacturing facilities. This, together with its emphasis on people-driven growth, is what drew me to the company. I’m excited by the opportunity to build upon the success of the growing Manchester MEP Team, and maintain focus on what really matters: technically excellent solutions and strong relationships with our clients and partners.”

Commenting on the appointments, Mark Dewhurst, Manchester Office Managing Partner at Ridge, said:

“Martin and Jon bring exceptional expertise and leadership that will strengthen our senior team and accelerate Ridge’s growth – both across the North West and nationwide. Their proven ability to drive innovation and build high-performing teams positions Ridge to seize opportunities across the North as the region enters a dynamic period of investment, supported by the Mayor’s Growth Fund.

 

The arrival of Martin and Jon marks an exciting new chapter in Ridge’s journey to becoming the UK’s leading multidisciplinary built environment consultancy. We’re delighted to have them on board.”