As Senior Executive Partner, Head of Studio and member of the Design Board, Gerard Evenden’s approach to leading international teams is guided by collaboration, technological innovation, and a commitment to regenerative, ecological design. Gerard studied at the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology and joined the practice in 1991. Alongside leading the design of many high-profile projects, he has built enduring relationships with clients, collaborators, and a trusted studio leadership group, which brings together decades of shared knowledge and expertise. Gerard’s desire to work in new markets has driven Foster + Partners’ broad geographical spread and diversity through projects in North America, Asia, Australia, Europe and the Middle East, including the sustainable masterplan for Masdar City, the UAE’s 2020 Dubai Expo pavilion, and Zayed National Museum, the centrepiece of the Saadiyat Island Cultural District in Abu Dhabi. An early project Gerard worked on was the Sarriko Station on the Bilbao Metro. He subsequently led the design teams on Canary Wharf Underground Station in London and the High-Speed Rail Station in Florence. Currently, Gerard is leading the design of groundbreaking new projects in the UK, such as the Ellison Institute of Technology in Oxford, and multiple projects in the USA, Africa, and the Middle East, including pioneering high-rise structures. Gerard has sought out and thrived on the challenge of working in extreme climates, delivering projects that often combine technological complexity with traditional principles to achieve unprecedented environmental aims. He is a great believer in the value of travel and understanding local culture to develop buildings that are sensitive to their context. Recently completed award-winning projects include The Lana and The Lana Residences, Dorchester Collection in Dubai and the House of Wisdom, Sharjah. He also continues to work on a range of giga projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, such as Laheq, Shura Island, and the newly opened Nujuma in the Red Sea. Gerard has been at the practice for over three decades and named his children, Florence and Sydney, after two major competition wins in these cities.