Jonathan Leah to chase education work at the Australian firm

Former Archial director Jonathan Leah has joined Woods Bagot, with a brief to spearhead the Australian firm’s push into the education sector.

The practice, which has begun looking for new offices in London because its current home on Oxford Street has been earmarked for demolition as part of planned redevelopment work, is targeting the government’s academies programme.

Earlier this month, the coalition announced details of the 16 projects that will form the first wave of £800 million worth of academy schemes, which will be tendered over the next 18 months.

Woods Bagot’s London office has been instrumental in the practice recently picking up contracts to expand two airports – in Perth, western Australia and the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku.