People
Our team is our greatest asset and we work hard to create a positive environment that attracts and develops outstanding engineers, technicians and support staff.
About Thyra
Thyra Al-Feena
Electrical Degree Apprentice
Thyra began her journey with MZA in electrical building services engineering in 2024. She has a strong foundation of academic knowledge, having studied A-level engineering, psychology, and computer science. This will further enhance her skills and capabilities, allowing her to grow and succeed in her role.
Thyra is eager to develop new skills and apply her existing knowledge to the projects she will be working on at MZA. Her goal is to become a full-time member of the company once she has completed her studies.
About Joti
Joti Azad
BEng (Hons) MSc
Senior Mechanical Engineer
Joti joined MZA in 2017 as a Graduate Engineer with a BEng (Hons) in Architectural Environment Engineering and completed an MSc in Building Services Engineering in 2019.
Joti has developed significant project experience and technical capability working across a variety of sectors including custodial, commercial, residential and healthcare.
About Nick
Nick Bracewell
CAD & BIM Manager
Nick has been working in the industry for consultants for over 15 years and has worked with AutoCAD 2D from the outset and now 3D Revit since 2010. In this time, he has worked on many projects, including; local authority primary and secondary schools, along with university projects; renovations and extensions to EPH buildings; and extensions and new build prisons and hospitals, as well as commercial and leisure facilities. Nick has worked in collaboration with teams of architects and structural engineers on the UK’s first ever BIM bid for the Ministry of Justice, and more recently with multi-discipline teams on educations projects all working in Revit for a local authority.
Nick has worked with most of the MZA team throughout his career and, like them, takes pride and shows commitment to his work, helping the team to be efficient and uphold the MZA principles.
About Chris
Chris Bryant
MEng (Hons) CEng MIET
Director
Chris is a Chartered Engineer and co-founder of the practice, previously working with fellow directors Michael and Daren for over 9 years at a global engineering consultancy, and has demonstrable experience in successfully leading MEP teams on a range of projects. His core technical discipline is Electrical Engineering and, through the delivery of many successful projects, Chris has developed and established a reputation as a trusted advisor to clients and a design leader amongst his peers.
He has successfully delivered a broad spectrum of projects at all project stages, ranging from small scale refurbishment programmes to large-scale engineering infrastructure upgrade projects in live critical environments.
Chris has an integrated and inclusive approach to building services consulting which has ensured his teams have consistently delivered innovative and technically excellent solutions and gained the trust of clients and wider project team members at all stages of projects.
About Hugh
Placement Mechanical Engineer
Hugh is currently undertaking an industrial placement at MZA as part of his MEng Mechanical Engineering degree at the University of Southampton, where he has completed two years of study starting in 2022. With a strong foundation in mechanical engineering principles, he has gained valuable experience at a leading building and project consultancy firm, where he developed a keen interest in technical and energy-efficient building services.
Throughout his placement at MZA, Hugh is working on a range of projects that allow him to apply and expand his technical knowledge in building services design.
About Durgesh
BEng (Hons) CEng MCIBSE MASHRAE
Associate Director
Durgesh joined MZA as a Mechanical Associate in 2015, having previously worked alongside Michael and Chris at a major global consultant.
A Chartered Engineer, Durgesh started his career in the building services industry in 1998 and has worked on national and international projects alongside developers, end-user clients and contractors. With his holistic approach and dedication to collaborative working, Durgesh has significant experience in leading and delivering office/commercial, education, healthcare, leisure, listed/historic buildings, social housing and high-end residential projects from inception through to handover.
Durgesh firmly believes in continual improvement and assists with the development of younger engineers whilst keeping a keen interest in other building services disciplines and holds corporate memberships with CIBSE and ASHRAE.
About Kyri
Kyri Demetriou
BSc (Hons), IOA Diploma in Acoustics and Noise Control, AMIOA
Principal Acoustic Engineer
Kyri joined MZA early 2019. Prior to this, he managed projects for a diverse range of clients at a previous acoustic consultancy, driving the full lifecycle of projects through from scoping and planning, to reporting and commissioning. He was also the Owner and Audio Engineer at his self-designed ATonal Recording Studio, where he constantly adapted his skillset to build a base of over 150 repeat clients, for whom he consistently delivered successful projects. In 2018, Kyri successfully completed his Institute of Acoustics Post-Graduate Diploma in Acoustics and Noise Control and, in 2019, was awarded the Institute’s prize for best overall performance in all areas of study.
The diversity of Kyri’s experience means that he can cross-transfer skills and expertise from any number of clients, projects and industries and he helps his clients exceed their targets by actively building long-term working relationships and implementing lasting initiatives. This experience encompasses the wider umbrella of noise and vibration control, but his interests lie within architectural and room acoustics.
About Eddie
Eddie Edmonds
BEng (Hons) MSc CEng MIET
Associate Director
Eddie began his electrical career in 2006, working as an apprentice for an electrical contractor in Dorset whilst undertaking a 3-year modern electrotechnical apprenticeship. Throughout a 15-year period as an electrical contractor in a client-facing role, he gained extensive experience designing systems whilst leading and managing teams to the successful completion of projects across a wide range of sectors including residential, commercial, industrial, and renewable.
In 2013, he decided to pursue a career in design and completed BEng Electrical Engineering and MSc Building Services Engineering which enabled him to become a Chartered Engineer with the IET. In a design consultancy role, he has worked across residential, commercial, education and government sectors.
Eddie acts as an Apprenticeship coordinator/mentor for MZA and has mentored 6 apprentices/graduates so far in his career. He continues to learn from other engineers and counts sustainable whole-life cycle smart buildings, responsible design, and technical excellence as key parts of his work.
About Alex
Alex Fanzini
BEng (Hons)
Principal Mechanical Engineer
Alex’s career began in Manchester as a graduate engineer, and in 2011, he joined Foster + Partners as an intermediate mechanical engineer and gained experience in a wide range of developments, working on international projects.
In 2024, Alex joined MZA as a principal mechanical engineer. Prior to this, he was involved in several large and small-scale projects through all project stages and has worked with large and medium-sized contractors such as Skanska and Mace.
Alex’s varied project experience includes large-scale residential projects, developing tower blocks ranging from 33 storeys to 8 storeys high, and he has also been involved in new-build commercial offices and the major replacement of installed MEP services in the City of London.
Alex is looking forward to continuing to develop his skills, expanding his knowledge and working with architectural and structural teams on projects across the wider industry.
About Chris
Chris Holmes
BSc (Hons) AMIOA
Associate
Chris Joined MZA Acoustics in 2021, with around eight years’ experience working in the industry at a multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Acoustics at the University of Salford and is a regular attendee to Association of Noise Consultants and Institute of Acoustics conferences and meetings.
He specialises in architectural and building services acoustic design, as well as the design of PA/VA systems, and has led the acoustic design on projects in the residential, commercial and infrastructure sectors in all stages of the design process – through planning to handover. Chris employs a commercial mindset and a focus on collaboration with the team throughout the design process to encourage efficiency and cost-certainty.
Recent projects have included large office developments for high-profile Clients in Central London, and work on the design of tube stations in the City. Chris has also worked internationally for a large multi-family residential operator, and on commercial and infrastructure projects in Europe and the Middle East.
About Angela
Angela Hornby
BSc (Hons) MIOA
Technical Director – Environmental Acoustics
Angela has over twenty years’ experience working in Acoustics in the UK and Australia, during which time she has led a wide variety of projects for environmental noise and vibration impact. It is her aim to provide clear, robust and commercially viable responses to her client’s challenges and she has provided technical policy research advice to DEFRA and has significant experience in Environmental and Occupational noise regulation and enforcement.
Whilst she has worked across a wide variety of sectors, Angela specialises in the detailed acoustic impact assessment of and mitigation design for property development, and for control of noise from industrial sites. Recent sector work includes industrial, retail and commercial developments, surface minerals extraction and processing, waste-to-energy schemes, battery storage and AD facilities, wind farms, major road and rail infrastructure, on-shore oil and resource refineries, gas processing facilities, and construction and demolition noise and vibration management planning. She frequently collaborates with colleagues in Buildings Acoustics to design out impact for sensitive receptors to ensure the most effective solution can be implemented.
About Graham
Graham Hornby
BSc (Hons) MIOA
Director
Graham was formerly a Technical Director for an international multi-disciplinary consultancy and managed a team of over 15 acousticians. Graham has also managed an acoustics team for a multi-disciplinary consultancy in Perth, Australia, and went on to lead multiple specialist consultancy services.
He has over fifteen years’ experience in the field of acoustics, gained on a variety architectural, environmental and building commissions. These cover a wide range of projects and clients, including industrial, commercial residential and education sectors.
Graham has experience of managing large and small projects in Australia, UK, US, Dubai, Qatar, Libya and across Europe.
About Norbert
BEng (Hons) MIET
Electrical Engineer
Having graduated in 2022 with BSc (Hons) in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Norbert has always been drawn to building services as an industry, especially the electrical side. He has a strong passion for sustainability and energy efficiency, and throughout his years at university his key focus was to help raise awareness of sustainability and safety procedures. This focus will be carried forward in the form of sustainable design.
Since joining MZA in October 2022, Norbert has developed his expertise and technical skills in building services, using the knowledge gained from his degree studies and through work experience to guide him through his work. He was promoted to Engineer in 2024.
About Daren
BEng (Hons) CEng MCIBSE
Director
Daren is a Chartered Engineer and director of the practice and has over 30 years’ experience in the construction industry, 10 years in contracting and 20 years within major global, small and medium-sized consultancies. A technically strong Mechanical Engineer, Daren is actively involved with projects from inception through to post completion.
With significant experience in the education, commercial and residential sectors, Daren leads projects for developers, end-users, main contractors and building engineering services specialists.
Daren is client focused and his proactive, flexible approach lends itself to team working and achieving the best outcome. Daren has an ability to focus on the detail and the bigger picture and has history of successfully setting up and leading project delivery.
A keen supporter of developing the MZA team, Daren works closely with the engineers to develop their skills and abilities in project delivery.
About Alex
Alex Kissack
BEng (Hons)
Senior Mechanical Engineer
Alex joined MZA in 2020 as a Mechanical Engineer and has 6 years’ experience working in multi-disciplinary design teams for a global consultancy firm and a BEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering.
Throughout her career Alex has worked on a number of large scale new-build commercial and residential towers in the City of London and Canary Wharf. She also has 4 years of on-site experience future-proofing a Grade 1 listed heritage building, where she developed a keen interest in preserving historical value alongside maintaining commercial continuity. She is a member of CIBSE and is working towards becoming a Chartered Engineer.
About Elena
BIM Technician
Elena has been working in the industry for consultants for the last 5 years and has worked with AutoCAD since completing her degree in Spain. During this time she has focused on developing her knowledge of the BIM industry, which has enabled her to work on more complex projects including in the residential, commercial and retail sectors.
Elena joined the MZA’s BIM team in July 2022 and is looking forward to working as part of the team, further developing her skills and expanding her knowledge by being involved in projects across the wider industry. Demonstrating her commitment to her work, Elena is now planning to study for an MSc in BIM.
About Dylan
BEng (Hons) IEng
Electrical Engineer
Dylan joined MZA in 2024 as an Electrical Engineer and has six years’ experience working for a global consultancy, predominantly in the rail station building sector.
Dylan began his electrical career in 2017, working as an undergraduate electrical engineer for a design consultancy in London. During this time, Dylan completed a 5-year degree apprenticeship, completing his BEng (Hons) in Building Services Engineering in 2022 and achieving his IEng with the CIBSE in 2023. Dylan is currently working towards an MSc in Building Services Engineering Management.
Throughout his career, Dylan has worked on a number of large-scale projects. Completing the design and delivery of projects (RIBA stages 2 to 5+) for Crossrail, HS2, and TfL with a focus on electrical services and lighting design. He has 3 years of on-site construction support experience. He is a member of the CIBSE and is working towards Chartered Status.
About Mahad
Electrical Degree Apprentice
Mahad embarked on his journey in the field of electrical building services in September 2023. Mahad has a solid academic background, as he completed A-level maths, further maths, physics and economics. This strong educational background provides a solid foundation for his career objectives in the building services industry.
He is interested in utilising innovative technology and making smarter buildings. Mahad looks forward to applying his skills and knowledge to a variety of projects, with the aim to become a versatile team member in the field of electrical building services.
About Laura
BEng (Hons) MSc
Associate Director
Laura joined MZA as a Mechanical Engineer in April 2015, having worked alongside Mike and Chris at a major global multi-disciplinary consultancy.
Laura has over 10 years’ experience in the building services industry within Ireland and the UK, with significant experience in Education, Leisure, Residential, Custodial and Office/Commercial projects.
Laura has a particular interest in low carbon design strategies, renewable technologies, DfMA and pre-fabricated strategies and integration of pre-manufactured value where applicable. As director of the Dublin office, Laura has delivered a broad spectrum of projects, from small scale refurbishments to large-scale engineering projects. With her enthusiasm for engineering and project delivery, she leads by example, encouraging team members to strive for technical excellence, continual improvement and personal development.
About Jo
Office Manager
Jo joined the team in 2017 as the Office Manager and is the ‘go-to’ for anything non-engineering within the company.
Having worked for a multi-national oil and gas company for 12 years, in predominantly sales and national business development roles, Jo has also worked on a freelance basis in marketing and gained experience of the built environment with the Chartered Institute of Building, including managing regional and national CPD and networking events and working closely with members supporting them through their Chartership applications.
With extensive commercial experience and strong marketing and administration skills, Jo shares the MZA team’s commitment to excellence and works closely with the directors, skillfully managing a wide variety of tasks for, and on behalf of, the entire team to enable smooth operations in a busy and fast paced working environment.
About Daniel
Revit Technician
Daniel joined MZA in March 2023, bringing with him over 20 years of Revit experience.
He has worked within a wide range of fields within the industry, including rail, rights of light, hospitals, labs and many high value projects including nuclear, royal and government buildings, along with more residential and commercial schemes then he can honestly remember!
Over the years he has happily switched between Microstation, AutoCAD & Revit.
About Carmen
Digital Design Manager
BSc
Carmen joined MZA in November 2024 and is a seasoned Architectural Technologist with over a decade of experience in architectural, consulting, and contracting firms both in the UK and abroad. She specialises in digital construction, overseeing the delivery of BIM projects, model validation, data quality assurance, and safeguarding seamless coordination.
Her expertise lies in delivering BIM-focused projects for clients such as the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the Department for Education (DfE). With a deep understanding and focus on the application of ISO 19650, Carmen skilfully drives digital transformation and optimizes project workflows.
Outside of work, Carmen loves to travel, socialise and is a recent, and very enthusiastic, convert to climbing.
About Herbie
BEng(Hons) MA
Graduate Acoustic Engineer
Herbie joined MZA in January 2025 as a graduate, with previous academic experience spanning mechanical engineering, sound engineering, and music recording. Herbie is quickly applying his skills and training to become a capable consultant; since joining MZA a broad range of projects have come across his desk where he’s been picking up experience in environmental, building, and industrial acoustics.
Herbie has a deep interest in all things sound and has previously won accolades for projects including the simulation of room acoustics for up-mixing historic orchestral recordings to 3D surround sound.
About Adia
Mechanical Degree Apprentice
Adia began her career journey in September 2024, embarking on a path marked by dedication and ambition. She successfully completed the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, gaining a strong foundation in critical thinking and global perspectives.
Currently, Adia is pursuing a Mechanical Degree Apprenticeship, where she is honing her engineering skills while gaining valuable hands-on experience in the industry. Her passion for innovation and problem-solving drives her to excel in both her academic and professional pursuits.
About Michael
Michael Smith
CEng MIET
Director
Michael is a Chartered Engineer, a director and co-founder of the practice and has wide experience in design, construction, management and delivery of M & E projects. During an 11-year career with a major global consultant, Michael progressed to Regional Director, responsible for building services teams across three offices. Michael personally developed and led WSPs custodial sector capability, delivering over £500m worth of projects across an 8 year period.
Michael has a particular expertise in the development of prefabricated services strategies and their integration into traditional and prefabricated structures and uses his enthusiasm for engineering and project delivery in his team leadership style to lead by example, encouraging team members to strive for technical innovation, continual improvement and personal development.
About Charles
BSc (Hons) MSc AMIOA
Senior Acoustic Consultant
Charles joined MZA in November 2020 and brings valuable expertise to the team, having previously worked in the industry for over three years. He has experience in a variety of sectors including building, environmental, aerospace and industrial acoustics.
In September 2019 he completed an MSc in Architectural and Environmental Acoustics. He has a particular appreciation for architectural acoustics, and this fuelled his final project, for which he designed an orchestral rehearsal space. The project was nominated for an ASA award.
The range of Charles’ experience has made him a skilled, versatile and enthusiastic acoustic consultant.
About Paul
BEng (Hons) CEng MCIBSE
Associate Director
Paul is a Chartered Engineer and joined MZA as an Associate in 2019, having previously worked with several major building services consultancies, and has recently become a Chartered Engineer.
Paul started his career with Lorne Stewart PLC in 2000 as an Electrical Engineer, working on various projects such as hotels, luxury apartments and offices, gaining knowledge of lighting, power, lighting control systems and fire alarms, both in the design office and on site. He then went to Australia, working in Sydney and in Perth for United Group Limited. There he worked on Lane Cove Tunnel and Perth Metro Rail, dealing with Cable distribution systems. In October 2007, Paul joined Long and Partners. Since then he has obtained a BEng (Hons) degree in Building Services, progressing to an Associate within the company.
As a member of MZA’s design team, he develops holistic building services solutions, considering all aspects of the building design. Paul is responsible for leading the electrical design and has a strong understanding of building services with a practicable approach allowing him to develop robust, workable and fully coordinated solutions.
About Tom
Tom Webb
BEng (Hons) CEng MCIBSE EngTech
Associate Director
Tom joined MZA as an Undergraduate Engineer in 2015 and was promoted to Engineer in 2016, having worked previously alongside Michael and Chris during a technical apprenticeship with a major global consultancy.
Tom developed his technical capability and project experience whilst studying and graduated with a BEng (Hons) in Building Services Engineering in 2018. A Chartered Engineer and a member of CIBSE, Tom has extensive experience in a variety of sectors including commercial, custodial, residential and education, and through all project stages, and is an Apprenticeship coordinator/mentor for MZA.
About Peter
Peter White
CEng MCIBSE FSoPHE
Public Health Engineer
Peter has over 25 years’ experience in environmental engineering design of buildings across all market sectors. In 2005 Peter became Principal of the Public Health Group for a major UK consultancy where he was responsible for the delivery of a wide variety of public health and building services infrastructure projects.
Outward looking in approach, Peter has gained the trust of clients and design teams alike to successfully deliver complex large-scale projects. In recent years he has designed a number of 50-70 storey residential towers in the UK and has presented to the industry on this topic on many occasions. He was a contributing author to the current CIPHE Plumbing Engineering Services Design Guide and believes in the increasing importance of water conservation and water recycling in the design and operation of buildings.
Peter is a past Chair of the Society of Public Health Engineers (SoPHE) and continues to support their Education and Technical groups.
About Malcolm
Malcolm Wink
BEng (Hons) MSc AMIMechE
Senior Mechanical Engineer
Malcolm joined the MZA team in 2016 as a Mechanical Engineer and holds a BEng (Hons) in Energy and Environmental Engineering and an MSc in Building Services Engineering.
His previous position in the Estates Department at Canterbury Christchurch University enabled Malcolm to gain extensive experience of working in customer-focused roles and he has a broad and practical knowledge of the built environment, with a particular passion for sustainable building services design.
Malcolm is a member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers as an Associate Engineer and is working towards becoming a Chartered Engineer.
About Andy
MEng (Hons) CEng MIET
Senior Electrical Engineer
Andy joined the MZA team in 2023 as a Senior Electrical Engineer. He earned his MEng (Hons) degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Imperial College London and is a Chartered Engineer.
Andy started his career in ARUP as a Graduate Electrical Engineer in 2016. Throughout his career, Andy has amassed extensive experience in Building Services and Electrical Engineering, making valuable contributions to various projects spanning diverse industries. From designing healthcare facilities, factories, and offices to working on data centres, transportation stations, and ventilation shafts, he has consistently demonstrated versatility and adaptability. Proficient in a range of industry-leading software, such as AutoCAD, Revit, Dialux, CDEGS, and Amtech, Andy has skillfully designed, modelled, and coordinated various systems, including Fire Detection, Security, Small Power and Data, Lighting, Earthing, Lightning Protection, and CMS. Notably, Andy’s commitment to staying at the forefront of his field is evidenced by his ongoing self-development initiatives, which currently include studies on ETAPS software and exploring sustainable design and ESG-related fields.
As an exceptional leader and collaborative team player, Andy has successfully led electrical teams in large-scale projects at Arup, such as HS2 and Crossrail Liverpool Street Station. His adeptness in coordinating diverse disciplines and communicating with stakeholders has ensured streamlined project delivery. Andy’s commitment to fostering a collaborative environment that encourages cross-sector innovation has made him an invaluable asset within the organization. With a focus on excellence, sustainability, and environmental responsibility, Andy continues to shape his remarkable career within MZA Consulting Engineers, marked by visionary leadership and impactful contributions to the field of electrical engineering.