CIB is delighted to announce that the 2025 winners of the Wim Bakens Award for a substantial leadership contribution to impactful global collaborative research within a Working Commission or Task Group are Jeremy Gibberd and Jack Goulding.
Professor Jeremy Gibberd
Jeremy trained and registered as an architect in the UK. He completed a Masters degree in Advanced Architectural Studies at the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL. His PhD was on methodologies for integrating sustainability into built environments in developing country contexts. Jeremy was until recently the sole Coordinator of CIB Working Commission W116 – Smart and Sustainable Built Environments. His leadership in W116 has been truly outstanding, as a result of which W116 has become one of the highly active and most attractive Commissions for CIB members. In this capacity he also represents CIB in external forums, for example on the board of GLOBE, which we hear about yesterday from keynote speaker David Ruggerio.
Professor Jack Goulding
Jack was an industry guy, a project manager, for much of his career and then became an academic. His later career in academia included spells al University of Central Lancashire and University of Wolverhampton. Jack is the former Co-Coordinator of W121 – Offsite Construction. His passion and dedication for turning W121 into a vibrant, active and sustainable Commission was truly admired. Of course we acknowledge the role of his Co-Coordinators, but as an inspirational leader, Jack’s commitment for succession planning and bringing new generations of scholars into the CIB network, and W121 in particular, was inspiring. To give one example, Volkan Ezcan completed his PhD under Jack’s supervision, and is now one of the Co-Coordinators of W121. I would also add that Jack was one of the most unfailingly polite people we ever met – right from the time I first met him in a previous job as a lowly industry guy myself.
On receiving the award:
“What a complete surprise and unexpected honour. I am both humbled and proud to be part of CIB’s exceptional heritage. However, this would not have been possible without the support from all of my peers and colleagues – this is accepted on your behalf. Thank you everyone. Truly appreciated.”
Jack Goulding
Unfortunately neither Jack nor Jeremy was able to be at WBC2025, despite our efforts to hint that they would find it valuable to, but please join us in congratulating Jeremy Gibberd and Jack Goulding.
Background
Wim Bakens was the CEO of CIB from 1994 to 2017.
The Wim Bakens award was named as such in 2022, but it dates back further to the recognition of Best Coordinators of CIB’s Working Commissions and Task Groups over several WBCs. It is awarded to a Coordinator, or group of Coordinators, who have made a substantial leadership contribution to impactful global collaborative research within a Working Commission or Task Group. The award is given every 3 years at the WBC following a review by the Programme Committee of CIB which is chaired by Kim Haugbolle, and approval by the CIB Board,
