Leading Australian architecture and design firm, ThomsonAdsett announces the appointment of a master architect to their seniors living team, strengthening their advisory and consulting capacity in the industry.
Bruce Ratcliffe, who recently joined the ThomsonAdsett team as principal - seniors living, brings to his new role over 30 years of experience in developing, planning and delivering senior communities and residential aged care facilities.
Ratcliffe was previously working at CHT Architects in Melbourne as a senior project lead in seniors living for seven years including four years as a co-director of the firm. He has also operated as principal in-house architect and senior project manager for major developers such as Becton, Stockland and specialist retirement and aged care provider, The Knowles Group (Arcare).
ThomsonAdsett’s group director – seniors living & aged care, Simon Drysdale observed that Ratcliffe’s practical expertise and vast experience in seniors living architecture made him a great fit to prepare the firm for new opportunities in the sector.
“Bruce is well-known as a strong leader with incredible experience and expertise in project management, which has seen him deliver projects of up to $40 million,” Drysdale said.
“He is incredibly passionate about the built form and the impact it plays on communities. Bruce applies a collaborative and consultative leadership style with constant emphasis on applying new models of care relevant to a changing industry.”
Commenting on his decision to join ThomsonAdsett, Ratcliffe said, “ThomsonAdsett are repositioning themselves for the post-COVID era and to be part of that change offers me many opportunities to have an impact on the seniors living sector.”
ThomsonAdsett also announced that their two most experienced principals, Chris Straw and David Lane will be the firm’s first consulting partners. Both Straw and Lane will focus on key strategic and advisory initiatives with client groups, organisational peak bodies and governments.
“In order to capture the incredible knowledge and diverse skills of our most senior people within ThomsonAdsett, we are strengthening our strategic and advisory initiatives and freeing up our key advisors to support the post-COVID/post Royal Commission industry in this challenging time with ambassadorial-style consulting partner roles,” Drysdale explained.
“As two of our most senior and experienced leaders, Chris and David have impressive reputations and skills in the marketplace and within our business.
“As consulting partners, Chris and David will support and strengthen our strategic and market advantage in seniors living and, importantly, will also spend time developing our emerging leaders in this sector.”
Describing ThomsonAdsett as a wonderful vehicle to practice architecture, Straw said, “It has provided the opportunity to travel the world, study the world’s best practice and bring this information back to local clients, government and peak bodies.
“This formula defined us as industry leaders and specialists and allowed us to participate in many groundbreaking projects and initiatives.
“I’m now looking forward to continuing to focus on providing a strategic resource to ThomsonAdsett as well as mentoring and passing on three decades of experience,” he added.
Ready to embrace the new role, which would see him draw upon his nearly 40 years of experience to advise and mentor, Lane said, “I am happy and comfortable to be involved in advisory roles and provide my opinion to both government, the private sector and, in particular, the not-for-profit sector in Australia and increasingly for the private sector and various governments throughout Asia.
“I'm very keen to create a regeneration of younger, enthusiastic principals who have the skills and knowledge to continue to strengthen ThomsonAdsett's role in the industry.”
Image: from left to right: Bruce Ratcliffe, Chris Straw and David Lane / ThomsonAdsett .
