Jennifer Holgate, a managing associate in the Bristol office of transatlantic law firm Womble Bond Dickinson, is to become a member of the National Infrastructure Commission’s recently formed Young Professionals Panel (YPP).
This new initiative from the Commission – the independent body tasked with advising government on the UK’s long-term infrastructure – aims to ensure a strong voice for the next generation of infrastructure leaders for the country. 
The panel will support the Commission across a wide range of infrastructure programmes as well as developing its own ideas to enhance long-term infrastructure for the UK.
Jennifer, pictured, specialises in the delivery of a wide variety of infrastructure projects across the UK, including regeneration sites, residential, renewable energy, retail, grid, roads and rail.
She advises major national and international clients in the renewable energy, infrastructure and real estate sectors, and also has significant regeneration and residential experience, advising on large sustainable urban extensions, regeneration schemes, housing developments and retail schemes.
The Commission launched an initiative last December to find the brightest and the best of the UK’s infrastructure professionals to inform its work. Part of its role is to be open to new approaches and ideas and the Panel exists to draw on the creativity and enthusiasm of young professionals from a wide range of sectors who are building their careers.
The 16 YPP members were selected from 30 candidates who in turn had been shortlisted from more than 500 entries.
National Infrastructure Commission chair Sir John Armitt said: “The Commission exists to identify what infrastructure the country needs up to 2050. So it’s right we give the next generation of infrastructure leaders a say in our work. I look forward to working with these young professionals, some of whom could end up designing and managing world-leading infrastructure built as a result of Commission recommendations.”
Commissioner and selection panel chair Prof Sadie Morgan added: “The selection team was blown away by the quality of the short-listed candidates. In these 16 young professionals we have a passionate and diverse group which I hope will inspire the Commission with their creative ideas about the UK’s future infrastructure needs.”
Jennifer Holgate, who has also worked at Pinsent Masons and Eversheds, said she was thrilled to be selected. “The Young Professionals Panel is a brilliant initiative, encouraging the new generation of infrastructure professionals to contribute more widely to the Commission’s work and help shape its thinking by providing new perspectives and fresh ideas. I am looking forward to working with my fellow panellists to support the Commission and the all-important work it hopes to achieve.”
