Michelle Whitfield-Jones brings over 15 years of experience in building communities around knowledge, innovation, and collaboration across a range of sectors, from science and technology to construction. Now ACE’s new membership and events director, she shares her journey into consultancy and engineering, her vision for engaging members, and her plans to make ACE events even more impactful for the industry.
Can you tell us a bit about your journey so far and what drew you to the consultancy and engineering sector?
My career has been rooted in building communities around knowledge, innovation and collaboration. For over 15 years I’ve worked across large-scale B2B and B2C events, launching and growing platforms that bring industries together - from science and technology to construction and the built environment.
What drew me to consultancy and engineering is the sector’s real-world impact. These are disciplines shaping how we live, build and decarbonise our future, and they sit at the intersection of policy, innovation and delivery. Having worked closely with engineers, architects, contractors and public-sector stakeholders, I’ve seen first-hand how vital strong consultancy voices are - and how powerful they can be when connected, visible and supported.
What excites you most about joining ACE as membership and events director, and what are your top priorities in this role?
What excites me most about ACE is its position at the heart of the sector - representing consultancies that are shaping national infrastructure, climate resilience and economic growth. My top priorities are to ensure members clearly see - and feel - the value of being part of ACE. That means developing our membership proposition, creating events that genuinely support business growth and leadership, and building strong year-round engagement.
How do you plan to engage and grow ACE’s membership, especially in a sector that’s evolving so quickly?
Engagement starts with relevance. For me, it’s about really understanding what members value and making sure ACE’s activity, communications and events reflect the issues that matter most to them at any given time.
I see strong opportunities to build deeper connections across the membership by creating meaningful ways for people to engage, share insight and learn from one another.
Events are a key part of ACE’s offering - what innovative approaches or formats are you looking to bring to our events calendar?
Events are a powerful way to bring people together, so my focus is on ensuring ACE’s programme remains engaging and valuable for members. That means being thoughtful about format, content and experience, and staying open to how events can evolve alongside the sector.
I’m also excited about the upcoming Delivering Infrastructure 2050 conference launching in June 2026, which presents a great opportunity to bring long-term thinking,
innovation and collaboration to the forefront. More broadly, the aim is to create events that encourage conversation, insight-sharing and connection, and reinforce ACE’s role as a trusted convenor for the industry.
From your perspective, what are the biggest opportunities and challenges facing consultancy and engineering today, and how can ACE help members navigate them?
The biggest opportunities lie in the sector’s central role in tackling climate change, driving digital transformation and delivering complex infrastructure in a more sustainable, inclusive way. At the same time, challenges around skills, talent retention, regulatory change, funding pressures and pace of delivery are very real.
ACE can play a crucial role by being a strong collective voice, a trusted source of insight, and a connector between members, policymakers and industry partners. By sharing best practice, amplifying member expertise and creating spaces for collaboration, ACE can help consultancies not just respond to change, but lead it.
For membership inquiries, contact membership@acenet.co.uk.
