Jacob is Head of Design at Be First, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham’s development and planning company, and has overall responsibility for design quality and sustainability across Be First’s development programme and planning. Jacob is passionate about the role public sector design teams can play in supporting the vitality of the neighbourhoods they work in and the delivery of high quality housing.

Jacob leads on several strategy areas at Be First including the use of modern methods of construction and sustainable design. He sits on the Tower Hamlets Design Review Panel, Urban Design Executive Committee and has been a Churchill Fellow researching innovative housing models.