About us

Matt is the Founding Director of Downwell, after establishing the business in 2003. It was his energy, determination and attention to detail that drove the business forward, and it is his strategy for growth that has been the template for the company's development. Matt oversees the activities of all Downwell Group Companies I.e., Inner City Scaffolding and Inner City Environmental, ensuring that we maintain one standard across all companies, which is to exceed client expectation on every project that we do. 

Andy joined Downwell in April 2022 as Group Managing Director with a focus on generating a new wider delivery capability for the business whilst implementing principled targets to achieve a structured medium to long term growth plan. Having worked for several large established enabling works contractors, Andy brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that will be used to develop and grow the Downwell brand ensuring the highest standards in HSEQ management and delivery. Managing our client’s aspiration to the highest standards is our ethos at Downwell and by implementing and managing a focused, professional, and driven management team, these aspirations will be delivered every time for our expanding client base. 

Sarah has been part of Downwell’s senior management team since 2004, were she joined from a career in Banking. Responsible for all matters financial she has been actively involved in the fiscal growth and capability of Downwell along with the establishment of two other brands within the Downwell Group, Inner City Scaffold and Inner City Environmental. As Transport Manager she is also responsible for ensuring that our vehicle/plant fleet are compliant with DoT requirements.

Mark joined Downwell in 2022 as Group Business Development Director to assist in delivering the company’s strategy for growth. Prior to that he held senior marketing and business development roles in both the demolition and hazardous materials remediation industries, being responsible for client management both nationally, and internationally. Mark was previously Chairman of ARCA (Asbestos Removal Contractors Association).

Chris has worked at Downwell for almost twenty years, and in that time has played an integral part in the development of the business, not only financially but also in its capability and capacity. He has developed long-standing trading relationships with both local and national clients, offering guidance and support from the bid stage through to completion and handover. A stickler for the delivery of a quality product Chris works alongside our delivery teams, helping them to ensure that Downwell exceed client expectations first time, every time.

David joined Downwell in 2018 and has more than eighteen years industry experience working his way up from Demolition Operative, through Supervisory and management roles that led to him being promoted to Operations Director in 2022. An excellent communicator and man-manager he draws upon his site experiences to work with our site teams to ensure project challenges are properly managed and closed- out to the satisfaction of the client. David also has a great deal of community engagement experiences, working with schools and local groups to ensure social inclusion initiatives are delivered.

Shane became part of the Downwell team at the end of 2020 and has almost twenty years demolition and construction industry experience, five of those as a Health and Safety professional. He is passionate about EHSQ delivery, and constantly uses the experiences and competencies gained at site level to develop plans of work that ensure the health and safety of all project stakeholders. Shanes qualifications include: NEBOSH Construction, Tech IOSH, IOSH Managing Safely, SSSTS, Temporary works supervisor, CPCS. Shane is also an IDE member and Associate member of IEMA.

Michael joined the Downwell Group in 2024 bringing over 15 years of experience in the construction industry through specialist contractors. Throughout his career, Michael has adeptly navigated through diverse roles, honing his expertise and insights. With a passion for fostering growth and seizing strategic opportunities, his role will be used to develop and grow the Downwell brand.

Andy brings over 30 years of experience in the construction industry, with a strong background in demolition, civils enabling, and groundworks. His career has seen him deliver complex projects across London and the South East, including the demolition of low- to high-rise buildings, facade retention, soft strip works, asbestos removal, cut and carve operations, and temporary works.

His expertise in groundworks encompasses basement excavations, reinforced concrete structures, temporary works, and ground remediation. This breadth of experience enables Andy to approach each project with a comprehensive understanding of both technical and logistical challenges.

Known for his high level of organisation, exemplary communication skills, and a proactive, can-do attitude, Andy consistently ensures that works are delivered safely, efficiently, and to the highest standards. He is also a strong advocate for professional development within the industry, actively supporting site-based teams in gaining hands-on experience and upskilling through mentoring and training opportunities.

Lewis has been in the construction industry since 2009 where he started as Civil Engineering apprenticeship with Skanska. Since then he has enjoyed roles from Junior Engineer through to Contracts Manager, and became part of the Downwell management team in ealy 2023 as part of an initiative to engage qualified staff with transferable skills. He has been part of some of central London’s most iconic projects, bringing with him experience and competency in areas that include, amongst others, top-down construction, slipform construction, jump-form construction, heavy piling, land and large-scale concrete pours.

An accomplished pro-active Demolition Manager with more than twenty years of experience, Brad has an extensive knowledge and a proven track record of maintaining regulatory compliance through his expertise. A multi skilled Manager he has the technical skills to complete projects to established budgets, to programme, and safely. Through his experiences Brad has developed strong multi- cultural communications skills, with the capability to translate top-level leadership team’s vision into executable action plans and the confidence to trust in personal judgements.

A relatively new member of the Downwell team Patricia, who is a graduate of Architecture, has been responsible for developing the corporate style for digital presentation, especially the use of animation to accurately depict project delivery within our bid submissions. Patricia is also passionate about Social Engagement, and works with our Contracts Managers to ensure that we maximise local inclusion opportunities.

Sean is the son of Downwell CEO Matt Phillips and has been involved with the family business from a young age, working in the Offices during summer holidays to starting his apprenticeship on site, and developing his skills from the bottom up. At the age of 20 he made the decision to take his boxing career to the next level and turned over to the professional ranks. During his journey juggling both work and boxing, an opportunity presented itself in 2018 be part of Downwell’s Scaffolding capability, Inner City Scaffolding. Since that time, he has been involved in all aspects of the development and growth of this business across a number of sectors and is now Managing Director of the brand.

Ben joined the business in 2021 as a strategic Director, to assist in the stabilised and ongoing growth of the contract scaffolding arm of the Group. Ben has honed his skillset serving within the sector during the last three decades at the top end of scaffolding, starting as an apprentice, and working progressively through all facets of contract scaffolding, Ben has been involved with and championed some of the most challenging, iconic major projects the UK has to offer withing the blue chip and industrial sectors. With a broad understanding of complex engineered access, roofing, lifting and support structures, Ben has the experience to understand and formulate the correct commercial bid, recovery and change strategy for the business, whilst effecting his wider experience alongside the Directors. 

Gary- Senior Contracts Manager, joined Inner City Environmental in 2021. After starting as an asbestos removal operative in 1987 Gary followed a well-trodden path to Supervisor then to Contracts Manager, working predominantly on demolition and major refurbishment projects. Gary moved on to work in the Social Housing sector managing asbestos removal framework contracts for a number of large social housing providers across many different property types. Projects that he has been responsible for have ranged in value from £300 - £900,000.

Ed is the Head of Group Marketing for the Downwell Group of companies, including Inner City Scaffolding, Inner City Environmental, and Inner City Fire Solutions. He handles all media and press enquiries.