Introducing the AoU's new Co-chairs
Matt Lally and Shane Quinn step into the role for 2026-2028
The Academy of Urbanism is excited to welcome its new Co-chairs, Matt Lally and Shane Quinn. Matt and Shane jointly take over the role from Andreas Markides, who became Chair in 2024.
According to Matt, “What makes cities, towns and places work well is extraordinarily complex. We need to embrace that complexity. I love that the AoU has such a diverse membership that reflects the diversity of the urban condition. A forum that fosters shared interests and interdisciplinary dialogue about the enduring question of what creates great places for people. An organisation that is unashamedly Europhile in its quest for identifying evidence of what works and providing the basis for us to better understand how to work collaboratively to design, deliver and sustain great places - whilst having some fun along the way!”
And speaking about his time at the AoU, Shane said “I believe that good places are built on good stories. Being an Academician has enabled me to meet and collaborate with people who are just as focused on putting people at the heart of place: making sure what matters to people helps shape where matters to them. Sharing the learning and the experiences of realising that in places across Europe is so much of what the AoU is all about.”
Matt Lally
Matt has been a Board Director at the Academy of Urbanism since 2023 and is a Director within the Cities, Planning and Design Group of international planning, design and engineering consultancy Arup. Drawing on over 30 years’ experience, Matt has worked internationally on a wide-ranging portfolio of major planning and development projects throughout the UK, Europe, Australasia, Middle East, Asia and Africa.
Areas of specialism include urban regeneration, international government-to-government (G2G) project delivery, infrastructure-led development and integrated urban planning and design that closely closely inter-weaves transformative place-making, economic development, social value and environmental sustainability. Matt has lived and worked in London, Sydney, Singapore and Doha and has been responsible for several Government best practice research and guidance publications in the UK and Australia related to different facets of urban planning, design, housing and masterplanning. He is a frequent visiting university lecturer and international conference speaker.
Shane Quinn
Shane is a freelance public affairs consultant with experience in project delivery, governance, and stakeholder engagement across the heritage, culture, and regeneration sectors. As Development Director at Belfast Buildings Trust, he oversees adaptive reuse capital projects, policy development, strategic communications, fundraising, and financial management.
A Board Director of the AoU since 2023, Shane was also voluntary Congress Curator for the events in Belfast (2022), Cambridge (2023), and Utrecht (2025).
Shane is a Trustee of National Museums NI and The Metropolitan Arts Centre, Belfast, and he chairs the NI Historic Environment Forum’s Advocacy work. Previously, he served on the Northern Ireland Culture, Arts & Heritage Strategy Task Force and was a Trustee and Chair of Audit & Risk for a policing foundation. A Churchill Fellow, he helped secure Belfast’s UNESCO City of Music status by drawing on his international research into culture-led regeneration. Shane currently serves as a Deputy Lieutenant for Belfast, and was awarded a BEM in 2014.
The Academy of Urbanism would like to thank outgoing Board Directors Andreas Markides, Savini Rajapakse, Deb Upadhyaya, Victoria Whenray, and Jonathan Wilson.
