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Dr Roni Savage FREng, Founder and CEO of Jomas Associates, has been appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the King’s New Year Honours List 2026. The honour recognises her services to young people, to business, and to the construction industry.
The award marks national recognition of Dr Savage’s work to support future generations, strengthen the UK’s business landscape, and promote high standards, innovation, and inclusion across construction and engineering.
Dr Savage is a Chartered Engineer and Chartered Geologist, a Specialist in Land Condition (SiLC), a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. Over more than 20 years, she has worked across engineering, land remediation, and sustainable development. Since founding Jomas Associates in 2009, she has shown how small and medium-sized enterprises can deliver complex projects with strong technical standards and clear social impact.
Alongside her business role, Dr Savage serves as a Non-Executive Director at the Department for Business and Trade. In this position, she supports enterprise growth, promotes procurement reform, and helps ensure public policy enables opportunity for businesses of all sizes, with a strong focus on SMEs.
Dr Savage is widely known for her work with young people, particularly those considering careers in engineering, construction, and entrepreneurship. Through mentoring and advocacy, she has helped broaden access to these professions and strengthen the future talent pipeline. She also supports greater participation of women in STEM and the built environment.
Her work in regeneration has placed brownfield development at the centre of economic renewal. She has contributed to housing and infrastructure programmes that support community renewal and sustainable growth across the UK.
Dr Savage is a former Vice Chair and Trustee of YMCA SPG and a current Trustee of the Mayor’s Fund for London, both organisations focused on education, wellbeing, and opportunity for young people. She has received multiple national awards, including Most Influential Woman in Construction, Business Woman of the Year, Black British Business Person of the Year, and Entrepreneur of the Year. These honours reflect her leadership, policy influence, and commitment to diversity, innovation, and SME excellence.
Alongside her professional roles, Dr Savage is a mother of three sons. She brings the same focus and resilience to family life as she does to her leadership and public service work.
Dr Savage said:
“I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition. My career has been driven by a belief that regeneration is not just about land development, it is about empowering people, creating opportunity, and advancing future generations. This honour reflects the work of every SME founder striving to deliver excellence, every young person choosing a career in engineering, every woman challenging the status quo, and every organisation committed to building more inclusive and sustainable ecosystems. I am proud to play my part in that mission.”
