Every year, we bring our team together for something that is uniquely Circle Development. Our Annual Business Conference combined with our company ski trip.
This year we headed back to Zell am See in Austria, it was a chance to reflect on a year of growth, celebrate project successes, strengthen our company culture, and set our strategy for the year ahead. It was also a chance to reward our people in a way that is meaningful, memorable and unmistakably Circle.
Our Annual Business Conference is not simply a trip abroad. It is a core part of how we operate as a leading construction consultancy. It is where we align on strategy, review performance, recognise achievement, and invest in our people. This year in Austria, we did exactly that.
Reflecting on a year of growth and delivery
Our Annual Business Conference provides the perfect moment to look back at everything we achieved over the past twelve months, a year defined by collaboration with our growing team, supportive clients and new partners, helping us deliver meaningful, high quality projects across an expanding range of sectors.
A growing and diverse portfolio
Our portfolio has continued to expand in both scale and complexity. Over the past year, we had 30 projects start on site, delivered over 1,800 new homes. We also welcomed 6 new clients across our key sectors.
Co-living and Gateway 2 were a substantial part of any conversation in 2025, and Circle were at the forefront of both, engaged by the market leading developers in the co-living space we are now actively working on over 5,090 co-living apartments across London and the South East, we look forward to seeing our first co-living scheme in White City practically complete this year.
In the Single Family Homes sector, we are now running 7 large developments, helping manage the delivery of 700 new SFH homes as part of a wider programme. This growth highlights the trust placed in us to deliver at scale as institutional capital aligns with this growing sector.
Our high rise capability reached new heights, as we handed over 488 BtR homes in one day, with the best views on level 31! Across these projects, we supported clients with Quantity Surveying, Project Management, Employer’s Agent services, Carbon Management, Clerk of Works and Quality Management. Our holistic approach reflects our expertise across complex, high density developments.
In the education sector, we completed a state of the art facility for Westminster School, with a further 5 projects currently in progress. These environments are designed to support learning, creativity and wellbeing.
Sustainability remains central to our approach. Our carbon managers were appointed across over 20 high density new build and retrofit living projects and helped reduce or save thousands of tonnes of CO2 across the developments we supported.
Behind every milestone is our team
This year we achieved 40 percent team growth and an impressive 98 percent retention rate, alongside 8 internal promotions. We celebrated multiple successes in our RICS APC programme and welcomed 2 placement students, alongside 4 new apprentices and graduates.
We also opened our new office at One Bedford Street on the Strand in Covent Garden. The move from Duke Street in St James’s marked more than a change of address. It represents our growth, ambition and confidence in the future. Our new space provides a modern, collaborative environment in a vibrant setting that enriches our working life.
Beyond our projects, our team attended industry events, supported 4 graduate fairs, raised £30,000 for charity, completed multiple marathons, won a number of football matches and became paddle tournament champions. Professional excellence and community spirit sit side by side at Circle.
Work hard, ski harder
Day one: arrival, competition and celebration
Our Annual Business Conference 2026 began at 5am at Heathrow. From there, we flew to Innsbruck and caught the train to Zell am See, surrounded by the stunning Austrian Alps.
After collecting ski equipment and checking into the hotel, some of us unwound while others headed straight to explore. The weather was on our side this year, with sunshine and fair temperatures greeting us on the mountain.
That evening, Cameron hosted a quiz over dinner that quickly became fiercely competitive. Congratulations to Dean’s team for taking the lead, much to some debate around the table.
The night continued with the spectacular Night of the Balloons, featuring glowing hot air balloons, ski and snowboard instructor shows, music and fireworks just outside our hotel. It was an impressive welcome to Austria and set the tone for the days ahead.
Later, we headed into the local town to test our skills at Hammerschlagen. Given our construction background, expectations were understandably high. The reality was slightly more humbling. Jenga towers soared, celebratory drinks flowed and plenty of laughter followed.
Each morning, business came first
True to the purpose of our Annual Business Conference, strategy led the way. Over breakfast, we held our Circle Annual Business Conference Morning Briefing. Aled, Dean and Dillon took centre stage to present our 2026 CPD Strategy, review December 2025 appraisal feedback and confirm our ISO 9001 accreditation progress.
These sessions are a vital part of our business conference. They ensure alignment, transparency and continuous improvement across our consultancy services, from project management to quality management and carbon strategy.
First time skiers and seasoned speed demons
This year, we were particularly proud to bring a number of beginners to Austria for their first ever ski experience. Watching colleagues take on something entirely new, supported by their teammates, is exactly what our culture is about. Those with lessons met instructors for private sessions, while more experienced skiers headed off across red and blue runs. Encouragingly, those with experience supported beginners, while everyone still had the chance to challenge themselves at their own level.
The trip was a complete sensory overload in the best possible way. From the stunning white slopes and endless mountain views to late-night dinners, drinks, and plenty of dancing. What made it truly special, though, was sharing the experience with colleagues. Spending that much uninterrupted time together, learning, laughing, and supporting each other, creates connections you simply can’t replicate in the office. Even just one week later, we’re already reaping the rewards as a team. It showed how authentically company culture can be built when people are given the space to connect properly, and that’s exactly what this trip allowed us to do.
Sam Johnson, MRICS
Senior Project Manager
We regrouped for lunch with Austrian cuisine, panoramic mountain views and après drinks, accompanied by our traditional Secret Santa fancy dress. Circle quickly transformed into a spectacle of lobsters, strawberries, unicorns, flamingos, mythical creatures, sauces and of course our Clerk of Works wizard. The annual company awards followed, with Joe presenting individual recognition alongside a celebratory bottle of Circle Fireball.
Final evening and finishing strong
Our second evening took us to Villa Crazy Daisy, where live music and enthusiastic dance moves carried the celebrations long into the night. It was a fitting way to recognise both our project successes and the individual contributions that made them possible.
On the final day, confidence was high across the team. Some groups ventured further across the mountain, while others stayed closer to base, but everyone pushed themselves. We came together for a final mountain lunch in the sunshine, reflecting on what we had achieved, both professionally and personally.
That evening, we took over a private dining space for our closing meal. Awards were celebrated once more, stories were retold with increasing exaggeration, and we enjoyed a memorable serenade from Charlie.
The journey home was noticeably quieter than the journey out. A clear sign of a successful Annual Business Conference 2026 in Austria.
Why we invest in experiences like this
Our Annual Business Conference in Austria is about far more than skiing, It is about investing in our people.
Many often ask how our culture remains so strong and why Circle employees consistently perform at such a high level for clients.The answer is simple. We genuinely value our people. We work hard to reward them properly. We create moments that say thank you. We celebrate achievements at the right time and in the right way. We provide experiences that many of our team might not otherwise have had. First ski trips. First mountain views. First time presenting strategy to the whole business.
These shared experiences build trust. They create inside jokes. They make colleagues more approachable. They strengthen collaboration back in the office and on site. When we return to delivering complex high rise buildings, single family homes, education facilities and sustainable developments, we do so as a stronger, more connected team.
People want to work for Circle because they enjoy working here. They feel recognised. They feel supported. They feel proud.
Our culture defines us. And our Annual Business Conference 2026 in Austria is one of the ways we bring that culture to life.
Culture has always been the key ingredient to Circle’s success and our annual conference in Austria is a perfect platform to break down barriers, strengthen bonds and return even more connected and motivated. Alongside the slide decks and strategy, it is also a way of us saying thank you, for all the hard work the teams put in across the year.
Joe Cutler, FRICS
Managing Director
Looking ahead to 2026
As we step further into 2026, we do so with energy, ambition and space to grow. We will continue expanding our expertise across construction consultancy, project management, quantity surveying, carbon management and quality assurance. We will take on increasingly complex projects, welcome new partners and deliver outstanding results for our clients and communities. And we will continue investing in our people.
If you are looking to join a consultancy that delivers high quality developments, values sustainability, rewards hard work and genuinely lives its culture, we would love to hear from you. Explore our current opportunities on our Careers page and discover what it means to be part of Circle Development.
