Kevin Osbon, the founder and partner of construction consultancy Focus Consultants, has been named in the prestigious Top 100 Influential People 2025 Awards. The accolade recognises Osbon’s remarkable contribution to the construction sector, particularly in the areas of environmental sustainability, social value, and community placemaking.
Osbon, who founded Focus Consultants in 1994 from the dining room of his home in Beeston, Nottingham, has become a leading figure in the construction industry, overseeing the company’s growth into a multi-million-pound consultancy with offices in Nottingham, London, and Leicester. The firm has secured over £1 billion in grant-aid funding for communities and delivered £4.5 billion worth of projects, supporting 18,000 jobs over three decades.
The Top 100 Influential People Awards celebrate individuals who make a significant positive impact on society, and Osbon is one of the first representatives from the construction industry to receive this prestigious honour. Previous winners include renowned figures such as sculptor Anish Kapoor, broadcaster Ben Fogle, and footballer Beth Mead.
In his acceptance speech, Osbon expressed both surprise and gratitude. “I am slightly shocked but very honoured to have been named in the Top 100 Influential People 2025 Awards,” he said. “Social value and placemaking are two very important subjects that both I and Focus Consultants are passionate about. I am proud to have helped raise the profile of these topics within the construction sector.”
Osbon’s leadership in integrating social value and sustainability into construction projects has set a new standard across the industry. Focus Consultants has pioneered the concept of social value, embedding it into the company’s daily operations for over 25 years. Osbon’s commitment has led to wider adoption of social value principles, resulting in improved community regeneration projects and better facilities for people across the UK.
His influence extends beyond his company’s achievements. Osbon co-authored the award-winning paper “Co-creating social value in placemaking: the grand balancing act,” which earned international recognition and was awarded the Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE) Richard Trevithick Memorial Fund Award in 2023. The paper, which focused on Nottingham, provided guidelines for the sector on balancing sustainability and social value in placemaking.
Osbon has also raised more than £1 million in charitable contributions, including £540,000 in cash and £700,000 in-kind, underscoring his dedication to both professional and community causes. His passion for teaching has also led him to work as a part-time lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, where Focus Consultants is an official partner of the School of Architecture, Design, and the Built Environment. The company’s partnership with the university’s £1.5 million Centre for Sustainable Construction and Retrofit highlights Osbon’s commitment to shaping the future of the construction industry and driving progress towards a net-zero carbon economy.
Among Osbon’s notable placemaking achievements are the £20 million Bristol Aerospace Centre and the £100 million St George’s Cultural Quarter in Leicester, both of which attracted substantial public and private investment, transforming communities and revitalising urban spaces across the UK.
In recognition of his contributions, Osbon was appointed an Alumni and Industry Fellow at Nottingham Trent University in 2024, further cementing his role as a mentor and leader in the field of construction and sustainability.
For more information about Focus Consultants, visit Focus Consultants.
