United Kingdom

Adrian Olivier was the founding president of the European Archaeological Council – Europae Archaeologiae Concilium (the network of state heritage agencies). He graduated with a BA, as well as a Ph.D. in Archaeology from Queen’s University Belfast. Adrian retired from English Heritage in 2012 where he was Heritage Protection Director and Head of Profession for Archaeology. Prior to that he was Director of the Lancaster University Archaeology Unit following extensive early career experience as an active field archaeologist in northern England. Adrian was the founding President of the European Archaeological Council – Europae Archaeologiae Concilium (the network of state heritage agencies), and works closely with the Council of Europe and other European institutions. Adrian continues to publish on heritage management issues and provide strategic and professional advice to organisations and agencies across Europe; Adrian is the Chair of the National Trust Historic Environment Advisory Group. He is Secretary General of ICAHM, the ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Archaeological Heritage Management.

Sara Crofts trained as an architect at Edinburgh College of Art where she specialised in historic building conservation. She then worked for a number of architectural practices dealing with the repair and conservation of historic buildings in both Edinburgh and Cumbria.

Having undertaken the Lethaby Scholarship awarded by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings in 2003, Sara Crofts worked as the SPAB’s Churches Caseworker for a spell before being appointed as the Project Director of the SPAB Faith in Maintenance project in 2006. The Faith in Maintenance training project ran for five years during which time she delivered 150 courses for Anglican, Methodist, United Reformed Church, Roman Catholic and Jewish groups and trained more than 5,000 volunteers throughout England and Wales.

Sara Crofts’ next role was Deputy Director of the SPAB and then, in 2015, she joined the Heritage Lottery Fund as Head of Historic Environment where her role focussed on policy and strategy development including training and skills.

She returned to the voluntary sector to take up the role of Chief Executive at Icon in January 2019. Her role includes oversight of Icon’s training and professional development activities as well as their accreditation framework.