USM - Key Persons


Eric Reynolds - Founder

Job Titles:
  • Founding Director
Eric Reynolds has been involved in numerous urban regeneration schemes since the early 1970's. His projects include setting up Camden Lock Market, revitalisting the Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre, creating Merton Abbey Mills, bringing new life to Spitalfields Old Fruit and Vegetable Market, turning Greenwich Market around, building a new indoor tented market in Swindon, creating a small business centre out of Sneinton Wholesale Market in Nottingham, devising Gabriels' Wharf and refurbishing Bishopsgate Goodsyard. He created Container City, USM's design and build side based around re-using shipping containers. He leads our work at Trinity Buoy Wharf, home to London's only lighthouse as a centre for arts and creative activity. In addition he acts as a regeneration advisor across the country and is a trustee of several voluntary bodies.

John Burton

John Burton joined USM in 1994. He is a chartered surveyor specialising in regeneration projects and is responsible for Trinity Buoy Wharf. Previously he managed Greenwich Market, Gravesend Heritage Quarter, Swindon Market Hall and West Silvertown retail. He has been involved in numerous new projects and consultancy studies, including LB Wandsworth's Street Markets, Borough Market, Manchester's former Smithfield Market, Golborne Road Market, Woolwich Market and Deptford Market. His work at Trinity Buoy Wharf covers lettings and estate management. With an MSC on covered retail markets he advises a number of market initiatives and was recently shortlisted to give market management advice to a range of GLA funded regeneration schemes.

Lorraine McGowan

Job Titles:
  • in 2007 As Financial Controller
Lorraine joined USM in 2007 as Financial Controller and has been involved in all our projects since then - covering project costings, accounts, cashflow & forecasting. She is a Chartered Accountant and has great experience working with a range of differently sized companies, including those at KPMG and Firstgroup plc. She was Financial Controller and then Chief Executive Officer for the Rick Stein Restaurant Business in Cornwall including the new build Seafood Cookery School. She has charity sector experience with NCH- National Children's Home & The Children's Society, working on 2 Sure Start children's centres - both new builds.

Martyn Wills

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Manager at the Elephant
Martyn joined USM as Assistant Manager at the Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre in 1995. He subsequently became involved in managing our markets including at Merton Abbey Mills, Camden Lock and Greenwich Market. From 1997 he became more involved in the broader elements of a variety of USM projects; from initial bids through start-up stages and longer term management. These included Elephant & Castle, Trinity Buoy Wharf, Platform 12 and Spitalfields. For 10 years he ran USM's two Chelsea projects and he continues to oversee USM market operations in a Project Management role.. He has also been involved in market and project studies for USM. Recently he completed the handover of Gravesend Market to Gravesham Borough Council and is currently involved in our Container City projects, managing the subcontractors, work methodologies, Health & Safety programmes and contract liaison with the various Olympic organisations.

Sarah Hewson

Sarah joined USM in 2002 to develop and manage communications across the company and our various sites. She then became our Events, Press and Publicity Manager which has expanded into managing our web and social networking presence. She was a key member of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site Marketing Group and was (and is) responsible for organising events at all our markets along with Trinity Buoy Wharf, where she also manages all the filming and short term activity.