CIVITY LIMITED - Key Persons


Ben Gardner

Ben is a professional chartered ecologist and thrives tackling the difficult, the complicated and the impossible. He is the founder of a rapidly growing ecology consultancy, Ecology by Design, and has entrepreneurism as part of his DNA. He watched the slowly developing Biodiversity Net Gain agenda and rather than sitting on the wayside, through founding Civity he has been pivotal in understanding biodiversity offsetting, habitat banking and establishing a commercial service for the marketplace. Ben lives and breathes the natural environment and relishes the opportunity to emphatically have a generation defining, positive impact on biodiversity in the country, whilst reducing the ‘red tape' holding back well-designed, sustainable development.

David Haimes

Job Titles:
  • Land Director
David comes from the highest echelons of national and international business, first as CEO and, more recently, as a business consultant. He is the founder and managing partner of the award-winning Henley Coaching Partnership. His reputation has made him a sought-after business coach and trusted advisor to business ownersand CEOs. His business experience spans from major multi-nationals such as the Shell and Yum brands, to entrepreneurial growth brands such as Itsu and his own Businesses. David is also an Oxfordshire landowner.

Sam Farmer - CFO

Job Titles:
  • Finance Director
As a passionate advocate of the British countryside and its architecture, Sam champions the need for compliance, transparency and effective communication when approaching any new development. Using his extensive experience, Sam strives to create successful and enduring outcomes for every party involved in a new development, including the human and natural environment.

Tim Hobern - CMO

Job Titles:
  • Marketing Director
Like all successful entrepreneurs who cut short their formal education, Tim's mind is unfettered by the well-worn paths of scholarship, he finds solutions in places few others think of looking. He was influenced by one of this country's top business coaches which helped to hone his unusual business qualities: an eye for opportunity, an open mind, an ear for good advice. He packs more into a day than most. His natural talents and ability to motivate those around him has brought him success in business. His innate understanding of human behaviour has made him a shrewd reader of markets and a persuasive communicator.