About Yẹmí

(Yeah-Me)

 

AGITATOR - INNOVATOR - ORCHESTRATOR

 

The art and culture of the Yorùbá people sparked my passion for the worlds of design and creativity. The many past and present hats worn from architect to ambassador through to contract administrator continue to feed my fire.

I am:

  • incredibly inquisitive

  • all about collaboration

  • a relentless problem solver

  • dedicated to lifelong learning

  • a creative working in the housing sector

  • an optimist by design but a pessimist by experience

I like:

  • a good natter about all things public service, housing, affordability, architecture, construction, food, equity & equality.

Beyond that, you are likely to find me restaurant hopping, spending time with family and friends, plant shopping, strolling or planning my next social value project!

Professional bio

Yemí Aládérun is an architect and head of development working in the housing sector. Through numerous roles in the built environment industry, she has facilitated the design, contract administration, management and delivery of a range of residential and mixed-use schemes. Yemí combines strategic vision and communication skills with strong leadership, sharing and promoting design excellence.

Yemí is a NED for Women’s Pioneer Housing association, co-founder of Paradigm Network and core member of Part W. She served as a board trustee for Olmec charity, was an elected national council member for Royal Institute of British Architects and sat on its Education committee.

As an appointed panel member of a number of Design Review Panels, she is part of a network of professionals providing expert advice and support to Local Authorities on challenging and often complicated built environment projects across the UK.

Yemí is an advocate for education, income & housing equality and is extremely passionate about social mobility and broadening access to the built environment industry. For the past five years, she has been a mentor for the Social Mobility Foundation.

Stuff I really really like

  • Venice

  • Jollof rice

  • Belly laughs

  • Organising stuff

  • Ultramarine blue

  • Oat latte (extra hot)

  • Scotch bonnett peppers

  • Gluten (but it doesn’t like me)

  • Facilitating (connecting others)

  • Fish and chips (extra malt vinegar)

  • Collecting aroids (lockdown obsession)

Accolades

 
 
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Architect’s Journal’s 40 under 40

Yemí was selected as one of the UK’s next generation of boundary-pushing designers and innovators by the Architect’s Journal in its 40 under 40 cohort for 2020.

Inside Housing’s 40 under 40

As part of Inside Housing’s 40th anniversary, they identified the outstanding individuals under the age of 40 who are shaping the future of the housing sector. Yemí has been featured in the 40 Under 40 (2024) list which celebrates the sector’s up-and-coming leaders and individuals who are already delivering excellence in their field. They are people who are setting the standard already, whether they are already making waves in prominent roles or demonstrating exceptional promise.


Nominated by their colleagues, peers and mentors, these individuals are the ones to watch, and whose vision, passion and dedication will shape the next 40 years.

Inside Housing 2024