Posts in the Category: Mevo perspectives
Thought leadership from Material Evolution’s people.
Meet Mevo: Beth Laidlaw
Meet Mevo: Dr Dali Bondar
We’re hitting the ground running in 2026 with the return of our “Meet Mevo” series! This time, we’re shining the spotlight on Beth Laidlaw, who joined Material Evolution as people and operations manager after making the leap from biotech to the fast-moving world of sustainable construction materials in September 2025.
Beth, who holds a PhD in computational chemistry and physics from Newcastle University, has always gravitated toward roles where curiosity meets practical impact. While her background in biotech taught her the discipline to navigate the complex world of manufacturing life-changing medicines, Mevo gives her the chance to blend operational strategy with material impact, learning the ropes of a new industry as she goes.
“It’s been a steep learning curve,” she says, reflecting on the challenge of mastering construction terminology, processes and pace. But for Beth, the opportunity to combine innovation with tangible outcomes is exactly what drew her to Mevo.
Hear about Beth’s experience below.
A formula of concrete, collaboration and creativity
I’m really passionate about ensuring our people are set up with the tools and processes to be able to succeed in their roles, while ensuring that people’s experiences are at the heart of decision-making.
No two days are the same for me. I tend to divide my time between operations, building processes to upskill our team and strategic projects that keep Mevo running at its characteristic speed. A big focus of mine is helping to ensure decisions can move quickly and efficiently as possible, which has been a big success factor in making impactful changes at start-up pace!
I’ve also really enjoyed gaining hands-on experience, as I recently mixed my first concrete slabs, which helped me understand the nuances of Mevo’s ultra-low carbon materials first-hand. The process, messy, experimental and collaborative, echoes the company’s approach to innovation: learn fast, drive conversations and build something meaningful.
Rituals, recognition and a dash of playfulness
Working in a small team has been another major benefit of joining a start-up, particularly as a people manager, as I’ve been able to swiftly understand what makes Mevonauts tick and how to improve their working environment quickly.
When it comes to motivating the team, one of my favourite processes is our weekly “win sessions” on a Friday, which give everyone a platform to share successes and shout out teammates. These touchpoints are core to Mevo’s DNA, bringing everyone together – from lab technicians to commercial staff – for fun quizzes that help reinforce team connections.
We also have our Mevonaut awards, in which colleagues nominate one another for achievements, and the winner receives a bespoke award: a tiny astronaut perched on a concrete base, made from our ultra-low carbon cement, MevoCem. These rituals are a brilliant way to reward the team, but they also capture Mevo’s philosophy: impactful work and people go hand-in-hand.
Lessons from the water
Beyond the office, I’ve been a volunteer rowing coach for nearly a decade. I really enjoy working with young people and believe that we can learn a lot from the next generation.
As a former athlete and now volunteer coach to young people, I have the unique experience of working with an instant feedback loop, and it has been really helpful to apply these learnings to the high performing teams at Mevo.
Rowing also gives me a lens into teamwork, communication and resilience. There are visible parallels between guiding teams on the water and steering operational projects at Mevo: both demand attention to detail, coordination and trust in your crew.
Navigating new territories
While entering the cement industry has been a steep learning curve, I’ve been able to learn quickly on the job and from my network, and the team have been really supportive. Being part of technical calls with the data team has also allowed me to draw on experience gained during my PhD in computational chemistry. I’ve loved being exposed to that sense of experimentation, autonomy and radical ownership – all core Mevo values that align to my own.
Joining the industry while demand for concrete hit a 62-year slump in 2025 has been particularly interesting. Ultimately, having a sustainable USP during a rocky time has allowed us to continue developing market share, connections and new products, and I’m excited to see some of our strategic projects come to fruition in 2026 as we continue to change the industry for the better.
To connect with Beth, connect with her on LinkedIn here.