Movers and shakers: Biggest construction and engineering appointments in October 2021

A round up of the biggest moves and appointments during October is below. To feature on next month’s appointments roundup, please email catherine.kennedy@emap.com

Amey welcomes rail sector director

Amey has announced that James Holmes will be joining the business to take responsibility for its rail infrastructure operations.

As the new rail sector director, Holmes will be an integral part of the Transport Infrastructure Executive Team. With a clear strategic focus for the future development of the rail business, he will be focused on working with clients and supply chain to safely deliver investment in the UK’s rail infrastructure and transform services aligned to the outcomes of the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail. He will also be focused on embedding the progressive people culture throughout the Rail team to enable people and teams to excel.

For the past six years, Holmes was operations director at Skanska, leading a portfolio of contracts across the rail and water sectors. With a strong focus on looking after people and safety, he also held board responsibility for ethics and a prominent role in the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Governance Team creating an environment where all employees had a voice to make a difference and were empowered to speak up to look after the people around them.

Keltbray appoints HS2 programme director

Keltbray is pleased to announce the appointment of Neil Lindley as programme director for its HS2 portfolio of works.

Lindley has built a highly successful 27-year career in the rail industry, gaining a wealth of experience in the UK and overseas, leading complex multi-disciplinary infrastructure and rail programmes.

His most recent role was as vice president for Metrolinx on the Toronto Union Station Rail Corridor and the Toronto Light Rail Transit. Prior to working in Canada, Lindley was the alliance director on the Trans-Pennine Route Eastern Section for Network Rail, having worked previously for Carillion as project delivery director on a number of programmes, including the Great Northern / Great Eastern Enhancement (Phase 2 Civils), and earlier as the alliance manager on the North London Lines.

Ferrovial names CEO for energy infrastructure business

Gonzalo Nieto has been named chief executive of Ferrovial's Energy Infrastructure and Mobility business unit. Nieto has spent much of his career at Ferrovial Services since he joined the company's Business Development area in 2004. He later worked at Amey, Cespa and, most recently, as director of the International and Transformation divisions. Before joining Ferrovial, he worked at McKinsey and Merrill Lynch, among other companies

Costain names chief digital officer

Costain has appointed Matthew Higham as chief digital officer and a member of its Executive board. Higham will start on 1 December 2021 and will work closely with the leadership team to further embed the use of digital technologies as part of meeting clients’ changing infrastructure needs.

He joins from Microsoft, where he was chief digital officer for the UK and led digital business transformation, advising Microsoft’s customers on adapting their business models to maximise the benefit of digital technology across multiple industries, including infrastructure.

Civic Engineers appoints new regional director

Leading engineering design practice Civic Engineers has appointed a new regional director. Annabel Precious, who has more than 20 years’ experience in transport planning, engineering and design consultancy, has taken on the role and will join the London studio leadership team.

In her previous role as technical director at Wood Environment and Infrastructure, Precious most recently led on the successful design and implementation of Access to Headington, a major 6.5km walking and cycling route improvement scheme to encourage active travel and less reliance on car use across east Oxfordshire.

Amongst other nationwide projects, she was also responsible for overseeing a £4M public realm improvement scheme in Loughborough, developing a public realm improvement scheme in Bicester and has developed successful transport strategies to support a range of mixed-use developments including the Whitehill Bordon Healthy New Town in Hampshire.

At Civic Engineers, she has been assigned to lead a number of trailblazing placemaking projects in London and the South East, including Better Queensway, The Meadows in Chelmsford and Thomas’ Lane Yard in Catford, each of which will draw on her experience in transport design, active travel and Net Zero carbon design.

Arup welcomes apprentices

Arup has welcomed a fresh intake of apprentices and newly qualified graduates to support its Nottingham team’s work on a wide range of major projects.

The sought-after roles underline the company’s commitment to the city and its continued growth in the region, as well as providing a huge boost for its successful apprenticeship scheme.

Two recently recruited apprentice technicians and two new university graduates are now part of the 100-plus strong city team.

Four further Nottingham-based apprentices have also recently completed their part-time degrees with the company.

John Sisk & Son appoints new chief

John Sisk & Son has appointed Paul Brown as its new chief executive.

Brown is currently chief operating officer for the entire UK construction business and for the Group civil engineering business.  Over his 25 years in the industry, he has developed strong leadership skills enabling him to lead effective teams and to develop strong and lasting customer and colleague relationships.

Cundall grows Belfast presence with appointment of new associate director

Multidisciplinary engineering consultancy Cundall has expanded its presence in Belfast with the appointment of Ruairí Dempsey as associate director in the region.

A chartered mechanical and electrical engineer with more than 17 years in the industry, Dempsey joins the well-established team in Belfast in a move that signals Cundall’s commitment to growing the local market with an experienced team leading on major local projects like the recently completed Ulster Hospital.

Specialising in sustainability, low carbon and low energy design, Dempsey has contributed to the successful delivery of projects in the UK, Ireland and the Middle East throughout his career. These include the famous Claridge’s Hotel and Sea Containers House in London, Cleveland Clinic in Abu Dhabi, and the Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa Specialist Cardiac Center in Bahrain. Closer to home in Belfast, he is also proud to have contributed to the design of Titanic Belfast and Obel Tower, the tallest storeyed building in Ireland.

He takes on a technical role as an engineer, helping to lead and mentor the Belfast team and grow the business’s reputation in the region alongside Yvonne McNally.

Waterman strengthens climate resilience team

Waterman has announced the appointment of environmental management and climate resilience expert Dave Allen who will take a leading role in the continued growth of the company’s corporate service offerings in due diligence, responsible investment and climate resilience.

Allen brings 20 years’ experience in delivering due diligence projects, carbon management and emission reduction plans, EHS audits, assurance and advice. Drawing on his wealth of knowledge, he has also developed training packages for clients across various industrial and commercial sectors.

Prior to joining Waterman, he was an associate director of RSK, leading their Environment Health and Safety (EHS), Compliance and Carbon team. This role saw him manage a wide range of range of carbon management support projects to help organisations measure and understand their carbon footprint, set emissions reduction targets and comply with reporting requirements, regulations and legislation.

England’s Economic Heartland appoints chair

Central Bedfordshire councillor Richard Wenham is the new chair of sub-national transport body, England’s Economic Heartland (EEH).Oxfordshire County Council councillor Liz Leffman has been elected vice-chair.

This follows the strengthening of EEH’s governance structure, which saw the previous two political-level meetings – the Strategic Transport Forum and EEH Leaders Group – consolidated into the single Board meeting.

EngineeringUK welcomes five new trustees

EngineeringUK has announced the appointment of five new trustees to their Board:

• Alice Bunn, Institution of Mechanical Engineering chief executive
• Carl Ennis, Siemens Smart Infrastructure chief executive
• Nike Folayan, MBE for diversity in engineering and chartered electronics engineer,
• Erol Mustafa, EY partner
• Steven Rossiter, Tekmar Group chief technical officer

EngineeringUK’s Board is made up of 16 trustees who provide oversight and direction to the organisation, alongside support and constructive challenge. These new trustees bring a wealth of experience and expertise and a breadth of perspectives to shape EngineeringUK’s strategy.

New chairman for Severn Valley Railway

Former deputy chairman Mike Ball is taking over as Severn Valley Railway chairman and general manager Helen Smith has now been named managing director designate.

Ball brings expertise garnered through many years at a senior level in the engineering and IT services sectors. He has been a volunteer on the Severn Valley Railway for 35 years, spending 10 of those as deputy chairman of the SVRH board. During this time he helped lead the company through some of its toughest challenges, including dealing with major repairs to Falling Sands Viaduct and County Boundary Slip, and more recently dealing with the pandemic. He has also been key in developing the SVR’s working relationships with main line train operating companies, boosting the Railway’s income through contract work.

Further to Ball’s appointment, a change of role for Smith from general manager to managing director designate allows her to take complete responsibility for the safe operation of the railway, its financial health and future growth. As part of the SVR’s safety management system, a review and validation of this change will take place in the near future before the managing director position is confirmed.

Travis Perkins appoints property director

Builders’ merchant Travis Perkins has appointed Nick Pinney as group property director.

Pinney joined the company as divisional property director in 2014 before being promoted to property director for the group’s merchanting businesses in 2019.

He will oversee a £1bn property business with a portfolio of more than 1,300 buildings, and report to chief financial officers Alan Williams.

New sustainability lead for Glencar

Glencar has appointed James Scott to the new role of head of sustainability.

Scott will be responsible for leading the development and implementation of a robust sustainability strategy across all areas of the business, in line with Glencar’s strategic vision. Before joining Glencar, he spent over 20 years working as a sustainability consultant, working for clients in the construction, retail and robotics industries on a diverse range of projects.

Hydro International welcomes new operations manager

Hydro International has announced Karen Clarke as the new Hinkley operations manager for its UK Wastewater Services team, M&N.

Clarke will work with the team in Hinkley to support Severn Trent Water, Anglian Water, Yorkshire Water, United Utilities, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, and their contractors and partners, on their AMP7 objectives. She has a wealth of operations experience, including within Finning, the world’s largest Caterpillar dealer, and the Fulcrum Group.

Aggregate Industries strengthens concrete business

Construction materials supplier Aggregate Industries has appointed Lee Sleight as the new managing director of its Readymix Concrete division and member of the company’s executive committee.

With 20 years’ experience in the construction industry, Sleight brings with him a proven track record as a leader in concrete business. He has held various senior leadership positions for building material suppliers and has vast experience in heavy side construction.

New Global Cement and Concrete Association president

The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) has today announced the election of Jan Jenisch, chief executive of Holcim, as president. GCCA member companies account for 80% of the global cement industry volume outside of China and include several large Chinese manufacturers.

An experienced industry leader, Jenisch was appointed Holcim chief executive (then LafargeHolcim) in 2017, having previously been chief executive of Sika AG. In addition to his chief executive role, he was elected to the Board of Directors of Holcim in 2021. As GCCA president, Jenisch will oversee the implementation of GCCA’s 2050 roadmap to net zero concrete, launched earlier in October.

New chair for Construction Scotland Industry Leadership Group

Chartered civil engineer Ron Fraser has been appointed as the new chair of the Construction Scotland Industry Leadership Group (CSILG).

Fraser has worked in the industry for over 40 years, acting as designer, contractor and client's representative for construction projects in Scotland and across the world.

He has been a member of CSILG since 2015 and was appointed its executive director in 2017.

McAvoy Group names chief exec

The McAvoy Group has named Ron Clarke as chief executive following the retirement of Mark Lowry, who will remain with the business as non-executive director.

Clarke was appointed chief operating officer of McAvoy in March 2021 after 27 years with Graham Group and more recently a couple of years with Mac Group.

Legal hire for BakerHicks

BakerHicks, the consultancy division of Morgan Sindall, has created a new senior management post to provide contractual and legal advice.

Solicitor Lizzie King has joined BakerHicks’ senior management team as head of legal. She joins from Canary Wharf Group where she specialised in both procurement and disputes related work, providing advice to development, project, building management and operations teams.

New addition for Osborne board

Dave Smith has joined the board of privately-owned Osborne Group Holdings as a non-executive.

Dave Smith takes the seat of Alison Littley, who steps down after three years on the group board.

Smith’s previous roles include chief operating officer at Wates and managing director positions at McClaren and Balfour Beatty.

Premier Modular adds to Scottish team

Premier Modular has made two new appointments to increase its presence in Scotland.

Based in Renfrew, Paul Kyle has more than 30 years’ experience in the offsite sector gained from holding senior roles for a number of modular building specialists. He re-joins Premier to provide local support for offsite projects throughout Scotland, having worked for the business for more than eight years in the 1990s.

As senior Business development manager for Scotland, Kyle is now Premier’s contact for its bespoke offsite construction solutions for NHS trusts, local authorities, universities, social housing providers, developers, and contractors across Scotland.

Steven Ballantyne has been appointed area sales manager for Premier’s Hire Division in Scotland and brings a decade of experience in the modular hire space to his new role.

Working from Dundee, Ballantyne will be assisting clients with modular building projects for short and long-term hire in the construction, infrastructure, healthcare, and education sectors – from high quality project offices and welfare facilities to decant classrooms and temporary hospital facilities to meet surges in demand.

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