Career

Since graduating from the University of Birmingham I have worked for a variety of firms across the world on five continents. The links below lead you to a number of the projects to give a flavour of what I was doing and how I have got to where I am now.

I started as a fresh Graduate Civil Engineer in South Africa working for the Department of Water Engineers moving water around the country and became a registered Professional Engineer. Five years later I returned to the UK to work for Sir William Halcrow on the first public NATM tunnel in the UK before moving on to Howard Humphries (to become KBR later) as a Section Engineer on the Pen-y-Clip Tunnel. This was followied by a variety of tunnelling works including many Power tunnels under London during which time I became AMICE and MICE and a Chartered Engineer.

Spreading my wings I became the Chief Engineer of Donaldson Associates Limited a specialist Tunnelling and Geotechnical Consultancy which enabled me to develop such that I could join Jacobs as their Head of Tunneling and thence Technical Head of their Water and Utilities Business. My projects included many and varied opportunities including Light Rail which resulted in me working as Engineering and Project Director on the Doha Metro in Qatar. By 2015 I was looking for a new challenge and joined High Speed 2 which brings us basically to my last role as Engineering Director Civils looking after £20 billion of civil engineering works and the associated Civil Engineering disciplines. See below for some key projects

I am now an Independent Consultant bringing over 40 years of Infrastructure delivery experience to Clients, Banks, Consultants and Contractors worldwide.

Aerial-shot-of-the-south-portal-site-summer-2021-_27318-1800x1200.png

High Speed 2 Ltd 2015-2024

I was appointed Head of Project Engineering for Area North of HS2 looking after civil and stations as well as acting as the Deputy Lead for Area. Following Notice to Proceed I became the Engineering Director Civils accountable for the technical delivery of the four Main Works Civils contracts and laterly was also given the Civil Engineering Disciplines.

Jacobs 2001-2015

I joined Jacobs (JacobsGibb) to lead their tunnelling team and gradually progressed through the firm to become the Head of Technical Delivery covering Water and Utilities, including ground engineering. I then transferred to Programme Delivery as an Executive Director of Operations to lead the delivery of Red Lines North and South in the PMC for the Doha Metro in Qatar.

Donaldson Associates 1995-2001

I joined Donaldson as their Chief Engineer and help develop the team from a small technical consultancy to become one of the leading Tunnelling and Geotechnical Consultancies in the UK working across Water, Rail and Energy.

KBR Ltd 1990-1995

Moving on from my last project I joined Howard Humphries (later KBR) as a Senior Engineer on the Pen-y-Clip tunnel. I then moved down south to deliver a variety of tunnelling projects including networks of electricity tunnels under London

Sir William Halcrow & Partners 1987-1989

First job back in the UK I started with road drainage and water privatisation I quickly went to the New Studley Tunnel under Clee Hill the first public NATM tunnel in the UK.

Department of Water Affairs 1982-1987

First job after graduation, and no suitable work in the UK meant flying to South Africa to work for the DWAF and planning and design water transportation projects across the country