Investors

Dr Uwe Krueger was appointed a director in June 2011. He is a physicist who studied at the University of Frankfurt, graduating with a PhD in complex system theory. He also studied at Columbia University (New York), the Ecole Normale Supérieure (Paris) and at Harvard (Boston). Uwe has spent the majority of his career leading engineering and consulting organisations in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific.

He began his career at international strategy consulting firm, A T Kearney, followed by leadership positions at Hochtief AG, an international provider of construction services, including chief executive officer of central and eastern Europe, and senior vice president and chairman of Turner International based in Dallas, USA.

More recently he was chief executive officer of Swiss company, Oerlikon, one of the world’s leading high-tech industrial companies specialising in machine and plant engineering. He joined Atkins from Texas Pacific Group, a private equity investment firm based in London and San Francisco and Cleantech Switzerland, a trade promotion organisation in the area of sustainability which operates on behalf of the Swiss Federal Government. He is currently on the Board of STR Holdings (Connecticut, USA), Zementis, Inc (San Diego) and ONTEX S.A. (Zele, Belgium) and SUSI Partners AG (Zurich, Switzerland).

Heath Drewett was appointed a director in 2009 when he joined Atkins as Group finance director. A graduate in mathematics from Peterhouse, Cambridge, he started his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers where he qualified as a chartered accountant. He has held a variety of senior finance and corporate development roles at British Airways plc and The Morgan Crucible Company plc. He spent seven years in BA’s finance team, most recently holding the position of head of business performance.

Alun Griffiths joined Atkins in 1986 and was appointed a director in 2007. He has a background in management consultancy and has led a wide range of projects in the areas of restructuring, organisational development and privatisation in the UK and worldwide. He is an economics graduate and a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Alun was appointed Group HR director in 2003 and chairs the Industry Board of the UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology (UKRC), an organisation charged with progressing the UK Government’s strategy for increasing the participation of women in science and engineering.

Richard Barrett joined Atkins in 1983 after graduating from the University of Nottingham. He is a chartered engineer with extensive experience in delivering major transportation projects ranging from planning, design and construction through to operation and maintenance of highways. Previously Richard held the positions of managing director for the UK’s highway services division and then Atkins’ Europe region. In 2010 Richard was appointed as regional managing director, Middle East.

Chris Birdsong joined Atkins in 2007 and was appointed managing director of the Management Consultants business later that year. Chris previously worked for Bechtel for over 30 years in project development and delivery in several business sectors, including infrastructure, transport, oil and gas, power generation, heavy industries and telecommunications. He is a fellow of the Institute of Business Consulting (IBC) and is on the IBC Council. In 2010 Chris was appointed as regional managing director, Asia Pacific and Europe.

Major General Dean Fox (USAF, retired) joined Atkins in 2010 following the acquisition of The PBSJ Corporation. He joined PBSJ in 2006 and led the design, federal, water and environment businesses. In 2011 he was appointed President, North America. Previously Dean served as the Air Force Civil Engineer at US Air Force Headquarters in Washington, DC. During his 34-year military career he received numerous awards and decorations. He has an MS in public administration, a BS in civil engineering and is a graduate of Harvard’s John F Kennedy School of Government. He is a fellow and past national president of the Society of American Military Engineers.

Dr Martin Grant joined Atkins in 1984. His career with Atkins has covered work in the oil and gas, nuclear, chemical and defence industries as well as an assignment to the Channel Tunnel project. Previous roles at Atkins have included managing director, oil and gas and head of oil and gas safety. He is a fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and has been presented with the Royal Academy of Engineering Silver Medal.

Donald Lawson joined Faithful+Gould in 1986 and he has been instrumental in the growth of the business. He is a graduate of Heriot-Watt University where he studied Building Economics and Quantity Surveying. His experience includes the delivery of major projects in the energy, finance and manufacturing sectors and multi location work programmes for clients with significant property portfolios. He considers environmental issues as paramount and is sponsor of the Group carbon investment fund. Donald was appointed worldwide chief executive officer of Faithful+Gould in 2011.

David joined Atkins in 2005 as finance director for Rail where he played a major role in its restructuring. In 2006 he was appointed managing director of that business. Previously he had over eight years' experience as a finance director with Hanson plc. His career to date has involved him in complex multi-site organisations across various industry sectors including brewing & leisure, office services, financial services and the aggregates industry. David is a qualified cost and management accountant (ACMA). In 2010 David became regional managing director, UK.

Neil Thomas joined Atkins in 1989 to work on major motorway and local authority highway schemes. Neil is a chartered civil engineer), a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Highways and Transportation, and holds an MA in engineering from Cambridge University. Seconded in 1995 to the Connect JV for PFI roads, he was subsequently appointed chief executive officer of the concession companies for three years. Neil returned to Atkins in 2001 to head the design and technical consultancy within the Highways and Transportation business and became managing director in 2006. Neil was appointed managing director of the Water and Environment business in 2011.

Jeff Herriman joined Atkins in 2011.  Previously, he held similar roles at Oerlikon, Hochtief-Turner and Disctronics and has held roles as a non-executive director for a number of technology-related start-ups.  As a consultant with A. T. Kearney, CSC Index and SIAR-Bossard, Jeff also advised on corporate strategy and M&A, as well as operations, information technology and organisation.  Jeff has more than 25 years’ experience in starting, growing, buying/selling and turning around companies in the US, Europe and Asia.

Sara Lipscombe started her career at Atkins and returned in 2006. She is a linguist with over 25 years’ experience directing international communications strategies for world-leading organisations including Air Products and Chemicals Inc, Groupe Bouygues, Service Corporation International, BUPA and Hill & Knowlton. Sara has worked in-house in the engineering, gas/chemicals, construction, environmental services, water utilities, funeral services and private healthcare sectors and as a consultant for UK and US public sector clients and international consumer brands. Sara has worked in the US and Europe. In 2011 she became a visiting professor for the INSEEC Business School, Paris as part of its Euro MBA faculty.

Anne Randall joined Atkins in 2000 and was appointed Group Legal Director in 2003, overseeing the legal function across the Group.  A law graduate, she completed her training at the College of Law in Guildford and qualified with Clyde & Co. before moving in-house. Anne specialises in Employment Law, Contract Law and Litigation.  Anne has previously held managerial positions in PPP Medical care and the Manufacturing, Science and Finance Trades Union.  Anne is also the Compliance Officer for the Group.

Richard Webster was appointed Company Secretary in October 2007 having joined Atkins in 2001.  A graduate in medieval and modern history from the University of Birmingham, he is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators.  Richard provides support and guidance to the Atkins board of directors with particular focus on corporate governance and relevant statutory and regulatory requirements.  Richard assumed reporting responsibility for the Atkins in-house pensions team in October 2009.