Atkins

Senior Management

The Group Executive is the chief executive’s senior management team through which the operational management of the business is discharged. It currently comprises the group finance director, the managing directors of businesses within our principal reporting business segments, the group HR director and the group communications director.

Keith Clarke

Chief Executive

Keith Clarke was appointed a director in October 2003. He is a chartered architect. He joined the Group from Skanska AB where he was executive vice president responsible for its activities in the UK, Poland, Czech Republic, India and China. He has over 30 years’ experience in construction and engineering, having previously worked for the City of New York, Olympia and York, Trafalgar House and Kvaerner. He is chairman of the Construction Industry Council, having previously chaired its Health and Safety Committee. He is also an advisory board member of the Built Environment Innovation Centre at Imperial College, London, a member of the Supporters at Large Group for Open House and patron of the Environmental Industries Commission.

Robert MacLeod

Group Finance Director

Robert MacLeod was appointed group finance director in June 2004. A chartered accountant, he joined the Group as group financial controller in March 2003 having previously worked in a variety of senior financial roles at Enterprise Oil plc. He is currently a non-executive director of Aggreko plc. A graduate of Cambridge University, he trained at KPMG.

Tim Askew

Managing Director, Middle East & India

Tim Askew is a chartered engineer who joined the Group in 1978. His extensive experience in design, project and business management includes a diverse range of major ventures both in the UK and particularly overseas. In 1999 Tim was appointed to head the Middle East & India business which provides multidisciplinary services from seven regional offices. He joined the Group Executive in July 2006.

Ivor Catto

Managing Director, Design & Engineering Solutions

Ivor Catto is a chartered engineer and joined Atkins in October 2000. He was formerly a business manager with Scottish Power where he oversaw new build generation projects and a consultancy business stream. Upon joining he initially worked in the management of the power business and became managing director of Atkins Power in October 2001. He joined the Group Executive in April 2003 on his appointment as Managing Director of Industry. In April 2005 he was made Managing Director of Design & Engineering Solutions, a business unit comprising the Group's former Industry and Design, Environment and Engineering businesses.

Richard Barrett

Managing Director, Europe

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 as Managing Director, Highway Services, he led the development of this business which provides integrated solutions in both the Highways Agency and Local Authority markets. He joined the Group Executive in May 2007 on his appointment as Managing Director of Europe.

Sara Lipscombe

Group Communications Director

Sara Lipscombe started her career at Atkins and returned in 2006. She has 20 years' experience directing international communications activities for organisations in the consulting engineering, gas/chemicals, construction, water utilities, environmental services, funeral services and private healthcare sectors. Sara is a linguist who has worked in the US, Europe and southern Africa.

Alun Griffiths

Executive Director

Alun Griffiths was appointed a director in March 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 internationally. He is an economics graduate and a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. He was appointed Group HR director in February 2003. Alun was appointed to the Industry Board of the UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology (UKRC), a Government-backed organisation, in 2006.

Richard Hall

Managing Director, Faithful+Gould

Richard Hall is managing director of Faithful+Gould where he was previously a senior partner and is responsible for the company's worldwide management and operations. He is a member of the Group Executive and has Group responsibility for the Atkins Asset Management and Atkins Defence Asset Management businesses. He has wide ranging experience in quantity surveying and cost management with particular emphasis on industrial, pharmaceutical and petrochemical industries. Richard has recently relocated to the United States where he will continue to run Faithful+Gould and Atkins Asset Management but with added focus on the emerging US business.

Samson Sin

Managing Director, Atkins China

Samson Sin joined Atkins in 1983 after graduating from the University of Glasgow with BSc (Hons) in Civil Engineering. A chartered engineer with over 20 years' experience in major civil engineering work, Samson is also a highly experienced project director for numerous large railway infrastructure projects in Hong Kong. Samson became a member of the Group Executive in July 2006.

Neil Thomas

Managing Director, Highways & Transportation

Neil Thomas joined Atkins in 1989 to work on major motorway and local authority highway schemes. Seconded in 1995 to the Connect JV for PFI roads, he was subsequently appointed CEO of the concession companies for three years. Neil returned to us in 2001 to head the design and technical consultancy within Highways & Transportation, with responsibility for our delivery to a wide range of Highway Authority and contractor clients. Neil became Managing Director of Highways & Transportation in July 2006 when he was also appointed to the Group Executive.

David Tonkin

Managing Director, Rail

David Tonkin was appointed managing director of our Rail business in July 2006, when he also became a member of the Group Executive. He joined Atkins in 2005 as Rail Finance Director where he has played a major role in the restructuring of the 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).

Chris Birdsong

Managing Director, Management Consultants

Chris joined the Atkins Group in January 2007 to act as Atkins’ shareholder representative director in the Metronet enterprise. He previously worked for Bechtel for over 30 years, during which time he worked on major projects in heavy industry, transport and telecommunications. This included a period as managing director of Equinix, which provides telecommunication infrastructure in Europe and the USA. He joined the Group Executive in November 2007.