Mott MacDonald Fellow and major project leader Julie Wood has begun her year as President of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) through which she will represent the profession and take civil engineering into wider conversations with government, business, and society.
Julie delivered a presidential address at the ICE’s London headquarters on 3 November as part of assuming the role where she set out the priorities for her year: connected and outcome-focused thinking, smarter infrastructure delivery, and social mobility throughout people’s careers.
During her year in office, Julie will champion better infrastructure outcomes by encouraging stronger connections across projects, programmes and sectors. Her themes will explore how the profession can improve delivery, create enduring, adaptable infrastructure that benefits people and the planet, and support social mobility throughout people’s careers.
Julie said: “It is an enormous honour to serve as ICE President and to represent a profession that makes such a tangible difference to people’s lives. During the year ahead I want to bring different perspectives together so that we start with purpose, focus on the outcomes society needs and make better decisions about infrastructure, not only the assets we build.
“I will continue to work on live projects at Mott MacDonald during my presidential year, as it is important to me to maintain that connection. This will keep me close to the practical challenges facing clients and delivery teams, as well as the opportunities created when we share knowledge and work across boundaries. I hope to use those experiences to support the profession in delivering infrastructure that is more adaptable, resilient and valuable to society.”
Julie has more than 25 years’ experience in the construction industry and has worked across projects in a range of sectors including transport, science, energy, healthcare and aviation. Her career has included leadership roles on major programmes and projects such as the Francis Crick Institute, the McLaren Technology Centre, the Transpennine Route Upgrade and the UK Government’s New Hospital Programme. She began her career as a civil/structural apprentice before completing a degree in civil and structural engineering and becoming a chartered engineer and a Fellow of the ICE.
Alongside her project work, Julie has more than 18 years’ experience in non-executive roles. She is committed to lifelong learning, social mobility and creating opportunities for people throughout their careers. She has previously chaired the ICE’s Membership and Finance, Assurance and Risk committees. As President, Julie will chair the ICE’s Trustee Board and ICE Council.
Mott MacDonald chair and chief executive James Harris said: “Julie’s appointment as President of the ICE is a tremendous personal achievement and a reminder of what an incredible launch pad an apprenticeship can provide in our industry. Her depth of experience in delivering complex programmes, strong belief in developing others and clear determination to help our profession achieve better outcomes for society means she has a great deal to bring to the role. I’m also proud to see Julie continue a long association between our people at Mott MacDonald and the ICE as she follows in the footsteps of all our past presidents.”
Image credit: Mott MacDonald
