Arup
Arup is a world class firm of designers, planners, engineers, architects, consultants and technical specialists.
Event organised by ICE
The James Rennie Medal recognises the best Chartered Professional Review candidate of the year.
This year’s final will feature ICE’s top three Chartered Professional Review (CPR) and CPR (Progressive) candidates of 2022. They will each present and defend their CPR reports to an audience.
The three finalists are:
The best candidate will receive the prestigious 2023 James Rennie Medal in recognition of their achievements.
If you’re a Graduate or Student member aspiring to become a professionally qualified ICE member, you’ll find the evening invaluable. It will give an insight into some of the questions asked at Professional Review.
For all members, it’s a chance to meet some of our brightest up-and-coming engineers and learn about interesting civil engineering projects.
The evening will be hosted by Keith Howells, ICE President and the Q&A sessions for the finalists will be chaired by Séan Harris, ICE Director of Membership. The winner of the 2023 James Rennie Medal will be decided by the judges:
Arup is a world class firm of designers, planners, engineers, architects, consultants and technical specialists.
BAM Nuttall work across many sectors including rail, tunnelling, energy, water, nuclear, flood defence and marine.
Renowned for civil engineering & marine infrastructure projects.
Keltbray is a leading construction engineering specialist. We offer fully integrated delivery of complex projects featuring innovative engineering solutions across key building and infrastructure sectors.
Kier’s purpose is to sustainably deliver infrastructure which is vital to the UK.
Skanska, one of the UK’s leading contractors, is an inclusive and responsible business that is helping to build a better society.
Consulting Engineers, Tony Gee is renowned for delivering complex, competitive permanent and temporary infrastructure design solutions.
Introduction – Keith Howells, ICE President
History of James Rennie
Introduction of the finalists and chair of Q&A sessions – Séan Harris, ICE Director of Membership.
Medal final
Interval – Judges deliberation
Vote of thanks
Winner announced
Event close
Jacobs
Project Manager - Port and Maritime
Joe has led the consenting, design, construction phase support and maintenance stages for a range of maritime projects internationally, with experience in the UK, UAE and NZ. His experience includes the design of heavy maritime civil works such as jetties, wharves and dry docks, and coastal works such as beaches, breakwaters and marinas. Joe is currently based in Dubai, working for Jacobs as a Project Manager in the Waterfronts team, tasked with delivering a range of resilient coastal infrastructure enhancements.
Charles Brand
Bid Manager
Cormac has delivered heavy marine civil engineering projects, throughout the UK, including new quays, jetties, in-river cofferdams, and the redevelopment of Dover Western Docks. On the Thames Tideway Project as part of the marine delivery team, he managed the installation and dewatering of the in-river Cofferdams at Blackfriars. On the Dover Western Docks Revival Scheme, he led the marine piling and demolition teams. He brings this vast experience into his current role in pre-construction, as Bid Manager with Charles Brand.
AECOM
Senior Structural Engineer
Melissa has experience leading the structural design of new buildings and in the assessment of existing structures, with a focus on safety requirements. Melissa was sponsored through her degree by WYG Engineering, before later joining the AECOM nuclear team in 2012. She has worked across the UK on nuclear decommissioning and defence projects, both as a Structural Engineer and Project Manager. Melissa is passionate about STEM and sustainability, undertaking the roles of Social Value and Sustainability Lead for AECOM Warrington.
Institution of Civil Engineers
president 2022/23
Keith Howells is the 158th President of the ICE.
Having graduated in civil engineering in 1974, Keith joined one of the founder members of the Mott MacDonald Group and spent the first 10 years of his career in infrastructure design and project management, mostly in the water and transport sectors. On completing an MBA in 1986, he became involved with the planning, feasibility, and financial and economic analysis of projects, principally in the water and environmental sectors. Over the next decade he worked on numerous projects funded by the international finance institutions as well as by UK government bodies.
Keith has built career long experience in the planning, study and design of hydraulic structures, hydropower, urban drainage, sewerage, water supply and river engineering schemes. He has worked in numerous countries as well as in the UK. He ran the firm’s Water and Environment business from 1997 to 2002, before becoming the Group Managing Director in 2004, directing the firm’s expansion in North America and Australasia. Keith became Chair of the Group’s Executive Board in 2011, responsible to shareholders for the performance of the company and its strategic direction – a role he continued until mid-2019.
Keith was on the board of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering from 2011 to 2015, and its Chair in 2013; he was a member of the CBI’s Construction Council from 2013 to 2019; and a member of the Cranfield School of Management Advisory Board from 2012 to 2020. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, a Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Institution of Civil Engineers
director of membership
After a distinguished career in the Royal Engineers which included a spell as the UK Defence Advisor and Commander of British Gurkhas in Nepal, Séan Harris joined ICE as Director of Membership in 2015.
Séan is guided by a core principle of growing a diverse, broad and professionally qualified membership. By helping individuals to realise their potential and supporting employers in attaining the highest professional standards, he believes that ICE can play a powerful and positive role in meeting the great challenges that society faces. Crucial to this is ensuring high member satisfaction and the desire to remain an ICE member for life.
Under his direction, ICE was the only Professional Engineering Institution (PEI) to have grown professionally qualified membership every year from 2017-2021, one of only two PEIs to have seen a year-on-year increase in university applications, and has led the engineering profession in terms of annual growth in female and BME membership.
Séan is responsible for overseeing the creation and delivery the membership proposition. This includes programmes to inspire students to study and practice civil engineering, the accreditation of civil engineering degrees, the Initial Professional Development of graduates, Professional Reviews for the technician, incorporated and chartered qualification, and Continuing Professional Development and delivery of lifelong learning.
Keltbray Group
chief executive officer
Darren James was appointed chief executive of the Keltbray Group in April 2020. Prior to this, he spent 30 Years at Costain Group PLC starting on their graduate development programme and rising through the ranks to the chief operating officer. An honours graduate in Civil Engineering from the University of Surrey, Darren has undertaken further postgraduate executive programmes at Harvard, Wharton and London Business Schools.
Darren is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and was the inaugural winner of the James Rennie Medal in 1996.
Arup
associate director
Sarah is an Associate Director at Arup where she is responsible for design and construction of a wide range of multidisciplinary engineering projects. A geotechnical specialist, she has particular experience in the design of foundations and deep basements on urban sites which are frequently constrained by sensitive existing buildings and underground third-party infrastructure. She is a chartered engineer, supervising civil engineer and former winner of the James Rennie Medal.
Skanska
senior project manager
Sam is a Chartered Civil Engineer and won the James Rennie Medal in 2014. He joined Skanska upon graduation from the University of Plymouth in 2009. He has since worked on major infrastructure projects for various clients including Crossrail, London Underground, and National Grid. He is currently a Senior Project Manager working on the HS2 project. Sam has been a member of the James Rennie Medal Award Panel since 2017.
SMP Alliance
alliance assembly director
Eamonn is currently the assembly director working on behalf of National Highways on the Smart Motorways Programme Alliance. Eamonn is responsible for the safe, timely and efficient delivery of the Alliance’s portfolio of on – site works. Eamonn leads the programme teams, working closely with National Highways, Alliance partners and the supply network in this national programme.
His career spans over 20 years’ experience working in the field of highways, water and process, drainage and infrastructure working across a wide range of projects. He is responsible for training Costain graduates and mid-career leaders as well as being an SCE.
He is also a Judge and member of the James Rennie Medal Panel and was a previous James Rennie Medal Award winner in 2012.
BAM Nuttall
managing director
Richard is a chartered civil engineer who joined BAM Nuttall in 1996 initially as an assistant engineer, before moving on to various roles around the business before his was appointed as Managing Director in 2021.
Richard has been a part of many iconic projects such as the Olympic Park, Thames Tideway Tunnel and Hinkley Point C.
Richard is passionate about innovation and sustainable delivery; whilst being a leader for equality, diversity and inclusion across the industry.
Morgan Sindall Infrastructure
managing director - rail
After graduating from Loughborough University, Olivia joined Kier Group, working on major infrastructure projects including Crossrail, High Speed 2 and the Luton DART.
Olivia joined Morgan Sindall Infrastructure in 2021. She was appointed managing director for the rail business in July 2022 with oversight of projects being delivered across the UK, primarily with Network Rail and Transport for London.
Olivia was awarded the James Rennie Medal in 2016. She is passionate about supporting others in their professional development.