ICE Connects: Women in leadership

Anne Kerr FICE

Dr Anne Kerr holds various roles and positions within Mott MacDonald including that of managing director Greater China. She arrived in HK as a graduate and has been involved in many strategic projects which have shaped HK’s development. Her focus is on developing places and facilities for people. Her involvement in projects which shaped and continued to develop Hong Kong’s international airport continue, and the experience gained through strategic development planning, environmental and sustainability assessments have been transferred to many other jurisdictions.

She is actively involved in professional organisations including the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong where she served on and chaired the Environment and Energy Committee and the Smart City Forum. She has served as vice chair of the General Committee and is currently the chair having been appointed in September 2022.

Jennifer Stables FICE

Jennifer is an associate director with AECOM in Qatar, having transitioned from the AECOM UK business in 2013. She is a Chartered Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), a Grade A registered Engineer with MME Qatar, a PMP and Prince 2 Qualified Project Manager and holds a Masters in civil, Structural and environmental engineering from the University of Cambridge. Jennifer was recognized in the top 50 women engineers under 35 by WES and the Telegraph newspaper in 2017, was the winner of the Qatar UK Alumni Science and Sustainability Award in 2021 and was shortlisted for the 2022 Middle East Consultant awards Woman in Construction Professional of the Year. She is the current president of the Cambridge Society of Qatar and the country representative and chair of the ICE Qatar Committee. 

Smita Sawdadkar

Smita is a Chartered Civil Engineer and Fellow of the ICE. In her role as delivery head at AtkinsRéalis, she has spearheaded critical projects, demonstrating her ability to drive complex engineering solutions innovatively and inspire her team towards excellence.

Smita serves as the ICE regional representative for Bengaluru region. In this role, she leads initiatives to promote professional development and collaboration amongst engineers, reinforcing her commitment to nurturing talent and fostering community within the engineering profession. Her contributions have garnered accolades including the 
Amazon International Inspiration Awards and the Atkins Technical Leadership Award, highlighting her 
influence and impact on the engineering community. She earned the title of one of India’s Top Future 100 Leaders 
underscoring her passion and ability to shape the future of the industry. 

Melinda Lutton

Mel Lutton is assistant operations manager at Tonkin in Adelaide, South Australia, where she provides leadership across project delivery, risk management, and  operational performance.

As a principal civil engineer her expertise lies in designing sustainable floodplain infrastructure, optimising flood and stormwater management solutions, and wastewater treatment and collection.

She champions diversity and inclusion, fostering a collaborative work environment. Beyond her technical skills, Mel is a Fellow of both the Institution of Civil Engineers and Engineers Australia, and takes every opportunity to mentor and inspire engineers.

Mel is chair of the ICE Australasia Committee, which  engages our local members, and also plays a role in helping to increase the profile of civil engineering.

She is also a Policy Fellow with ICE, where she is engaged in helping to influence industry guidelines and promote sustainable practices.

Overall, Mel is still delighted with her choice of civil engineering as a career, spanning 35 years.