News

January 2016

Association for Consultancy and Engineering [ACE], the leading business association representing the interests of professional consultancies and engineering companies operating in the social and economic infrastructure sector announced that Gavin English has been appointed as Chair of its Board of Directors. Gavin has been a company Executive Director for over sixteen years, a Board Director of ACE for six years and is currently the Managing Director of IMC Worldwide a multi-disciplinary business providing consultancy services to governments, donor organisations, disaster relief agencies and private sector corporations in developing and transitional countries. Gavin has thirty years’ worldwide experience in engineering, planning and management with local authorities, large consultancies and SMEs.

He has been the Managing Director of IMC Worldwide since 2001 and led the management buy-out of this business from WSP Group plc in June 2011. In July 2015 he successfully led the purchase of the shareholding of the private equity partner via a secondary buy-out to create a totally independent business.  Gavin succeeds John Turzynski from Arup who is standing down after serving one year as Chair, John will continue as an ACE Board member and the immediate Past Chair.  

Speaking on this appointment, Dr Nelson Ogunshakin OBE Chief Executive of ACE said:

“I am proud to welcome such an experienced industry professional as Gavin English to chair the ACE Board.  Gavin brings extensive expertise in the engineering industry both domestically and globally, strong executive management and has also served as ACE’s Vice Chair.  He has made an enormous contribution to ACE for many years and his insight and leadership are incredibly valuable to our organisation, membership and employees.  Gavin and I have gotten to know one another very well over the past few years and on behalf of the entire board members, we welcome his election and are confident he will make an extraordinary addition to an already strong team.” 

“I am honoured and excited to be elected Chair of ACE” said Gavin English “Throughout my time on the Board I have admired the strength of ACE’s voice in supporting and promoting the case for investment in economic and social infrastructure across the UK.  I strongly endorse the common values shared throughout the organisation and its consistent focus on giving leadership on key issues to its membership.  I look forward to continuing to deliver on ACE’s strategy to engage with and support a wide range of networks and groups to give our members an ideal route to meet with client investors, policy makers and public bodies locally, regionally and at national level and keep our professional sector at the top of their agendas.” 

Dr Ogunshakin continued:

“The ACE Board is also welcoming five new executives to the Board bringing with them not only wide and varied experience in the sector, but also a fresh impetus and perspective; and I personally am looking forward to listening, working and engaging with their strategic contribution to secure the future direction of ACE.”

The new Board members in 2016 are:

First Vice Chair and Chair of ACE Property Group– Nick Taylor : Chief Executive, Waterman Group

Second Vice Chair & Chair of the Large Consultancy Group – Mike Haigh : Group Board Director, Mott MacDonald

Chair of International Business Group – Dr Bernard Obika : Chief Executive, Roughton Group

Chair of SME Forum – Michael Brown : Managing Director, GEO Environmental Services Ltd

Chair of Progress Network – Tryfon Ampartzis : Engineer, AECOM