On the move - new April appointments

Balfour Beatty has appointed Steve O’Sullivan as project director with responsibility for Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA’s HS2 Old Oak Common station project. 

He replaces Nigel Russell, who was promoted to chief executive officer of Balfour Beatty’s HS2 Major Projects business in January.

With more than 40 years’ experience in the industry, O’Sullivan has been involved in the delivery of some of the largest and most complex infrastructure projects in the UK and overseas including Nam Cheong Station West Rail interchange in Hong Kong and Terminal 2B and Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport.

In addition, he was responsible for Balfour Beatty’s joint venture project with Morgan Sindall and VINCI Construction, as senior project director, on the Whitechapel Elizabeth Line station project and more recently, was Balfour Beatty’s senior representative on the Sizewell C nuclear power station project.

He joined Balfour Beatty as an electrical engineering apprentice in 1980. 

Nigel Russell, chief executive officer of Balfour Beatty’s HS2 Major Projects business said: “I am pleased to hand over the reins of the HS2 Old Oak Common project to Steve.

“Steve’s detailed knowledge and understanding of the market, combined with his wealth of experience, makes him perfectly placed to perform this role and lead the delivery of the UK’s best-connected and largest new railway station.”

The Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA joint venture was awarded the HS2 construction management contract for the Old Oak Common station project in 2019, with responsibility for the final design, construction and commissioning of the station and delivering six underground platforms as well as up to eight platforms on the adjacent Great Western Main Line.

Network Rail has appointed Liam Sumpter to the role of managing director for Network Rail in Scotland. 

This follows the recent announcement that Alex Hynes has been seconded to the role of director general, rail services at the Department for Transport for a period of two years. 

Sumpter will officially take up his new post, on secondment for the same two-year period, from Monday, April 15.

Scottish Rail Holdings has also announced that Joanne Maguire has been appointed interim managing director of ScotRail.

Sumpter said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to undertake the position of Managing Director for Network Rail in Scotland.

“Working as route director for the past five years has been deeply rewarding. We have a great team here in Scotland, and I am confident that together, we can continue to fulfil our main objective to run a reliable and safe railway.”

Sir Robert McAlpine has appointed of Mike Hickson OBE as managing director of defence. 

Joining Sir Robert McAlpine from HS2 Limited, Hickson will be responsible for setting and delivering the company’s defence strategy. This forms an essential part of growing the infrastructure business unit, one of the company’s core sectors. 

He brings 30 years of military experience to his new role, including active service in Afghanistan and Iraq. 

As a brigadier, he was appointed chief logistician at PJHQ Northwood before becoming director of the Royal Logistic Corps.

After the military, he joined Fluor, initially in business development for government services, before becoming logistics director. He then joined HS2 Limited as programme director for the Central Section of Phase 1, spending the last three years as land and property director. 

In post, he will help develop projects that are critical to the UK’s defence infrastructure.

Clancy has made two appointments to its senior leadership team, strengthening the business’ expertise in delivering civil engineering projects across water, energy and transport infrastructure.

Daniel Tonkin has joined the business as operations director for Clancy’s work for South West Water. 

The appointment follows Clancy’s success in November 2023 in securing a place on South West Water’s Capital Delivery Programme Tier 1 Delivery Partners framework, which will include the installation, refurbishment and renewal of pipelines, gravity mains and sewers, and pumping stations across Devon and Cornwall. 

Tonkin joins with more than 25 years of expertise in water and infrastructure, including most recently as contract director for Morrison Water Services. 

Simon Hyams has been appointed as operations director at Clancy’s major infrastructure division, which includes its work on projects for HS2 and wider transport networks as well as on new water and energy pipelines. 

Reporting to the executive team, he will work alongside Clancy’s business development and operations teams to support the long-term growth of its civil engineering and major infrastructure division. 

He brings with him more than three decades of experience, including as managing director for major projects at Buckingham Group Contracting as well as senior roles at Energy Technologies Institute and at Galliford Try.