AECOM names replacement to head up its infrastructure division

AECOM have wasted no time replacing their outgoing head of infrastructure Richard Robinson, who has joined HS2, announcing that the firm’s transport director Colin Wood has been promoted to chief executive for civil infrastructure for the EMIA region.

Wood will take on responsibility for leading the growth, strategy and client engagement of AECOM’s civil infrastructure business in EMIA which operates in 50 countries, has over 8,500 staff and includes the transportation, water, ports and power sectors.

Lara Poloni, chief executive, EMIA at AECOM, said: “Colin’s appointment is an important step forward for our civil infrastructure business; the leadership and experience he brings are second to none. In his time at AECOM he has already shown himself to be a great role model with a deep understanding of the business. He has a strong affiliation with our people and an extensive network of contacts which will be invaluable as we drive growth in key markets such as aviation, oil and gas and transit. His leadership will also be vitally important for positioning AECOM for exciting opportunities in the Middle East and across the rest of the region.”

Wood joined AECOM from Airtanker, where he was managing director, leading a major PFI project, and previously the Defence Infrastructure Organisation where he was chief executive, responsible for a portfolio of projects of over £4bn. Prior to this he also worked at Transport for London, as head of Olympic and Paralympic readiness/director of Olympic legacy, responsible for ensuring Transport for London operational business units were ready and able to deliver successful operations for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. He has also held senior positions at London Heathrow and Capita.

As an ex-RAF wing commander, Wood also has a strong background in defence, transportation and construction. Commenting on his new role, Wood, said: “This is an extremely important time for our civil infrastructure business. At AECOM we have a wealth of global experience at our disposal, match that with an array of exciting opportunities means we’re well placed for growth. My main effort is to make sure that growth is realised. 

“With unrivalled expertise and a desire to tackle some of the world’s most complex problems, I’m very much looking forward to leading the civil infrastructure team in what I believe could be an historic period for infrastructure across EMIA.”