Tideway boss takes the chair at the Construction Leadership Council

Andy Mitchell, Tideway’s chief executive has been announced as the new co-chair of the Construction Leadership Council (CLC).

Mitchell is replacing former Crossrail boss Andrew Wolstenholme who is stepping down from the body after three years.

He brings a wealth of experience that starts well before joining Tideway in 2014 with roles from projects in the United Kingdom and overseas.  After 12 years working in the United Arab Emirates, France and South Africa,  as well as on major developments such as Hong Kong Airport and the Hong Kong West Rail, he joined Network Rail in 2001.

Furthermore, the new co-chair was project director for Network Rail’s Southern Power Upgrade project, and was also the Major Programme director of the Thameslink Programme.  Mitchell is a fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, former chair of the Infrastructure Industry Innovation Platform (i3P), and after 4 years has recently stepped down as Chairman of the Infrastructure Client Group (ICG).

Commenting on his appointment, Mitchell said: “I was honoured to be approached for the role as CLC co-chair at what is an exciting and challenging time for both the council and the sector as a whole. Securing a sector deal was a huge achievement, and I look forward to building on the strong foundations laid by Andrew and the team as we move into implementation.”

News of his appointment has been welcomed by chief executive of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE), Hannah Vickers.

She said: "I'm delighted to see that Andy Mitchell has been appointed as co-chair of the Construction Leadership Council. His experiences leading Thames Tideway mean he is the ideal person to help the entire construction industry deliver greater efficiency, productivity and growth. Tideway's outstanding work supporting apprenticeships means Andy is well placed to co-ordinate efforts between the sector and government to bridge the industry's skills gaps."

The CLC has also thanked the outgoing Wolstenholme for his three years of service as co-chair which culminated in the publication of the landmark Construction sector deal earlier this year. The council has wished him well for his new role at BAE Systems.

Mitchell will formally take over as co-chair following the CLC Conference on 24 October and will chair his first meeting of the CLC in early November.