Tim Sullivan has joined Mott MacDonald in the newly created role of market portfolio manager, transport planning and modelling, UK and Europe.

He will lead the strategic direction, operations and commercial performance of Mott MacDonald’s transport planning and modelling team, a 160-strong group of specialists working across the UK and Europe. 

The team delivers a wide range of services, from strategic foresight to active travel, public realm design and major infrastructure feasibility. They work across key projects including HS2 and East West Rail, and major framework contracts for the likes of Transport for Greater Manchester and the Department for Transport.

Sullivan joins from Urbis Sydney where he was director of transport advisory leading complex public sector projects and shaping national thinking on decarbonisation, active transport and precinct planning.

Previous senior roles at WSP, Transport for NSW and Cardno (now Stantec) have seen him lead high-performing teams, contribute to the Sydney-Newcastle High Speed Rail and chair the AITPM working group that authored its 2024 report: The Path to Net Zero: Decarbonising Australia’s Transport System.

His appointment comes at a time of renewed momentum in UK transport planning. The government’s devolution agenda, Integrated National Transport Strategy and recent funding for active travel and zero-emission infrastructure are creating major opportunities to plan and deliver much-needed projects including low-traffic neighbourhoods, bus priority corridors and regional mobility hubs. 

He said: “This is a great time to be a transport professional in the UK and Europe, reflected in our ambitious growth plans at home and overseas. We already have a strong team and some fantastic strengths to build upon, and we have now set ourselves the challenge of becoming the leading transport planning and modelling business in our region. I’m confident that we have both the pipeline of work and ambition to achieve this goal.”

Other recent appointments across the industry include:

Renewable energy consultancy Natural Power has announced the promotion of Clare Horner to the role of director of consulting, Europe. She succeeds Ciaran Farrell, who has recently moved to the role of managing director.

Horner will lead Natural Power’s European consulting team, overseeing a large, multi-disciplinary group of analysts, advisors, ecologists, planners and project managers. Together, they deliver expert support across a wide range of renewable energy projects throughout the UK and Europe, spanning onshore and offshore wind, solar, energy storage and grid infrastructure.

A chartered landscape architect and geography graduate, she has more than two decades of experience in the renewables sector, particularly in landscape and visual impact assessment. She joined Natural Power as director of onshore consenting and environment, where she led significant projects and played a key role in driving the team’s success. Her new appointment broadens her remit to cover all consulting disciplines across the business.

Civil engineering, infrastructure and tunnelling specialist Barhale has announced the appointment of James Haddon in a newly created role of director of low carbon solutions and Joe Solomon as regional director (eastern).

Director of low carbon solutions is a new board-level position which reflects both Barhale’s corporate commitment to decarbonisation and reducing fossil fuel dependency and its focus on developing innovative low carbon solutions for clients.

James Haddon originally joined Barhale in 1988 as a site engineer and rapidly progressed through commercial, project management and regional manager roles. He joined AECOM in 2006 and worked across its European operations for nine years before returning to Barhale in 2015 to take up the position of regional director (eastern).

Joe Solomon, who steps into the role of regional director (eastern), started his career with Barhale in 2012 as a quantity surveyor after six years at M.A.R.S. Construction.

By 2014, he had progressed to senior QS, working on S101a schemes in Peterborough before moving into commercial management roles within the @one Alliance, Anglian Water’s highly regarded partnership delivering complex capital projects – of which Barhale is a founding partner. In January 2021, he was appointed to head of commercial for the eastern region.

International construction and insurance law specialist Beale & Co has appointed Jessica Taylor within its Construction, Engineering and Infrastructure team.

She joins from national law firm Ashfords, where she was a partner in the London construction team. With more than 30 years of experience in the construction industry, she brings a wealth of technical expertise and a wide-reaching network of industry connections.

Her experience focuses on non-contentious construction and engineering matters in the UK and internationally, where she has advised consultants, contractors, property investors, institutional client, and banks, as well as housing providers and local authorities on a wide range of projects across the residential, commercial, hotels and leisure and healthcare sectors. 

Her expertise is recognised by Chambers UK and Legal 500 UK where she is ranked as a Recommended Lawyer for Construction: Non-contentious.

At Beale & Co, she has joined the Global Contracts and Projects Advisory team.  She will continue to service her clients and have active involvement with key industry bodies. These include the Construction Industry Council (CIC), where she is a non-executive director, and Diversitas - an independent umbrella body established under the auspices of CIC which champions diverse leadership and greater representation of top black professionals in construction.

Will Buckby, head of the Contracts and Projects Advisory Team, said: “Jessica is an exceptional addition to the Firm. Her reputation, experience and long-standing connections in the industry will further strengthen our large team”.