New men for HS2

A new chief operating officer (COO) and chief financial officer (CFO) have been appointed for the UK’s high-speed rail project HS2.

Richard Robinson joins HS2 as COO from multinational engineering firm Aecom, where he was chief executive of civil infrastructure in Europe, Middle East, India and Africa. HS2 said he would support chief executive Mark Thurston to deliver what is being described as Europe’s largest infrastructure project.

Thurston, said, “He joins us at an exciting time and brings wide-ranging experience of complex infrastructure projects and extensive management skills.

“Richard’s appointment will enhance our leadership team at this important time, as the project picks up pace and we begin to deliver lasting economic benefits across the UK.”

At Aecom, Robinson led the growth of the civil infrastructure business, first as managing director and then chief executive, leading 8,000 people across four regions and a range of infrastructure projects. Before that, he was the managing director of Aecom’s Transportation Europe business.

Michael Bradley is joining the company as CFO. He comes from Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), an arms-length body of the Ministry of Defence, where he is CFO and director general resources, and has been acting CEO since December 2017.

Thurston said, “Michael is an excellent addition to the HS2 team and brings a wealth of experience with him to this important role.

“HS2 is a hugely important project that will leave a significant economic legacy here in the UK, and it is imperative that we have the best people in place to deliver our ambitions.”