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BSc(Hons) MSc(Eng) FREng CEng FICE CTPP FCIHT HonFSE

Executive Director, WSP and Past President, Institution of Civil Engineers

Nominated by Czech GBC.

Rachel Skinner CBE is an Executive Director at WSP, sitting on its UK board to lead on responsible business (ESG) and government relations, having previously led its 600-strong transport business.

In 2020-21, Rachel served as the 156th President of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) with a theme of climate action; she is a Patron of Women in Transport (a not-for-profit), having been one of its founding board members since 2005.

A Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, a chartered engineer and a chartered transport planner, Rachel was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Leeds for services to transport, engineering and industry diversity and is an honorary fellow of the Society for the Environment.

Rachel was awarded a CBE for services to infrastructure in the 2022 New Year Honours list.

At present, Rachel chairs the Infrastructure Carbon workstream of the Infrastructure Client Group (ICG), the ICE’s Decarbonisation Advisory Board and served two years as an Infrastructure Commissioner for Scotland from late 2018. In 2021 she was invited to chair a new UK Department for Transport Taskforce that is focused on employment and skills.

In 2016, Rachel was listed as one of The Telegraph’s inaugural UK Top 50 Influential Women in Engineering; in 2017 she was named the Most Distinguished Winner and Best Woman Civil Engineer at the Women in Civil Engineering Awards, and in 2019 she was confirmed by the Financial Times as one of the UK’s Top 100 Women in Engineering.

Rachel has authored, scripted and hosted publications and films on topics including “Shaping Zero” about climate action for infrastructure, “Making Better Places” on place-making and future mobility, and before that about digital technology and its potential for infrastructure, industry innovation and collaboration. She is regularly invited to give keynote conference presentations and to chair international and national industry events.

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