Current ACE chair, Mathew Riley updates members on the search for a new chief executive.

F

ollowing the announcement of Nelson’s departure, the board started a rigorous and thorough search process for his replacement. Hiring the services of an executive search agency to support us, we eventually received more than 70 applications for the role, with these being drilled down to a long-list of 16, then a further short-list of six. We met these preferred candidates face-to-face and you will be pleased to know that everyone we met was of an exceptional calibre.

However, despite this strong short-list, the board had no hesitations in offering Hannah Vickers the role as chief executive and we are delighted that she will lead ACE on behalf of its members.

A civil engineer by profession, Hannah joins from the Institution of Civil Engineers where she led the policy and public affairs team. Prior to this she advised Ministers at HM Treasury on infrastructure delivery policy, while also working as a consultant to senior stakeholders on a number of major projects including Crossrail 2, a geological disposal facility for higher-activity nuclear waste and the redevelopment of London’s Olympic Park. She has also trained and advised the governments of Argentina, Indonesia, Egypt, Brazil and China in infrastructure planning and delivery.

Her background as a civil engineer and as an advisor on some of the country’s largest infrastructure projects, as well as extensive government experience, means she is the ideal person to take ACE forward and to help us continue to champion infrastructure at the highest levels.

Hannah will be joining ACE on 11 September 2018, and I’m sure that there will be plenty of opportunities for her to meet you all and share her vision for ACE and infrastructure more widely after this date.

Finally, I would like to thank you for your continued support for ACE and look forward to it continuing over the coming weeks and months. I’m sure all ACE members will join me and the board in wishing Hannah the very best and we look forward to working together soon.