Stantec has appointed John Hornig as its new director of coastal management for the UK and Ireland.

Hornig joins the sustainable engineering, architecture and environmental consulting team from AECOM, bringing extensive project management experience in coastal defence, river engineering and integrating sustainable solutions into natural environments.

In his new role, Hornig will be responsible for helping grow Stantec’s interdisciplinary coastal offering in the UK and Ireland, as the firm supports public and private sector clients in addressing their biggest societal and environmental challenges.

Hornig has 15 years’ experience working with the Environment Agency and has a deep understanding of the regulatory landscape when it comes to protecting and enhancing coastal communities.

He will now help strengthen and develop Stantec’s client relationships while identifying opportunities for cross-sector collaboration and implementing best practice into transformative projects on and around Britain’s coastline.

As a global consultant with more than 450 offices, Stantec supports coastal communities around the world.

“The UK has many complex coastal challenges and there are lots of opportunities for us at Stantec to make a meaningful difference for people and the environment,” said Hornig.

“There’s a push to create new coastal habitats, improve water quality, and maintain or upgrade our flood defences to manage the impacts of sea level rise.

“Stantec can combine civil engineering with cutting-edge low-carbon technologies and nature-based solutions. We can therefore add real value for a broad range of clients. I’m very much looking forward to bringing together our global and local sector expertise to help focus on these critically important issues.”

Network Rail’s head of drainage and lineside, Mona Sihota, has been appointed president of the PWI.

The PWI provides technical knowledge, advice and support to the rail industry worldwide and works closely with leading organisations and government bodies, influencing and directly impacting industry training, management and competency standards.

Sihota brings more than 35 years of experience working in the railway industry, including 22 years at Network Rail, and has led projects in design, construction, and asset management.

In 2016, she became Network Rail’s first head of drainage, responsible for overseeing the management of the whole of the rail network drainage infrastructure.

She said: “I am very honoured. The PWI dates back to 1884 and steeped in railway history. It now offers me a unique opportunity to collaborate with industry leaders and drive forward initiatives that will shape the future of railway infrastructure.”

Having previously held the post of deputy president of the PWI, she became president in July and will serve a one-year term.

The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, the technology innovation and research centre for offshore renewables, has appointed Maida Zahirovic as a non-executive director.

Zahirovic, head of renewables at James Fisher & Sons, a supplier of engineering services to the global energy, defence and maritime transport sectors, has significant experience in the offshore wind sector gained from senior roles at some of the top companies in the industry.

ORE Catapult Chair Ronnie Bonnar said: “There are huge opportunities and challenges for offshore renewables as we look to deliver the growth needed to deliver net zero in the coming years.

“Maida’s extensive international and supply chain experience will provide invaluable insight as we continue to grow the catapult and play a vital role in delivering that opportunity”.

Specialist engineering consultancy Hexa has appointed a new director to help drive forward growth in its Leeds office, having gone from a team of one to 14 in just 18 months of trading.

Dominic Ginty joins the team with more than two decades of experience at BWB Consulting, where he rose through the ranks from a senior engineer to director and will now be looking to make his mark with the Hexa team.

His specialist sectors include education, retail and industrial projects covering up to one million square feet.
Notable clients include the University of York, IKEA, the Amazon Logistics centre in Wakefield and Leeds Valley Park for Caddick Developments.

Ginty’s experience will help to support fellow director Matt Lomas, who was appointed earlier this year to head up Hexa Land – the new ground engineering arm of the business and Richard Osbond who established the Hexa North office.

Looking further ahead, Ginty will also help broaden the scope services such as pre-planning phases, involving ecology, noise and air quality.