Arcadis has appointed Ben Harris to the newly created role of UK climate change & sustainability director.

An experienced senior manager and strategy advisor specialising in sustainable development and climate change, Harris has proven experience in successfully building and leading large teams to achieve business growth aims.

For the past three years he has managed the funding and investment deployment of what is claimed to be Europe’s largest climate innovation programme, EIT Climate-KIC, with responsibility for the programme’s strategy and funding allocation from the European Commission of over €200m of funding across 28 countries.

Prior to this in-house role he spent nearly 15 years in consultancy, leading teams advising on the integration of sustainability in the public and private sector. At Temple Group he established a new unit focused on strategy and sustainability, building a proposition to integrate sustainability into strategic decision making.

Prior to that, he was seconded as head of thought leadership to help build the five-year business plan and secure £50m of funding for start-up of the Transport Systems Catapult. 

Harris has strong industry networks and his experience ranges from major infrastructure and development programmes such as the £2.5bn Meridian Water development and 13,000 home Barking Riverside, working with public bodies such as Highways England, Network Rail, HS2 and TfL, and the establishment of government-led innovation initiatives along with advice to private sector clients of all sizes.

Harris will be working on Arcadis’ Climate Response Proposition, ‘Securing our Future’, which has been developed to tackle the 'how' part of pledging to become net zero, working with business leaders to implement strategic planning and establish what's possible, and what to prioritize, with a roadmap of how to get there.

Commenting on his appointment, Harris said: “I’m really excited to join Arcadis and to see the company’s agenda, with sustainability at the heart of its strategy. I look forward to working with teams to take our proposition to clients and identify how we can respond to challenges and requirements.”

Cath Greaves, sector managing director, ES&I, added: “It’s fantastic to have Ben on board at this pivotal point in our climate response journey. With his wealth of experience in climate innovation programmes, Ben will be an asset to the team. Clients right across Arcadis are grappling with how to address the climate emergency – we are working with local governments, housebuilders, manufacturers and big infrastructure clients already, so Ben joins at an important time as we grow our own impact.”