Costain director joins Buro Happold

Global engineering, design and advisory practice Buro Happold has appointed Paula Gough as UK development director for infrastructure.

She will play a crucial role acting as an advocate for Buro Happold’s capabilities, fostering new and existing strategic partnerships to secure future opportunities within the infrastructure market.

Bringing more than 20 years of experience across land development and transport infrastructure sectors, Gough joins Buro Happold from Costain Group - where she was part of the highways senior leadership team, as its key account director for National Highways.

She will now lead  Buro Happold’s infrastructure growth strategy for the UK public sector, leveraging the extensive global expertise within the business.

She aims to expand and enhance key highway and rail related services delivered for UK public sector clients.

Her appointment forms part of the practice’s growth strategy, as well as the appointment of Andrew Parsons last year, who joined to lead the growth of its Water and Environment business.

Gough has previously worked on major infrastructure programmes, as well as urban development and regeneration schemes, for both private and public sector clients in the UK and Middle East. 

Notable projects include work with National Highways, Network Rail, LUL, local authorities and development corporations.

Working across Buro Happold’s infrastructure discipline, in close collaboration with the Water and Environment and Energy capabilities, she will be addressing specific challenges that clients face today.

Gough said: “Buro Happold’s unique combination of buildings and urban development expertise, understanding of client challenges around build, maintenance and renewal of major structures means that we have the deep technical knowledge and acumen needed to become a fresh-thinking disruptor in these markets. 

“Our objective of solving the UK’s biggest client challenges in productive, efficient on time and on budget delivery, will enable better outcomes for the UK taxpayer.

“Given the political and economic uncertainty, combined with the issue of climate emergency, there is a real need for purposeful innovative thinking from the supply chain to assure that the infrastructure sector can enhance its delivery by adopting smarter approaches to achieving outcomes. 

“At Buro Happold, we excel at going back to first principles, we are bold about innovative solutions that we develop and take pride in our goal of ‘right first time’.

“We are also passionate about partnering with our clients to work within the realm of their constraints, not least their budget. 

“Given our track record in navigating complexity and design of bespoke solutions, we are confident in our ability to assure better outcomes for our clients and their customers through excelling in project delivery. 

“This deep technical acumen and ability to think differently has never been more desirable to unlocking the biggest challenges faced by the UK infrastructure sector. I’m looking forward to delivering this for both our clients, and the industry, with Buro Happold.”

Oliver Plunkett, Buro Happold CEO, added:  “I’m delighted to welcome Paula to Buro Happold at such an exciting time for the company. 

“Infrastructure plays a significant role in responding to the increasing challenges posed by climate change, as well as key solutions to boost economic growth. 

“Paula’s understanding of client pain points and her drive to elevate the impact good design can have on client outcomes, will channel the best of Buro Happold in the right direction enhancing our service offerings for the company’s UK client base.

“The addition of Paula to our team will support Buro Happold in gaining further visibility and help us to demonstrate the significant contribution we can make to helping solve the construction industry’s complex challenges.”