International property and construction consultancy Gleeds, has continued the expansion of its infrastructure division with the announcement of two senior appointments within its UK team. Paul Knighting and Paul Robinson join the business as head of UK infrastructure and UK rail lead, having previously worked at Turner and Townsend. The hires come in response to a number of high-profile project wins for Gleeds in recent months.
Based in Manchester, Paul Knighting brings with him over 20 years’ experience in delivering large capital programmes, working with clients across the public and private sectors. In his previous role as Head of North West Infrastructure he was instrumental in establishing a successful infra consultancy team at both a regional and national level, prior to which he was responsible for strategic planning, project delivery improvement, and the implementation of operational excellence initiatives as a board member with Atkins’ Rail Business.
In Newcastle, Paul Robinson will take on the post of UK rail lead. With an impressive track record in the rail, water, and infrastructure sectors, Paul lists the likes of HS2, Network Rail, Edinburgh Tram, Nexus, Yorkshire Water, and Northumbrian Water amongst his previous clients and has extensive experience in facilitating the delivery of complex transportation programmes. His collaborative approach to projects and commitment to enabling the professional development of his teams means he is perfectly placed to support Gleeds’ growth ambitions going forward.
Commenting on the appointments, Gleeds UK Executive Chairman, Douglas McCormick said: “Gleeds has invested heavily in its infrastructure business over recent years and these latest high-profile hires demonstrate our continued commitment to making our offering the best it can be. Both Paul Knighting and Paul Robinson bring with them a unique skillset which will be invaluable as we seek to strengthen our presence in the infrastructure and transportation sectors and embark upon a number of major schemes. Their experience speaks for itself and their desire to inspire their team mirrors the Gleeds ethos, so we are confident that they will be able to deliver positive change business-wide.”
The appointments follow a series of sizeable project wins for the infrastructure and rail teams, including schemes for Network Rail, TfL, Highways England, and Crossrail.