Executive Board

Appointment

Alex was appointed to the Board as CEO in May 2019.

Skills and experience

Alex has worked in the infrastructure industry for more than 30 years and has extensive experience across programme delivery, private finance, operations and business leadership.

Alex joined Costain in 1992 and has been a member of the Executive Board since 2006. Before becoming CEO, Alex played a leading role in Costain’s transformation into a leading infrastructure solutions business through his leadership of the development and growth of the Group’s consultancy and technology services. In his role as managing director, Natural Resources, Alex delivered significant growth in profit and margin. Alex is a qualified chartered quantity surveyor, has worked on infrastructure projects in the UK and internationally, and held various corporate roles across HR, strategy, M&A and corporate development. In 2009 he completed the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.

Alex is passionate about safeguarding the future of our planet, helping people thrive and transforming the performance of infrastructure systems.

External appointments

Member of the Business in the Community Leadership Council.

Appointment

Helen was appointed to the Board as CFO in November 2020.

Skills and experience

Helen has a strong financial background underpinned by her profession as a chartered accountant. She is an experienced public company chief financial officer with a high level of understanding of investor relations and change programmes, including in organisations undergoing periods of strategic change. Helen has also driven finance transformation programmes to significantly improve processes, systems and culture. She has worked in multiple sectors and is highly commercial, able to balance both short and long-term goals, develop strategic options and contribute broadly to the business. Prior to joining Costain, Helen held roles as chief financial officer of De La Rue and Premier Farnell. She has also held senior finance roles at Pelican Rouge, AZ Electronic Materials and HSS Hire.

External appointments

None

Appointment

Appointed in September 2019.

Skills and experience

Catherine joined Costain in 2006 and has performed a number of roles, most recently as director of learning and development and corporate responsibility (CR) and investor relations director. In 2019, Catherine became Group HR director and in 2022 took on additional responsibility for sustainability, becoming chief people and sustainability officer. Highlights of Catherine's career with Costain include developing and implementing the Group’s first CR strategy, achieving Platinum status in Business in the Community’s CR Index in 2013, driving change to achieve the Group’s recognition in the Times Top 50 Employers for Women 2018-2021 and Costain being cited as a game changer in 2019 for its work on gender parity in early careers recruitment. Catherine is a qualified executive coach and graduated with an honours degree in Environmental Science.

External appointments

None

Appointment

Appointed in January 2022.

Skills and experience

Sam White was appointed managing director of Natural Resources in January 2022. He has a strong track record in developing strategic customer relationships and delivering enhanced business performance and growth, gained through a variety of challenging multi-sector roles in multi-national organisations. Sam joined Costain from Babcock International Group where he held various leadership roles across defence, energy and engineering services. Prior to this he held roles with BAE systems and General Dynamics. Sam is a qualified executive coach and is a passionate advocate of inclusion and diversity.

External appointments

None

Appointment

April 2024.

Skills and experience

Jonathan Willcock was appointed managing director of Transportation in April 2024. He has a wealth of experience in infrastructure and joins Costain from Skanska, where he was managing director of Skanska UK’s Infrastructure Division, working to increase revenue and market share and delivering complex projects in sectors including highways, rail, energy and water. Prior to that, Jonathan was managing director of Alstom Transport UK’s Systems, Signalling and Infrastructure Division, growing the business and winning and delivering key work from Network Rail, TfL and other transport bodies.

External appointments

None

Appointment

July 2024.

Skills and experience

Paul was appointed as Costain’s Group Commercial Director in July 2024 after originally joining Costain in August 2011. Paul has performed a number of commercial leadership roles across the business, most recently as Commercial Services Director. He has thirty years of experience in people, project and commercial management and prior to joining Costain he was Group Commercial Director for Promanex Group. Paul holds a master’s degree in business administration from Newcastle University.

External appointments

None

Appointment

Appointed in July 2022.

Skills and experience

Nicole is a highly experienced General Counsel and Company Secretary with an extensive background in major/mega projects and infrastructure, covering the full asset lifecycle. Nicole spent six years on the HS2 project as General Counsel and Company Secretary prior to joining Costain. She has significant international experience in rail/transport, engineering and project services and is an expert in public sector procurement, fit-for-purpose governance and effective risk management.

External appointments

None

Appointment

Appointed in October 2022.

Skills and experience

Abida Lalani joined Costain as change programme director in November 2019 and is focused on accelerating the implementation of Costain’s strategy across its four markets in transportation, water, energy and defence. Abida has since also taken on day-to-day strategy and planning for the Group and oversees the running of our Group wide transformation programme and other business improvement activities. Prior to Costain, Abida worked for HSBC, KPMG and Lloyds Banking Group where she formed a niche in large-scale transformation programmes, in particular integration or separation activity as a result of mergers, acquisitions, divestments or carve-outs. She has lived and worked across the UK and continental Europe, the USA, Middle East and Asia. Abida is also the executive sponsor for the Religious Ethnic and Cultural Heritage (REACH) Network at Costain.

External appointments

Chair of the Board of Trustees at Volunteer Centre Camden.