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Chief Executive Officer
Alex Vaughan
BSc(Hons), FRICS, Dip IoD, FIoD, FICE
Appointment
Alex was appointed to the Board as CEO in May 2019
Skills and experience
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 smart infrastructure solutions business through his leadership of the development and growth of the Group’s consultancy and technology services. In his role as MD, Natural Resources, Alex delivered significant growth in profit and margin. Alex is a qualified chartered quantity surveyor and has worked on infrastructure projects in the UK and internationally and, additionally, held various corporate roles across HR, strategy, M&A and corporate development. In 2009 he completed the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program. Alex was chair of the CBI regional council from 2019 to 2021.
External appointments
None
Chief Financial Officer
Helen Willis
BSc, ACA
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
Chief People and Sustainability Officer
Catherine Warbrick
BSc (Hons)
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 and prior to that as investor relations director. Highlights of her career with Costain include developing and implementing the Group’s first Corporate Responsibility (CR) strategy, achieving Platinum status in Business in the Community’s CR Index in 2013 and driving change to achieve the Group’s recognition in the Times Top 50 Employers for Women 2018-2021, and being cited as a game changer in 2019 for our work on gender parity in early careers recruitment. Catherine graduated with an honours degree in Environmental Science.
External appointments
None
Managing Director - Transportation
Sue Kershaw
BSc (Hons), FICE, FAPM, HFRICS
Appointment
Appointed in March 2020
Skills and experience
Sue Kershaw has a strong track record for driving complex, high profile transport and construction programmes to delivery. Before joining Costain she was managing director, Infrastructure Advisory Group at KPMG. Prior to that she was UK infrastructure head of programme management for KPMG Major Projects Advisory. Previous positions include director of rail-Europe at CH2M and deputy director of transport for the Olympic Delivery Authority. Sue is a civil engineer and started her career with Taylor Woodrow.
External appointments
President of the Association for Project Management, a member of the Mayor of London’s Infrastructure Advisory Panel and a Royal Academy of Engineering visiting professor at the Bartlett School of Construction and Project Management, University College London.
Managing Director - Natural resources
Sam White
BSc, MBA
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 client 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
Group Commercial Director
David Taylor
FRICS, FIoD
Appointment
Appointed in January 2015
Skills and experience
David Taylor joined the Company in 2009 and was appointed to the Executive Board as Group commercial director in January 2015. Hehas held a number of senior leadership roles within the business and is currently responsible for the commercial, supply chain and procurement functions. David is also executive sponsor for business improvement including the delivery of operational excellence across the Group’s portfolio of complex delivery projects. Since December 2020, David is the executive sponsor for wellbeing for the Group.
Prior to joining Costain, David acquired more than 25 years’ experience with Taylor Woodrow where he held the position of commercial director for its UK operations.
David is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors and a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
External appointments
None
General Counsel and Company Secretary
Nicole Geoghegan
LLB
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
Director of Strategy and Transformation
Abida Lalani
BSc (Hons)
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. Abi 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. Abi 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 and member of Business in the Community London Leadership Board.