Architects, engineers, designers and energy specialists from across the country are among the 16 founding members of a group chosen to help shape the UK’s infrastructure. The National Infrastructure Commission’s Young Professionals Panel, launched today by Commission Chair Sir John Armitt, has been set up to inform the Commission’s work and give a strong voice to the infrastructure sector’s future leaders.

Sir John said he looked forward to working with these talented individuals who “could end up designing and managing world-leading infrastructure” long into the future.

The venture was launched in November 2017 and the Commission received over 500 applications from across the UK. Entrants had to be in the early stages of their career and submit a detailed application, with shortlisted candidates presenting to a selection panel including Sadie Morgan from the Commission, an external panellist and members of the NIC team.

The Panel meets for the first time today at the Churchill War Rooms in London to discuss their programme of work, ahead of a first formal meeting later in the summer. The Panel will work with the Commission across the full range of its work, as well as developing its own ideas and recommendations to Government for meeting the country’s infrastructure needs up to 2050 and beyond.

Sir John Armitt, Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission, said:

“The Commission exists to identify what infrastructure the country needs up to 2050. So it’s right we give the next generation of infrastructure leaders a say in our work. I look forward to working with these young professionals, some of whom could end up designing and managing world-leading infrastructure built as a result of Commission recommendations.”

Professor Sadie Morgan, Commissioner and chair of the YPP Selection Panel, said:

“The selection team was blown away by the quality of the short-listed candidates. It was tough choosing from over 500 fantastic entries, but in these sixteen young professionals we have a passionate and diverse group which I hope will inspire the Commission with their creative ideas about the UK’s future infrastructure needs.”

Phil Graham, Chief Executive of the National Infrastructure Commission, said:

“An important aim for the Commission has always been to broaden our reach and find ways to engage new and different groups in our work. The Young Professionals Panel is a fantastic example of this – bringing together talented individuals from different professions, backgrounds and regions to provide fresh perspectives on the country’s infrastructure challenges.”

A Young Professionals Panel to be proud of

The Commission received over 500 applications to be part of the new Young Professionals Panel, with the final 16 drawn from a shortlist of 30. The members of the Panel are:

• Matthew Ball – Manager, Ofgem – based in London
• John Bradburn – Senior Consultant, Atkins – based in Manchester
• Alison Caldwell – Principal Engineer, WSP – based in Birmingham
• Laura Daniels – Project Lead, Innovation, UK Power Networks – based in Reading
• Joshua Dickerson – Associate, Deetu – based in Nottingham
• Jennifer Holgate – Managing Associate, Womble Bond Dickinson – based in Bristol
• Dr Rosie Hughes, Innovation & Continuous Improvement Lead (Strategic Highways Europe), AECOM – based in Derby
• Annette Jezierska, Co-Founder, The Future Fox – based in London
• Madeleine Kessler, Project Architect, Haptic Architects – based in London
• Petra Marko, Co-Founder, Marko & Placemakers – based in London
• Henry Metcalf, Graduate Engineer, Peter Brett Associates – based in London
• Charlotte Mitchell, Associate, Quod – based in London
• Christian O’Brien, Engineer, Bellway Homes – based in Southampton
• Martin Plant, Civil Engineer, SNL Lavalin Atkins – based in Surrey
• Sakthy Selvakumaran, Civil Engineer/PhD Researcher, University of Cambridge – based in Cambridge
• Victor Frebault, Consultant, Arup – based in London

The Young Professionals Panel is expected to meet formally at least twice a year, but will also have the chance to contribute more widely to the Commission’s thinking. This could include acting as a challenge panel for aspects of the Commission’s work, undertaking its own research on specific issues, or leading stakeholder events.

More information on the members can be found on the Young Professionals Panel page.