Arup appoints Dervilla Mitchell Chair of UK, Middle East and Africa
Arup has appointed Dervilla Mitchell, CBE recipient for her contribution to engineering, as Chair of the UK Middle East and Africa (UKMEA) Region. She has held a range of leadership positions at the firm since joining in 1980.
Dervilla Mitchell was most recently a Project Director at Arup, involved in some of the firm’s largest projects, including the $2 billion Abu Dhabi Midfield Terminal and Athletes Village London 2012. Additional Senior leadership roles include Group and Regional Board Member, Director of Ethics and UKMEA Aviation Business Leader.
Earlier in her career, 2004 and 2006, she worked at BAA, as Head of Design Management for a $4 billion Heathrow project. Concurrently with her work at BAA she was T5 Project Leader at Arup between 2000 and 2005. Between 1986 and 1999 she worked at Arup, in her final role before becoming T5 Project Leader as an Associate Director. She briefly joined Weidlinger Associates as a Design Engineer in 1984; following four years at Arup where she started as an Engineer in 1980 at its Dublin Office.
Mitchell holds a Bachelor of Engineering from University College Dublin. Between 2011 and 2014 she was the sitting Vice President and Chair of the Awards Committee for the Royal Academy of Engineering. She was made a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 2014 in recognition to her contribution to the field of engineering.
In her new role Mitchell has been appointed to Chair of the UK Middle East and Africa (UKMEA) Region. She is tasked with supporting the firm’s clients across the region tackle key engineering problems in an increasingly complex arena.
Dervilla Mitchell remarking on her appointment adds, “It is an exciting time for our industry, with technology enabling us to solve the ever more complex problems we face in the world today. I look forward to working with colleagues across the region to find solutions to meet the needs of our clients, whether it be improving energy security, bringing better transport links or addressing the challenges of urbanisation.”
