Overview

The UK has an extremely ambitious infrastructure project pipeline. Over the next 10 years there is estimated to be over £600bn of investment into almost 700 infrastructure projects.

Which is why our unparalleled experience in recruiting key talent into major projects has never been more relevant.

We have worked with clients recruiting for both major projects in the UK and on international projects; so we know just how critical getting the right people is to the success of your projects.

Functions

Infrastructure Asset Owner executive search in areas that include:

Communications & Corporate Affairs

Risk Management

Estimating & Cost Planning

Project Sponsorship

Assurance

Project Controls

Human Resources

Finance

Health & Safety

Environment & Sustainability

Bid Management

Project & Programme Management

Planning

Commercial Management

Engineering

Business Development

General Management

Previous Assignments

Managing Director

Project Delivery Director

Construction Director

Head of Commercial

Chief People Officer

Head of Tunnelling

PMO Director

Project Director

Programme Services Director

Health & Safety Director

Chief Financial Officer

Head of Transport Projects

Communications Director

Engineering Director

Independent Programme Advisor

MetroLink Programme Director

Geographies

Case Studies

Transport Infrastructure Ireland: Programme Director- MetroLink

After a competitive procurement process, Newsom Consulting in partnership with Steering Point were awarded the recruitment partner contract for the MetroLink programme.

Atomic Weapon Establishment (AWE)- Future Materials Campus (FMC) Programme Independent Advisor

AWE’s pioneering infrastructure programme, the Future Materials Campus (FMC), sets to revolutionise the infrastructure and technological capabilities of major infrastructure projects throughout the country.

SYSTRA Group: Market Director- Energy

SYSTRA is a distinguished engineering and consulting firm, globally acknowledged for its infrastructure and mobility solutions.

Southern Renewals Enterprise- Southern Integrated Delivery (SID) Director

The Southern Renewals Enterprise is the most extensive implementation of the Project 13 collaborative programme leadership methodology to date. The SRE approached Newsom Consulting to carry out an executive search to find the SID Director.

Teneo – Aviation Senior Managing Director

Teneo is a global advisory firm that works exclusively with the CEO’s and leaders of the world’s largest and most complex companies. The Consulting arm was launched in 2013 and has grown organically and through several acquisitions.

Technical Director- 4way Consulting

4way Consulting are an establishedIntelligent Transport Systems Consultancy with a track record of successfulproject delivery for National Highways, Highways Contractors and LocalAuthorities.

SGN Future of Energy Director

The SGN Group owns one of the UK’s largest and most innovative gas distribution networks, operating across Scotland, southern England and Northern Ireland.

M Group – MD Water

M Group are an infrastructure contracting business that deliver services across water, energy, transport, and telecommunications in the UK & Ireland. Their water services business has a turnover of c£440m and employs over 2,700 people.

Associated British Ports Head of Commercial (Rail)

ABP are the UK's largest and leading rail-connected ports group. They handle a quarter of all Britain’s trade by sea every year, and their supply chains contribute £7.5 billion to the UK economy.

Flowbird Global Sales & Marketing Director

Flowbird Group are a leading transport technology provider, recently rebranded from Parkeon, in the growing market of Smart Ticketing. They retained our services to recruit a Global Director of Sales & Marketing for the Transportation business unit.

PwC – Director - Public Transport Consulting Practice (UK)

PwC’s Public Transport practice needed a strong candidate to come in and build the practice.

SWR Chief Operating Officer

South Western Railway retained our services initially to recruit an Operations Director. In this role, the successful candidate would be responsible for providing leadership and strategic direction for c3,000 staff across all activities related to train service delivery, customer service onboard trains and operational safety.

Director of Engineering

Beacon Rail Leasing are a rolling stock leasing company providing locomotives, freight wagons, passenger trains and operates leasing and portfolio management services. They retained our services to recruit an Engineering Director as a key strategic position reporting directly into their CEO.

UK Parliament – Managing Director (Strategic Estates)

The UK Parliament were looking to recruit a Managing Director of Strategic Estates to oversee estates and capital investment projects for this iconic UNESCO World Heritage site and surrounding property portfolio.

Morgan Sindall Energy Director

Morgan Sindall needed to recruit an Energy Director for England and Wales. This role was responsible for leading the P&L and success of the Energy sector across England and Wales.

Sector Business Director Highways

Amey retained Newsom Consulting to recruit a Sector Business Director to lead their UK Highways business. This role would be P&L responsible for their Highways division, leading a team of c2000 people.

Enisca Browne JV Director

Enisca Browne needed to recruit a JV Director to lead the delivery of their existing work bank and to develop MEICA business with new clients in the run up to AMP8. The JV Director would have overall responsibility for the performance of the business and manage a senior team.

National Passenger & Customer Experience Director

Network Rail retained our services to undertake Market Mapping and Executive Search to support with the recruitment of the newly created position of National Passenger & Customer Experience Director within the Network Services division.

Director of CCS Solutions

The Director of CCS Solutions was a newly created role within WSP responsible for leading the development and delivery of integrated, affordable and innovative CCS solutions for rail clients in the UK and overseas

Director of Asset Strategy & Capital Delivery

Affinity Water approached Newsom Consulting to carry out an executive search to secure a Director of Asset Strategy & Capital Delivery. The role plays an integral part in delivering its world class vision and needed to work closely with colleagues within the business and the wider community.

Managing Director Construction

HB Reavis retained our services to recruit a Managing Director - Construction to run the in-house construction management arm for their UK business. HB Reavis are one of Europe’s largest office developers, and are establishing themselves in the central London market with a number of major developments.

Health & Safety Director

Crossrail retained our services to recruit the Health and Safety Director for the programme. The role was responsible for leading the transition for Health and Safety in construction to operational testing and commissioning, and then into passenger operations.

Group People Director

Murphy Group retained our services to recruit a new Group People Director to join their executive leadership team. This role was to provide leadership for the People function across the company, operating at a strategic level, while taking complete ownership of all aspects operational HR.

PMO Director

Heathrow retained our services to recruit a PMO Director reporting directly into the Development Director for Heathrow’s Q6 capex investment programme. This role is responsible for PMO reporting, analysis and portfolio management of a £3bn capex programme to ensure it’s on track, to time and within budget.

Global Sales & Marketing Director

Flowbird Group are a leading transport technology provider, recently rebranded from Parkeon, in the growing market of Smart Ticketing.

PreviousNext

What our clients say

HR Director - UK/Europe G&W UK/Europe Region companies

“We have worked with Newsom Consulting on a number of strategic hires into our team. The feedback from our line managers on their work has been great. Newsom Consulting’s pre-screening process to curate strong shortlist of candidates is invaluable as it enables our leaders to focus in on interviewing a small number of credible candidates for each role they are recruiting”

Infrastructure Services Director, Amey

“Newsom Consulting are a quality organisation who have provided us with some exceptional candidates. They have the ability to take away a large part of the recruitment workload and make it much easier for us to fill roles, which would otherwise take considerably more management time.”

MD, Transport Infrastructure, Amey

“Newsom Consulting are incredibly well connected to the industry and very quickly understand our needs. They take time to understand the role profile, the culture and challenges of the organisation, and then hand-picks the shortlist. This process works really well and saves time and money in the search.”

Managing Director- Transport & Regions, BAM Nuttall

“We recently retained Newsom Consulting to recruit a key strategic Director for BAM Nuttall. It was a very professional service, they fully understood the brief and delivered against it extremely well. They kept us informed throughout the search, providing a really good shortlist of candidates. The shortlist included a consultant’s report on each candidate that was informative, honest, with insightful analysis. Newsom Consulting had their finger on the pulse of what was going on in the market and we got the right candidate out of the process”

Framework Director, BAM Nuttall

“Newsom Consulting provided a very professional service resulting in a great selection of high quality candidates.”

Head of Human Resources, Crossrail

“Newsom Consulting have delivered a number of high calibre people to the project, they always ensure they understand the brief and work to tight timescales. Given the choice I would always use Jim for future assignments.”

Engineering Director, Atkins

“An excellent process for capturing our requirements, resulting in an impressive array of potential candidates. Working with Jim and Paul we were able to get to a really good shortlist - resulting in an excellent appointment.”

Managing Director Terminals, Freightliner

“I have always been sceptical about executive search consultants until I met Richard at Newsom Consulting, the approach and processes were professional, the pre screening proved invaluable which differentiated Newsom from the others, allowing us to focus in on a small number of credible candidates. The selected shortlist were all capable and indeed made our task of selection even harder as 4 of the 5 could have been successful, after almost a year of searching, Newsom helped us to fill the role in one appointment. Richard was great, Newsom were great and I’d highly recommend them.”

Partner & Public Sector Transport Leader, PwC

“We retained Newsom Consulting to help us find and attract several new Directors for our Public Sector Transport practice. Jim and his team really listened to what we needed, understood our values and the expectations we have for anyone joining our team. They cut to the chase on any thorny issues, which speeded up all our interactions and decision-making. We were able to hire several high-calibre candidates from the search.”

Finance Director, DOHL

“We recently worked with Newsom Consulting to recruit a key senior hire for our team at DOHL. We found the executive search process was very smooth, with a real choice of a number of very good candidates at shortlist stage from which we were able to make a successful appointment. The interaction was good, Jim provided us with valued insight throughout the process. The successful candidate we appointed has worked out very well, and I would recommend Newsom Consulting to others.”

Managing Director Signalling, Transportation UK & Europe, SNC-Lavalin Atkins

“Atkins have worked with Newsom Consulting for several years now and are very pleased with the quality of their work and the customer experience. They have a deep understanding and experience in our industry and have a vast network of outstanding talent. They provided us with detailed insight on candidates at longlist and shortlist stages, took the time to understand our business, and throughout the search process I felt their commitment to delivering a great service. We value this commitment in our business partners and I highly recommend using Newsom Consulting for executive recruitment.”

Head of HR, Tube Lines

“Jim is professional and focused on delivering high-quality results. He ensures that he fully understands the brief and delivers to it. He was a pleasure to work with.”

Human Capital Director, Murphy Group

“I have worked with Newsom Consulting for a number of years and have always found them to be professional, organised, and proactive. They know their market, understand our business, and deliver the right fit of candidates within agreed timescales. They’re also very pleasant to do business with.”

CEO, Steer

“Jim has worked with us to source and secure leading talent for 15 years and his commitment to understand our business needs and proactive nature underpins this successful relationship with Newsom Consulting.”

Human Resources Director, Crossrail

“The approach we have taken is a mixture of search and advertisement, and in all instances success has been achieved. We consider Jim and his team to be an extension of our recruitment team rather than a supplier.”

Senior Managing Director, Teneo

“We have been consistently impressed with their deep market knowledge and their ability to build a strong list of candidates against a challenging brief. What has really differentiated Newsom’s approach is the effort which they have made to understand our business and our specific requirements, meaning that they are able not only to source very qualified candidates but also provide valued insight on how we might refine our search to secure better results.”

Managing Director (Transportation), Faithful+Gould

“Thanks for supporting us in securing some of our industry’s leading talent. Your candidates are always excellent and I find you a pleasure to work with. Looking forward to furthering our partnership in the new year.”

Head of HR, Heathrow Express

“We received a shortlist of diverse but well qualified candidates in a relatively short period of time and, unusually, had more than one good candidate to make a final choice from. Jim’s knowledge of the market and ability to probe and fully understand our requirements was key.”

Director of Policy, Rail Delivery Group

“Newsom Consulting are real experts in the field of transport with an intuitive understanding of the precise requirements of our roles and who might be at the right stage in their career to be a great fit. They are very easy to work with and very professional through all stages of resourcing, from scoping a potential role to delivery of long and short lists to supporting our selection and appointment processes.”

Rail Development Director, TfL

“Jim has led the searches and from his considerable knowledge of the rail sector has each time provided TfL with an excellent list of potential candidates from which is has been able to make a suitable appointment.”

VP Global Talent Acquisition, AECOM

“Jim is easy to work with and operates as an extension of our Talent Acquisition team. He works well in our complex organisational structure and has been able to bring great candidates for difficult to fill roles.”

Managing Director – Systems, Signalling & Infrastructure, Alstom

“Newsom Consulting have partnered with us on a number of key recruitments. On each occasion they have taken time to listen and understand the position as well as understand the culture and team fit, then through their extensive market knowledge have been able to field a number of high calibre candidates for each post. We will continue to work with Newsom Consulting in the future.”

Deputy Managing Director, Abellio Greater Anglia

“Abellio has used Newsom Consulting on several occasions to source senior and experienced U.K. Rail professionals. The service they provide is excellent with a deep and relevant understanding of the industry. Jim never fails to find appropriate candidates and is a pleasure to deal with.”

Managing Director, IPEX Consulting

“We have partnered with Newsom Consulting to recruit multiple high calibre seniors in line with our ambitious growth plans. Newsom have been conspicuous in the effort they have made to really hear and understand the skills, knowledge, attitudinal attributes and cultural fit we are looking for – as well as the experience and qualifications. The very high conversion rate we have seen to interview and hence to offer and acceptance is a testament to the quality of their search for what we need, to put forward to us only the most prequalified of candidates. This has made this most vital selection process very effective for us as well as minimising time input and distraction from our demanding business focus. We will continue to work with Newsom Consulting in the future.”

HR Director, CAF Group

“I have worked with Newsom Consulting to recruit several key leadership roles. Newsom has proved to be very supportive throughout the entire recruitment process – shortlist of CV’s proving a very good comprehension of the requirements set, good information provided in the applicants report, relevant market information provided at job offer stage, etc. I have experienced a high quality service. I would be happy to work with Jim and Richard again and I would definitely recommend Newsom Consulting for recruiting key leadership roles.”

Chief Operating Officer, Beacon Rail Leasing

“We worked with Newsom Consulting to recruit a key Senior Director of Engineering Position. Our timescales were urgent and they worked at pace to deliver a shortlist of candidates very efficiently. They know their market, understand our business, and delivered the right calibre of candidates quickly.”

CEO, Crossrail

“Since taking over as the CEO of Crossrail I have put a lot of effort into establishing the right leadership team to complete the project. Newsom Consulting have been a great partner in this work. Together we have worked to assemble a great new team with the right energy and capability for one of the worlds most complex projects. Jim and team are a real pleasure to work with; responsive and sensitive to our unique circumstances.”

Managing Director Rail, WSP

“We have worked with Newsom Consulting on a number of successful senior searches. They listen carefully to assemble the right brief and have identified strong, well targeted shortlists. Their written documentation on the search and shortlisted candidates is informative and insightful.”

Chief Operating Officer, Cleshar

“Cleshar have partnered with Newsom Consulting to recruit senior appointments for several years now, and they have always provided a great service. We recently engaged with them to recruit several key senior roles in our organisation, and despite the complexities of undertaking an executive search during a pandemic, they were able to recommend a strong shortlist with a good blend of people. We were impressed with the quality of candidates they were able to attract from major companies in the sector and had a choice of several excellent candidates at final stage to appoint from. They have their finger on the pulse of the industry and I would highly recommend Newsom Consulting to others.”

CEO, Murphy Group

“We have used Newsom Consulting extensively for a number of years, we have always found them responsive and great to work with. Their understanding of the brief and our business has always resulted in a shortlist and successful candidates that meets our requirements.”

Managing Director, SPL Powerlines UK

“SPL have worked with Newsom Consulting for several years and they have assisted our UK business over a period of significant growth; successfully recruiting a number of key people to leadership roles across our business, including project leadership, commercial, HSQE, business development, general management and engineering. They have a good understanding of the industry, are well networked and are easy to work with. I have subsequently recommended Jim to others and wouldn’t hesitate to do so again.”

Chief Operating Officer, CAF Rolling Stock UK

“Over the last few years CAF Rolling Stock UK has worked closely with Jim and Richard of Newsom Consulting to recruit several leadership roles across the business. We have found Newsom to be effective in providing high calibre candidates. We would recommend Newsom for recruiting key leadership roles.”

Senior HR Business Partner, Heathrow

“Jim did a fantastic job at bringing about a shortlist of potential candidates for some very niche roles, and we have continued to engage his services as he’s attained a proven track record in delivering our needs.”

Senior Managing Director, Teneo

“We have been consistently impressed with their deep market knowledge and their ability to build a strong list of candidates against a challenging brief. What has really differentiated Newsom’s approach is the effort which they have made to understand our business and our specific requirements, meaning that they are able not only to source very qualified candidates but also provide valued insight on how we might refine our search to secure better results.”

Programme Director, Heathrow

“Heathrow have partnered with Newsom Consulting to recruit several key leadership roles for our Expansion team. On each search they have been successful in providing an excellent shortlist from which we have appointed a high-calibre candidate. They have worked with us for nearly 10 years and have developed an in-depth understanding of our business, hence why we appointed them as an executive search partner for the Expansion programme.”

MD, Transport Infrastructure, Amey

“Newsom Consulting are incredibly well connected to the industry and very quickly understand our needs. They take time to understand the role profile, the culture and challenges of the organisation, and then hand-picks the shortlist. This process works really well and saves time and money in the search.”

Director, 4Way Consulting

“This was the first time 4way Consulting have used an executive search firm and we were naturally nervous about picking the right one when investing significant money and time. We went through a selection process and we were attracted to Newson Consulting because they felt supportive, open and honest and well informed about our particular market segment. We should not have worried, Newsom were all of this, as well as fantastic partners to work with, who provided a high quality shortlist of candidates that met with our business needs. We would not hesitate in using Newsom again and highly recommend them.”

Partner & Public Sector Transport Leader, PwC

“We retained Newsom Consulting to help us find and attract several new Directors for our Public Sector Transport practice. Jim and his team really listened to what we needed, understood our values and the expectations we have for anyone joining our team. They cut to the chase on any thorny issues, which speeded up all our interactions and decision-making. We were able to hire several high-calibre candidates from the search.”

Managing Director, Dynniq UK

“I first used Newsom to find an Executive Director (engineering operations). Since then I have had no hesitation in referring Jim and his team to major members of my network such as the UK’s innovation agency. I know they will provide a highly professional, objective and successful service.”

Managing Director (Transportation), Faithful+Gould

“Thanks for supporting us in securing some of our industry’s leading talent. Your candidates are always excellent and I find you a pleasure to work with. Looking forward to furthering our partnership in the new year.”

Managing Director – Transportation, Flowbird

“Newsom Consulting have played a key role in finding senior leaders for Flowbird. The way they went about the process was spot on- transparent, with helpful updates and very good outcomes. Paul and Jim are consummate professionals in the transport space, and I would not hesitate to recommend them.”

Director of UK Power Networks Services

“UK Power Network Services recently partnered with Newsom Consulting to recruit a key strategic appointment. They provided us with a targeted candidate search and shortlist of candidates from which we were able to make a successful appointment. Throughout the engagement there was senior involvement from Newsom Consulting and they demonstrated deep knowledge of the sector and market. They were patient, thorough and professional throughout the search.”

Human Capital Director, Murphy Group

“I have worked with Newsom Consulting for a number of years and have always found them to be professional, organised, and proactive. They know their market, understand our business, and deliver the right fit of candidates within agreed timescales. They’re also very pleasant to do business with.”

CEO, Murphy Group

“We have used Newsom Consulting extensively for a number of years, we have always found them responsive and great to work with. Their understanding of the brief and our business has always resulted in a shortlist and successful candidates that meets our requirements.”

Executive Director, AWE

"AWE have partnered with Newsom Consulting to provide executive recruitment for senior leadership roles across our major programmes. Their network and access to that network has really stood out. They have an excellent understanding of major programmes and have been able to make valuable contributions immediately in briefing meetings, in contrast to more generalist mainstream headhunters. Newsom Consulting delivered a field of strong candidates at longlist, shortlist and through to interview and offer, with three candidates at the final stage who all could have been appointed. They followed through, assisting us with the offer process, ensuring candidates were kept informed throughout. At shortlist their matrix scoring tailored to the specific role competencies was really useful. I highly recommend them."

Director of UK Power Networks Services

“UK Power Network Services recently partnered with Newsom Consulting to recruit a key strategic appointment. They provided us with a targeted candidate search and shortlist of candidates from which we were able to make a successful appointment. Throughout the engagement there was senior involvement from Newsom Consulting and they demonstrated deep knowledge of the sector and market. They were patient, thorough and professional throughout the search.”

Human Capital Director, Murphy Group

“I have worked with Newsom Consulting for a number of years and have always found them to be professional, organised, and proactive. They know their market, understand our business, and deliver the right fit of candidates within agreed timescales. They’re also very pleasant to do business with.”

CEO, Murphy Group

“We have used Newsom Consulting extensively for a number of years, we have always found them responsive and great to work with. Their understanding of the brief and our business has always resulted in a shortlist and successful candidates that meets our requirements.”

Executive Director, AWE

"AWE have partnered with Newsom Consulting to provide executive recruitment for senior leadership roles across our major programmes. Their network and access to that network has really stood out. They have an excellent understanding of major programmes and have been able to make valuable contributions immediately in briefing meetings, in contrast to more generalist mainstream headhunters. Newsom Consulting delivered a field of strong candidates at longlist, shortlist and through to interview and offer, with three candidates at the final stage who all could have been appointed. They followed through, assisting us with the offer process, ensuring candidates were kept informed throughout. At shortlist their matrix scoring tailored to the specific role competencies was really useful. I highly recommend them."

Director General (Operations), House of Commons

“UK Parliament retained Newsom Consulting to help us recruit the Managing Director for Strategic Estates. This was a good experience and we were well supported throughout the recruitment process. Newsom provided a great deal of industry specific knowledge. The advice and support at the early stages of the process, and specifically helping us define our candidate spec to get what the business really needed from the hire, was invaluable”

HR Business Partner, HB Reavis

“Knowledgeable and experienced within the market. Understood our bespoke approach and was able to adjust their approach to suit the desired skill set we were seeking. Jim is very approachable and clearly has a excellent pool of contacts, allowing him to actively headhunt to suit whatever the need may be. Should we look to hire at top level again, I would not hesitate to contact Jim again.”

Human Capital Director, Murphy Group

“I have worked with Newsom Consulting for a number of years and have always found them to be professional, organised, and proactive. They know their market, understand our business, and deliver the right fit of candidates within agreed timescales. They’re also very pleasant to do business with.”

CEO, Murphy Group

“We have used Newsom Consulting extensively for a number of years, we have always found them responsive and great to work with. Their understanding of the brief and our business has always resulted in a shortlist and successful candidates that meets our requirements.”

See all

Our Team

Richard Dobbs

Director

Read more

Lauren Goldring

Business Support & Research Manager

Read more

Paul Neave

Principal Consultant

Read more

Insights

Movers and Shakers in Transport & Infrastructure - The Headlines from September

October 7, 2024

Discover all the latest movers and shakers across Transport & Infrastructure over the past month.

Read More

Contracts awarded in September

September 24, 2024

Check out the latest developments across Transport and Infrastructure. Here’s a roundup of the major contracts awarded in the last month.

Read More

Contracts Awarded in August

August 19, 2024

Check out the latest developments across Transport and Infrastructure. Here’s a roundup of the major contracts awarded in the last month.

Read More

Resilience – the art of the comeback

August 5, 2024

Rebecca Adlington, four-time Olympic medallist, said: “A lot of people talk about the mental strength you need vs the physical, but I think they go hand in hand - they're 50/50, you need both sides.” Given the nature of the infrastructure sector, the ability to be as resilient as an Olympian is a key asset. To help you determine if candidates demonstrate these qualities, here are some example questions we like to ask...

Read More

Movers and Shakers from July

July 29, 2024

Discover all the latest movers and shakers across Transport & Infrastructure over the past month.

Read More

Contracts Awarded in July

July 22, 2024

Check out the latest developments across Transport and Infrastructure. Here’s a roundup of the major contracts awarded in the last month.

Read More

Get Britain Moving

July 21, 2024

We take a look at what the new Labour government means for Transport and Infrastructure.

Read More

Movers and Shakers from June

July 2, 2024

Discover all the latest movers and shakers across Transport & Infrastructure over the past month.

Read More

UK Major Projects Pipeline Update – June 2024

June 30, 2024

The latest National Infrastructure and Construction pipeline identified 660 UK projects and programmes, with over £700bn of investment expected over the next ten years. Check out all the latest updates from the UK infrastructure pipeline.

Read More

Contract Awards - May

May 20, 2024

Check out the latest developments across Transport and Infrastructure. Here’s a roundup of the major contracts awarded in the last month.

Read More