Roderick Macdonald - Chairman
BSc(Hons) CEng FICE FIStructE

Born 1944. Studied civil and structural engineering at Edinburgh University. He is currently the Chairman of Buro Happold and a founder of the practice. He is also a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Fellow of the Institution of Structural Engineers, and was Chairman of the Association of Consulting Engineers for two years from 2002 until 2004, serving on both the Client Focus Committee and the Member Services Committee. He has also been Chairman of the charity RedR - IHE. Rod is a passionate advocate of an ethical approach to the business of consultancy and engineering and of highlighting the value of these to society.

Our industry is in a rapid state of change, he says, and engineering consultancies must change with it. He believes that engineers serve clients best when they provide sound engineering principles, giving value to the vision held by the client. Complementing his comprehensive vision of engineering, Rod sees construction projects (their forces, energy, construction and procurement methods) with the same clarity and wide scope. His understanding of finance, engineering and product design is especially keen. More than anything, Rod truly enjoys working with clients and architects on common issues to create great projects.