ICE past president and former ACE chairman Geoff French and ex-Crossrail programme director now Thames Tideway boss Andy Mitchell recognised for services to civil engineering.

Former ACE chairman Geoff French was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. French was the chairman of FIDIC from 2011 to 2013; was ICE president in 2014 and is currently chairman of the Entreprise M3 LEP. He was also chairman of consultant Scott Wilson for eight years until 2010 when the firm was sold to URS which itself has since been subsumed into AECOM.

French was joined in the CBE list by fellow engineer and chief executive of Thames Tideway Ltd Andy Mitchell. Mitchell won his award for his role as programme director of the £15bn Crossrail project in London.

"I am delighted to see key figures in our industry being recognised for their contributions to the development of our profession,” Nelson Ogunshakin

“Geoff French has really risen to the global challenge,” said ACE chief executive Nelson Ogunshakin. “Not only was he ACE’s chairman but he became the first British president of FIDIC for the last two decades and on finishing that role, he immediately took on the challenge of being president of the world’s leading civil engineering institution – the ICE. What a marathon performance. His CBE honour is very well deserved.”

“Andy Mitchell’s award is another that is well deserved, recognising his leadership and major project execution skill,” said Ogunshakin. “Under his leadership we should be assured of the same efficient delivery of the ground breaking Thames Tideway sewer project.”

Ogunshakin also highlighted the OBE awarded to CITB vice chair Judith Lowe.

“Having spent a number of years across the corporate world breaking all glass ceiling challenges and the last five as an advocate for skills development and shaping the future of the construction industry, she is a good role model for our sector and the OBE is a well deserved award for her contribution,” Ogunshakin, who himself has an OBE, said.

"I know exactly how it feels to be recognised amongst your peers with such national honour.  I am delighted to see key figures in our industry being recognised for their contributions to the development of our profession,” he said.

Other industry figures honoured include:

CBE

Malcolm Shepherd, chief executive officer, Sustrans  - for services to transport and the environment

OBE

Dr Liz Goodwin, chief executive of WRAP

Explosives engineer and bomb disposal pioneer Dr Sidney Alford, founder and chairman of Alford Technologies  - for services to explosive ordnance disposal technology.

Roger Marsh, chair, Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership - for services to business and the economy.

Emer Murnaghan,  head of business improvement, Graham Construction - for services to the civil engineering profession and further education in Northern Ireland.

Gill Riley, co-founder and managing director, GGR Group – for services to construction.

Adrian Penfold, head of planning, British Land and author of the Penfold Review. For services to the property industry and public services planning.

Jacob Tompkins, managing director, Waterwise - for services to water efficiency.

Michael Keith Williams, lately HM Principal Inspector of Health and Safety - for services to Health and Safety in Construction

MBE

Bryan Avery, architect – for services to architecture.

Malcolm Ellis - for services to the building and construction Industry and to the community and charity in West Yorkshire.