Group leadership

Alan is both founder and chief executive officer of RSK, the company he created after completing his PhD, on the environmental impact of constructing pipelines, at the University of Aberdeen in 1989.

Through RSK, Alan has fulfilled his vision of creating a sustainable business, which has grown from a team of two into a global success story comprising more than 200 environmental, engineering and technical services businesses.

A world leader in the delivery of sustainable solutions, RSK is built on business collaboration with 17,000 sector specialists working together on six continents to deliver practical solutions to some of society’s greatest challenges.

Alan is a hands-on leader who spends much of his time working with colleagues in RSK businesses and meeting clients. This enables him to maintain an in-depth understanding of the work the group delivers around the world.

He stresses that, while RSK may be home to a diverse group of businesses, all are committed to working together for the benefit of clients with a joint commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Andrew joined the RSK Group Board of Directors in November 2025 when he was appointed Chief Financial Officer.

Andrew was previously CFO at UPL Corporation, a global agrochemical company specialising in the post-patent and bio-solutions markets. He was CFO of a global division at IQVIA, leading a team of approximately 500 finance professionals and with responsibility for all areas of finance in the Clinical Research Organisation (CRO), a global division with over $8 billion of annual revenue. At IQVIA, Andrew held leadership positions in group treasury, investor relations and business unit finance, and held roles of increasing responsibility in financial planning and analysis and internal audit. His experience also spans the actuarial, facilities management and liquid and gas sectors.

Andrew earned his MBA, with distinction, from the University of Birmingham and is a Chartered Global Management Accountant (ACMA/CGMA).

Andrew is focused on driving continued growth as RSK embarks on the next stage of its journey and delivers its 2030 growth strategy and believes the business is uniquely positioned to execute on increased market opportunities that will continue to deliver long-term value for all stakeholders.

Frank has been with RSK since July 2023, joining the business as part of the acquisition of the PD&MS group of companies, for which he was the chief financial and commercial officer. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and a former partner of KPMG, having specialised in corporate finance mergers and acquisitions.

He became RSK’s chief commercial officer in 2024 and also performed the role of interim chief financial officer from April to October 2025, when Andrew Markwick joined the group.

Frank believes in RSK’s commitment to a strategy of long-term value, buying high-quality businesses with durable competitive advantages and fantastic leadership teams and investing in them for the long term. He says this approach emphasises patience, discipline and a focus on business fundamentals over short-term market speculation. This strategy, he adds, continues to give the group a unique strength.

Nigel has been with RSK since July 2001. He has a master’s in water pollution control and 30 years’ experience in wastewater and contaminated site remediation.

He became chief operations officer in 2019, combining this with leadership of the Europe and LATAM division. Since January 2024, he has focused entirely on his chief operations officer responsibilities, with an initial emphasis on the optimisation of our group-wide support, key performance indicators and other reporting functions.

Nigel has been involved in establishing several new RSK companies and has been divisional director for three RSK operating divisions over the past 15 years.

He believes RSK’s acquisition strategy continues to give the group a unique strength. New businesses are given valuable opportunities for growth, while adding a wide range of services and skills to the group. This naturally supports collaboration and cross-selling with existing companies, enabling RSK to create multidisciplinary teams to solve client problems.

Peter is a civil engineer with more than 50 years’ experience in geotechnics, brownfield assessment and land remediation. He led several businesses before joining RSK in July 2001, taking responsibility for the geosciences and engineering and the UK divisions before joining the board and supporting a number of high profile technical projects.

He became chairman of the board in April 2023.

Peter is a recognised expert in the area of remediation and brownfield development and has been a member of several government panels directing UK contaminated land policy and guidance. He has worked extensively in the property sector, advising clients on risk management, environmental impact control and the implications of climate change.

Peter considers his time at RSK to be the most rewarding of his career. He fully endorses the care and concern the company maintains for all its employees and stakeholders while supporting clients as they tackle the world’s greatest challenges.

Sally joined RSK in 2019. Having completed the legal practice course at the College of Law in 2000, her career began in private practice at a multinational corporate law firm, where Sally focused on gaining valuable corporate and commercial experience with both private and public sector clients.
She pursued her career as an in-house lawyer, which enabled her to work closely with clients, appreciating the intrinsic benefit that being part of a business brings to the commerciality of her legal advice.
Sally has built RSK’s in-house legal function, which provides legal and company secretarial services, supports the acquisition programme and the group’s financing arrangement, provides compliance, corporate and general commercial advice across the group and coordinates with RSK’s external legal advisers.
Sally believes in fostering a resilient governance framework and in providing tailored, commercially focused advice to support RSK in achieving its long-term ambitions.

Claire has been with RSK for 27 years, with an impressive career that began when she joined group business Envirolab as a graduate chemist. Further honing her skills and management experience, she went on to become the managing director of the company that she first joined after completing her chemistry degree at the University of Sheffield.

Claire’s career journey, which has seen her serve as a divisional director for 11 years, is closely aligned with RSK’s own growth, with her achievements reflected in her RSK board appointment in 2019.

Her current position as the divisional director for RSK’s technical services businesses sees Claire focus on encouraging collaborative working across the group. She is committed to a meaningful onboarding process for new acquisitions and to optimising business performance through a shared commitment to innovation, drawing on RSK’s considerable breadth of skills and experience. She believes this collaboration can deliver results that exceed client expectations.

David joined RSK in 1998 and has nearly 50 years’ experience as a geoscientist, 38 of which have been spent as a director of environmental services companies.

With a first degree in geology and an MPhil in marine geology and geophysics from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, he established the international operations of RSK in Europe, the Middle East and Africa between 2002 and 2016. David started RSK’s Irish, Belgian, Dutch, French, German and Turkish businesses initially, adding the Middle East business in 2007 and African businesses in 2016–2017.

His divisional director role sees David focus on building the Global division through organic and acquisitive growth, while ensuring that business performance is strong across this portfolio. The focus is on high-end environmental, social and governance (ESG) consultancy services in the terrestrial and marine environment.

David believes that the RSK approach to business provides staff and clients with an unrivalled offering.

Garry joined RSK almost 20 years ago after his technical communications company, TES, was acquired by the group. He is a hydrologist by background but worked for most of his career as an international technical journalist.

Garry is a keen environmentalist with an honorary science doctorate in recognition of his long-term engagement with communities wishing to tackle climate change. He instigated the Ashton Hayes Going Carbon Neutral project in 2005, for which he won the 2011 Climate Week Most Inspirational Leader award.

Garry is internationally recognised for his climate change activities and is acknowledged as a ‘Global Thinker’ by the Washington-based Foreign Policy group and invited to be a keynote speaker at the Telluride Mountainfilm Festival, USA.
In his non-executive role at RSK, Garry is a director of the RSK Foundation that supports sustainability projects across the globe. He strongly believes that RSK should influence sustainability actions wherever it operates.

Gary originally joined RSK in 2010, rejoined in 2017 and became a member of the board in 2024.
After leaving the army as a major in 1995, he gained more than 30 years’ experience in manufacturing, logistics and infrastructure asset management, including ports and airports. These roles have included chief operating officer and managing director responsibilities in the UK, USA and Europe and board roles in private and FTSE 250 businesses.

Gary has a master’s degree in supply chain management from Cranfield University. His responsibilities are focused on the RSK Group assets, including fleet, property and capital equipment, procurement and the group insurance portfolio.

His work is focused on use and management of assets at group level, along with supporting individual RSK business leaders with this work at a local level.

Gary joined RSK in 2018, having spent more than 30 years in the infrastructure, construction and environmental sectors, with more than 20 years’ experience at director level.

He has managed many large infrastructure projects for clients, including the Olympic Delivery Authority, Highways England, the Environment Agency, National Grid, Network Rail and the United States Army Corps of Engineers in both the UK and the Middle East.

During his time at RSK, Gary has supported the group in both operational and business system roles. He has played a pivotal role in securing global acquisitions, creating a division that encompasses the water, infrastructure, energy and built environment sectors.

Gary, who joined the RSK board in 2021, strongly believes in the value of developing high performing teams by empowering individuals. He is committed to positively contributing to the RSK Group principle of supporting talented and dedicated people.

George joined RSK in 2008. He is a recognised UK expert in the field of geophysics and an honorary professor in the University of Birmingham’s civil engineering department.

He is active in the development of new geophysical sensors and data analysis methods, most recently focusing on quantum technology applications. He has led a number of collaborative research projects and has published more than 30 scientific papers in leading journals.

George, who joined the board in 2016, leads RSK’s innovation agenda and strategic relationships with the higher education sector. His role as divisional director is to support the geoscience and engineering businesses and he is a director of RSK Australia. He undertakes expert witness work and acts as a UK-nominated expert for the UN Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation.

George believes that innovation and collaboration are at the heart of being a successful business and an employer of choice.

Ian joined RSK in 2003 as a principal consultant and has held numerous technical and senior leadership positions over the last 20 years. He joined the RSK Group board in 2022 and has been responsible for supporting growth across RSK’s global businesses in the UK, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Ian has a first-class honours degree in Geosciences and a PhD in Biogeochemistry. He is a specialist in soil and groundwater remediation and oilfield waste management, and has been a regular speaker at international conferences and a technical expert for the UN Environment Programme.

Ian now leads RSK Group’s central sales and business development function and also focuses on AI adoption across the business.

In his AI role, Ian promotes the adoption of AI technologies across the group. He helps identify and measure business benefits, shares best practice, and makes relevant training and awareness opportunities available to colleagues. He also helps RSK realise the value of AI by sharing successful applications across the group and articulating its value and risks to key internal and external stakeholders.

Ian is passionate about the difference AI will make to RSK and its clients by supporting the group’s continued growth and diversification and helping to ensure collaboration that delivers a broader, smarter service across the entire project lifecycle.

Ian joined RSK in 1992 and originally helped to establish the business in the energy sector in Aberdeen and internationally.

He joined the main board of RSK in 1996 and has held senior leadership positions ever since. Most recently, he has been responsible for establishing and leading one of the group divisions, looking after 40 businesses and 2500 people in the agriculture, land and property management sector. This has involved driving the group’s buy and build strategy, with a particular focus on growing the division he looks after.

Ian has a first-class honours degree in biology and environmental science from the University of Aberdeen and has remained passionate about the natural environment and its preservation throughout his career. Part of his focus is to make sure that the entrepreneurial spirit held by RSK when he helped establish it more than 30 years ago continues to be encouraged at all levels in what is now a global environmental organisation.

Jessica joined RSK in 2016, when the group acquired ADAS, and soon after, moved into a group role.

Jessica earned her MSc in biological sciences from the University of Windsor, Canada. She worked as a consultant in the agriculture and horticulture sectors before switching her focus to communications and marketing in 2013 to make a greater contribution to wider business decisions.

In her current role, Jessica supports the board with the development of group strategy. She is also responsible for RSK’s communications and marketing strategies, leading a large marketing function serving RSK and 200+ business brands.

She believes RSK is well positioned to continue its growth trajectory linked to strong market tailwinds and global sustainability megatrends. Jessica attributes RSK’s success to the group’s unique culture and believes this will continue to be a differentiator in attracting and retaining talent, acquiring like-minded businesses and building long-lasting client relationships.

Lara joined RSK in 2020 when it acquired Amphos 21, becoming a board director in 2024. She co-founded Amphos 21, a group of scientific and technical consulting experts working in the radioactive waste, mining, water and environment sectors across Europe, Chile and Peru.

Lara holds a PhD in chemistry from the University of Barcelona, master’s degrees in chemistry and environmental management, a post-degree in hydrogeology (Polytechnic University of Catalonia) and management qualifications from Babson (USA), Esade and EADA (Spain) schools of business. She has more than 25 years’ experience in radioactive waste management and is internationally recognised as an expert, authoring numerous scientific articles.

As divisional director focused on RSK’s European and Latin American companies, Lara emphasises synergies across countries, market sectors and technical disciplines. The energy transition and optimisation of environmental resources is a driving force in her work and she believes RSK can make a significant contribution to a more sustainable world through these endeavours.

Louis joined RSK in 2023 as deputy divisional director. With more than 30 years’ experience in health, safety and environment (HSE) leadership across the oil and gas and environmental consulting sectors, he has played a pivotal role in RSK’s Middle East and global strategy.

He holds an MSc in environmental assessment and analysis from Anglia Ruskin University, a BSc in applied environmental geology from the University of Portsmouth and a National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) National General Certificate. Louis is a certified ISO 14001 lead auditor, trained in oil spill management, root cause investigation and climate decision-making (University of Cambridge).

Louis began his career as an environmental consultant and engineer, progressing through senior HSE positions in organisations including BP, Shell (BG Group), Santos and DNO. At RSK, he oversees the growth and technical delivery of environmental and HSE services across key sectors including energy, water and infrastructure.

Louis believes that through technical excellence, a proactive safety culture and sustainable development principles, RSK can significantly contribute to safe, compliant and environmentally responsible projects across emerging and frontier markets.

Lucy, who joined RSK in 2004, has led teams across the group as chief scientist for several years. She is also regional operations director for RSK’s businesses in Africa.

A strong advocate for technical excellence, Lucy is a Chartered Geologist and a land condition specialist. Lucy coordinates RSK’s Heads of Profession programme, encouraging more colleagues to pursue professional registration status.
With a technical background in risk-based remediation, Lucy has honed her knowledge in carbon and social value, becoming a powerful voice for the global decarbonisation of RSK.

Lucy firmly believes that the cornerstone in achieving RSK’s 2030 goals lies in investing in people and cultivating skills. By fostering a culture of continuous learning, RSK will maintain its position as the preferred choice for clients worldwide. RSK’s commitment to its Second Nature strategy will see the group remain an employer of choice and the foremost leader in providing sustainable solutions.

Steve joined RSK in 2022 following the acquisition of SJA, the business he founded in 1999 and led for 25 years. He became RSK’s divisional director for Asia-Pacific (APAC), the Middle East and Africa (MEA) and a group board member in 2026.

In 2023, Steve spearheaded the development of RSK Global Experts, uniting the group’s international specialist and advisory network to create what is regarded as the world’s largest panel of in-house testifying and subject matter experts.

With over 45 years of experience in the building, construction and engineering industries, Steve has worked with major construction organisations across the Asia-Pacific region and the United Kingdom. He holds a triple fellowship with the Australian Institute of Project Management, the Australian Institute of Management and the Australian Institute of Building.

Steve is an experienced testifying construction expert across all legal jurisdictions, specialising in construction quantum, forensic delay and disruption analysis, project delivery and construction quality. He is also a qualified mediator and conciliator, expert determiner and graded arbitrator.

He is committed to building a strong culture and high performing teams, believing that collaboration and shared expertise deliver the best outcomes. His leadership approach focuses on harnessing the collective strength of the group for the benefit of clients, colleagues and the organisation.

Mary-Ann Smyth has been a director and latterly, a non-executive director, of RSK Group since 1991.

Dr Smyth founded and chairs the Crichton Carbon Centre, an independent research centre specialising in peatland restoration.
As an environmental and socio-economics consultant, she has focused on rural economics and different ways to value nature. This developed into government research on environmental carbon and carbon pricing, and her carbon metrics are now used to populate the UK greenhouse gas accounts and inform policy.

Alongside her work on peatlands, Dr Smyth works with several environmental charities, focusing on rural community, balancing people and nature, peatland carbon and native woodlands.

She brings to RSK a greatly valued focus on long-term sustainability: socially, environmentally and economically. Her work is highly regarded and in 2023, she was awarded Fellowship of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society.

Mike joined RSK in January 1994 and became a board director in 2001. He holds a degree in surveying and cartography and a master’s degree in hydrography and related software development.

Initially, Mike led the geographic information system (GIS) team within RSK, producing and supporting many mapping-based solutions for blue-chip companies worldwide.

Together with Adam Gallacher he established RSK Orbital, which provides world-class aerial and terrestrial surveys, laser scanning and photogrammetry, delivering results directly to the client’s desktop through modern web-based software as a service (SAAS) applications, developed in-house.

Mike heads up the management and support of the group’s IT infrastructure, data, cybersecurity and business systems and is focused on enabling and encouraging digital transformation throughout the group within safe, secure, flexible and well-governed infrastructure.

He is passionate about leveraging technology to drive innovation and efficiency. He believes that AI will be key to unlocking new levels of efficiency in all aspects of our work, freeing up our employees to focus on their key strengths and delivering world-class services to our clients.

Paul Bresnan joined RSK when it acquired MWH Treatment in 2022 and he became a board director in 2024.
Paul is chief executive of MWH Treatment, the water sector’s leading process-intelligent integrated design and build solution provider. He joined MWH Treatment in 2014 and has overseen a 100% growth in the company’s business, organically and with new frameworks.
Paul’s passion for the sector is reflected in the growth of MWH Treatment’s engineering capacity, from 65 to more than 350 multidisciplinary engineers, including the re-energisation of the company’s graduate and apprentice programmes.
He has more than 30 years’ experience across the utilities sector, with a foundation in engineering and design management. Paul gained extensive operational and programme management experience on major infrastructure projects such as HS1, nuclear decommissioning and the utilities sector. H He has been a non-executive director of British Water since 2018 and has been instrumental in bringing tier 1 supply chain experience to the board.

Rob joined RSK in 2020 and has played a pivotal role in steering the company’s growth through strategic mergers and acquisitions, joining the board in 2024.

He studied astrophysics at the University of Birmingham before training to become a chartered accountant. Rob went on to work in corporate finance and also ran an engineering technology venture capital fund.

In his role as head of mergers and acquisitions, Rob underpins one of the group’s cornerstone strategies for growth. RSK considers mergers and acquisitions to be more than just transactions: they are a reflection of the group’s DNA and a vital part of its future. Mergers and acquisitions are a tool for positive transformation, unlocking doors to innovative solutions, new market territories, bolstered competitive positions and contributions to sustainability endeavours.

Rob is committed to creating lasting impacts that echo RSK’s values and vision, with an emphasis on nurturing a legacy of innovation and a commitment to sustainability and strategic growth.

Ross joined RSK in 2003 with the formation of RSK Asbestos Services. In the same year, he wrote the business’s technical and quality standards, subsequently leading to the award of UKAS accreditation to ISO 17025 and 17020 for its testing and inspection activities.

Since 2007, Ross has led the development of RSK’s management systems and the provision of internal environment, health and safety support to the business, including multimillion-pound framework agreements with major clients. With 23 years’ industry experience, he holds professional memberships in occupational health, safety, environment and quality, alongside postgraduate qualifications.

Ross believes that a combination of easy-to-use systems, staff behaviours, accountability and a safe environment is crucial to developing a strong SHEQ workplace culture. Adopting a practical and active approach to learning is essential to ensure that RSK can quickly embed these four key elements into its businesses and maintain its leading SHEQ performance.

Sarah joined RSK in 1998, working across Europe before joining the senior leadership team. She joined the board in 2019.

Sarah graduated with a degree in environmental science from the University of Plymouth. Her technical skills focused on environmental liability assessment, training and management systems, providing the opportunity to work internationally before she stepped into a business management role.

She is now responsible for a division that encompasses businesses primarily focused on services supporting the planning and environmental impact assessment process in the UK. Over the last ten years, she has led the acquisition of more than 15 businesses in the UK and Australia.

Throughout her career, Sarah has been passionate about facilitating the success of others, both within the workplace and outside of it. She has been a STEM ambassador and mentor for many years, working on raising aspirations for students vulnerable to underachievement academically.

Stefan established the Benelux business section of RSK. 

Stefan is a certified remediation expert with over 20 years’ experience, including several LIFE+ projects for the European Commission demonstration new remediation technologies. He joined RSK in January 2002. 

Zoe joined RSK in 2007 and over the past 17 years, her career has mirrored the growth of RSK as a globally expanding business. Zoe joined the RSK board in 2024.

She studied international business management at Manchester Metropolitan University and, on joining RSK four years later, she was tasked with developing the HR department and RSK’s HR strategy, while supporting the continued growth of the business. Zoe is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership.

Zoe’s current role involves strategic leadership of the RSK HR function, which today supports more than 15,000 colleagues and over 200 businesses in 40 countries.

She is proud of the fact that, although she has seen RSK grow significantly during her tenure, the group has retained its emphasis on a supportive employee culture – a family-friendly business in which every employee is set up to thrive.