Ensuring health and safety, quality and climate response are kept front and centre will be a key focus for Buro Happold’s new COO.
Marc Barone has been appointed chief operating officer at global engineering, design and advisory practice Buro Happold.
Barone will be a member of Buro Happold’s executive and global leadership teams and ensure the business operates as efficiently and effectively as possible, enabling the practice to deliver against strategy while managing risk and growing reach, impact, and client outcome, especially in the area of climate response. Barone’s new position follows successful roles in the infrastructure, consulting and software sectors, including at AECOM and Balfour Beatty Services.
With over 30 years’ experience across the UK, Europe and the Middle East, Barone has particular expertise in addressing clients’ most challenging needs, including implementing new service offerings in ESG (environmental, social and governance), energy and digital. In his previous position as chief growth officer at AECOM, he had primary responsibility for driving all aspects of growth across the organisation.
Commenting on his appointment, Barone said: “ I’m looking forward to building on existing successes at Buro Happold, extending our highly collaborative culture by infusing rigour and pace to target setting and decision-making. The changing market and technology environment mandates that our operations proactively drive carbon reduction and digital innovation in order to tackle our clients’ biggest challenges. We will maximise the potential of our exceptional teams to strengthen our unique capabilities and market offering.”
Buro Happold chief executive officer Oliver Plunkett commented: “It’s a pleasure to welcome Marc to Buro Happold, with his substantial credentials that will help drive our organisational growth in line with our 1-3-6 strategy and the positive impact we have on people, places and planet. His skills and experience align perfectly with our aims to continue to grow our offer in Europe, the United States and elsewhere across the world, as well as broadening our established and premium position in the UK.”
Barone holds a BSc in Civil Engineering from the University of Maryland, an MSc in Civil Engineering from Lehigh University and an MBA in Business Administration and Management from London Business School.
