New chair of Arup Group announced to succeed Dr Alan Belfield in April 2024.
Arup has announced that Jerome Frost will take over as the next chair of Arup Group from 1 April 2024, succeeding Dr Alan Belfield who completes his five-year term on 31 March 2024.
Frost will oversee the employee-owned, 20,000-strong global business which delivers advisory, planning, engineering and design services across a wide range of markets including energy, property and transport.
Currently the chair of Arup’s businesses in the UK, India, Middle East and Africa, Frost sits on the firm’s group board. Commenting on his forthcoming new role, he said: “It’s an honour to be appointed to lead Arup. Our employee ownership model and our founding values are more relevant than ever in tackling the extreme challenges our planet is facing. I am eager that we build on the momentum which Alan and our talented 20,000 members have established, in making a more sustainable future a reality for our clients.”
Frost is an internationally recognised expert in urban planning, major events and economic development, and has led and delivered major projects that set new standards for sustainable development.
As the former head of design and regeneration for the Olympic Delivery Authority, he played a leading role in the delivery of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games design strategy and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. He has also played key roles in other major regeneration schemes across the UK including King’s Cross, Wembley and Bristol Temple Meads, as well as large-scale urban, transport and reconstruction projects globally – in Europe, South Africa, South America, China and SE Asia.
He joined Arup in 1997 working for six years in urban planning, economic development and regeneration. After an eight-year interval working as head of the national consultancy unit for English Partnerships (now Homes England) and the Olympic Delivery Authority, he re-joined Arup in 2012 and has since occupied a number of leadership roles including the head of the 2,000 strong UKIMEA consulting sector and a member of Arup’s group board spearheading its global cities strategy.
In 2012, he was made an OBE in recognition of his services to urban regeneration. Frost is also currently deputy chair of the UK Green Building Council and will assume the chair in December 2023.
The Arup group chair is appointed by the Arup Trustees for up to five years. Mahadev Raman has been appointed as the next chair of trustees, beginning his term on 1 April 2024. Raman will succeed David Whittleton who completes his five-year term on 31 March 2024.
