Toby Kent joins the IS Council as Chief Executive Officer in late August, bringing an impressive track record in sustainability, resilience and ESG delivery. He most recently served as a Partner in the Energy Transition team with PwC Australia. His extensive experience includes over five years as Chief Resilience Officer for metropolitan Melbourne, as part of the Rockefeller Foundation’s ground-breaking 100 Resilient Cities program, and two years as Global Head of Sustainable Development at ANZ bank. Toby succeeds Ainsley Simpson, who departed the IS Council in February 2024 to become inaugural CEO of circular fashion association Seamless. “Toby has steered game-changing sustainability initiatives for both public and private organisations and has exceptional stakeholder governance and operational management skills. A collaborative, values-driven leader, Toby is the ideal person to progress IS Council’s ambitious agenda,” says IS Council Chair Deb Spring.

Rebecca Burton has been appointed as WSP’s Director of Marketing & Communications in Australia. She has more than 30 years’ experience in professional services, and has held senior leadership positions in Australia, the United Kingdom and Switzerland. Greg Kane, WSP’s CEO in Australia, says: “I’m delighted to welcome Rebecca to our Australian business and leadership team. She joins our firm at an exciting time as we develop our 2025-2027 Strategic Plan and continue to grow and innovate to help our clients solve increasingly complex and urgent challenges.”

AECOM has appointed Reid Grund as chief counsel for Australia and New Zealand, based in Adelaide. Reid has 20-plus years of experience in the infrastructure sector, focusing on major projects, engineering, construction and corporate law. He brings significant expertise across private, government and legal services. At AECOM, Reid has previously held roles in the Australia and New Zealand regions and, most recently, as chief counsel for the Middle East and Africa regions.

Marianne Foley is back at her old stomping ground of Arup in the new role of Principal Fire Engineer. Most recently NSW regional Manager with TSA Management, Marianne was previously with Arup for 18 years, culminating in the role of Building Sector Leader for Australasia. In her new role with Arup, Marianne will be focused on design and delivery of fire engineering projects, and is looking forward to reengaging with her technical profession, with previous clients and collaborators, and working with new ones.

Adelaide-based Peter Tulla will lead the global board of Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) for the next two years. As Director of RLB in South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, Peter will continue to contribute to iconic projects in the aviation, commercial, defence, education, and industrial sectors. “Peter’s exceptional skills, extensive track record and unwavering dedication to our profession make him the ideal leader to steer RLB into its next chapter,” says outgoing chair Andrew Reynolds.

Jua Cilliers, Head of the School of Built Environment at the University of Technology Sydney, was awarded the NAWIC NSW Executive Women’s Leadership Scholarship in early July. Established in 2022, the $30,000 prize is Australia’s most generous scholarship for women in property and construction. “We designed this scholarship to help the next generation of female leaders build the business acumen and skills they need to catapult into positions where they can drive change,” says NAWIC NSW President Georgia Coulston. Jua established a ‘Women in the Built Environment’ network, which she aims to expand into a global academy.