Farshid Kamali

When did you join Atkins?

September 1992.

Why did you join Atkins?

I wanted to join a large multidisciplinary company with a solid footing in the construction industry.

What did you do before you joined Atkins?

I worked for a number of engineering and transport planning consultancy firms prior to joining Atkins.

What are you currently working on?

I am working on a pedestrian and cycling master plan for Abu Dhabi. I’m also part of a team that is finalising a two-year study for the UK Department for Transport, reviewing sustainable transport studies for future housing growth proposals.

Do you have professional accreditations?

I have a PhD in transport (Imperial College) and a Diploma of Imperial College (Transport). I have a number of professional memberships and am a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Chartered Member of the Institution of Transport.

How do you describe your role?

I’m the operations director responsible for the development and public realm business in the UK. I deal with transport issues in urban areas as well as developing proposals for various types of developments for the future of our cities.

What key projects have you worked on?

Trafalgar Square and Regent Street Vision 2020 Strategy in the UK, Panama Pacifico masterplan, Sustainable Transport Strategy for Housing Growth Agenda for the UK Department for Transport.

What achievement are you most proud of?

Delivering the Trafalgar Square pedestrian scheme to the Mayor of London and having a successful and sustainable business over the past eight years, delivering projects in the UK and overseas.

What’s the most technically challenging project you’ve worked on at Atkins?

We had to reconfigure Trafalgar Square to give more space to pedestrians. The scheme was technically challenging as we had a host of interest groups to deal with, some of whom opposed the proposals.

How has your career developed at Atkins?

I started at Atkins as a principal consultant in the transport planning business. I then became a department head after about three or four years.

Have you worked abroad?

I have worked on a number of projects in Sri Lanka, India, Greece, Papua New Guinea, Ghana and Poland and Argentina.

What have you done since returning to the UK?

I became the commercial director for transport planning and implemented better commercial management processes across the business. I have since been heading the development planning and regeneration team.

What support have you received since you joined Atkins?

I have been given great opportunities at Atkins and have had excellent people on whom I could rely.

How do transport planners and Atkins make a difference?

We are here to help our clients with their challenges. We don’t shy away from the challenges given to us and the bigger they are the more eager we are to overcome them.

How would you describe the culture at Atkins?

Atkins is a big family where people are really genuine in offering you their support. There are very intelligent and smart people working at Atkins and you can always rely on finding someone who can help you with your projects.