In the role, MacInnes will lead COWI’s UK operations and oversee growth and performance across the UK and Ireland, working closely with international teams to strengthen delivery across infrastructure, energy and transport.

MacInnes joined COWI in 2013 as a geotechnical engineer and has progressed through a series of senior leadership roles, including regional director for Scotland, vice president for operations and most recently head of engineering.

Her experience spans detailed geotechnical design and delivery on major transport and energy infrastructure schemes, including complex bridge works and rail programmes. In more recent leadership roles, she has overseen multidisciplinary engineering teams and supported project delivery across long-term infrastructure frameworks in the UK.

Eva MacInnes, senior vice president for UK and Ireland at COWI, said: “I’m stepping into this role at a time of real opportunity and investment across the UK and Ireland, particularly in areas such as water, energy and transport. We’re already working on many of the programmes shaping that next phase of delivery, and COWI is well placed to help our customers deliver critical infrastructure.

“We have an incredible team across the UK and Ireland, and building on that strength will be central to what we do next. I joined COWI as a geotechnical engineer and have grown into leadership roles across the business, and it’s important to me that we continue to create those opportunities as we move forward.”

MacInnes will focus on growth across water infrastructure, energy transmission and major transport programmes, while continuing to strengthen COWI’s established expertise in bridge, hydro and ground engineering.

Ireland also forms part of her remit, building on the company’s expanding presence in Dublin and its involvement in district heating and wider energy transition initiatives. She will continue to work closely with COWI’s international teams to deploy specialist expertise alongside the strong capability already established across the UK and Ireland.

Commenting on the appointment, Andy Sloan, executive vice president, UK and International at COWI, said: “Eva was a compelling choice to lead the UK and Ireland business. She brings deep technical knowledge, strong operational leadership and a clear vision for the business.

“She has played a significant role in the development of our UK operations, and I am delighted to see her step into this position. I look forward to continuing to work closely with her as we build on our momentum across the UK and Ireland.”

Alongside her executive responsibilities, MacInnes has been an active member of the Women in Rail steering committee in Scotland for more than a decade. She continues to support initiatives aimed at improving retention and progression in the sector, including new STEM outreach programmes designed to encourage early engagement with engineering careers.