Professor Lord Mair to become ICE President
On 1st November 2017, it was announced that Professor Lord Robert Mair, whose civil engineering career spans over 40 years, would take over as ICE President.
Industry heavyweight Mair will officially take over from Professor Tim Broyd, becoming the 153rd President of ICE on 7 November 2017. With a big focus on the ICE 200 bicentenary, he will tour regional and international offices and help the public to recognise the direct impact that civil engineering has on all our lives.
Lord Mair's inaugural address to an audience of industry professionals and members carries the theme, 'Transforming Infrastructure, Transforming Lives – Building on 200 years'. He will also set out his objectives for his year of office.
Working alongside him during his year in office will be the President's Apprentices who participate in projects that help make a real contribution to the profession.
Robert Mair graduated in 1971 from Cambridge University, where he read Engineering at Clare College, and worked continuously in industry until 1998, except for a three year period in the late 1970's when he returned to Cambridge to work for his PhD on tunnelling in soft ground.
He was appointed Professor of Geotechnical Engineering at Cambridge University in 1998. He was the Sir Kirby Laing Professor of Civil Engineering 2011-2017, and Master of Jesus College 2001-2011. He was a Fellow of St John's College from 1998 to 2001.
He is also one of the founding Directors of the Geotechnical Consulting Group (GCG), an international consulting company based in London, started in 1983. He was appointed Chief Engineering Adviser to the Laing O'Rourke Group in 2011.
The President's Address is on November 7 at One Great George Street from 5pm – 8.30pm with his speech streamed live.
This article was originally published here by ICE on 1 Nov 2017. It was written by Simon Barney.
--The Institution of Civil Engineers
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Building Safety recap January, 2026
What we missed at the end of last year, and at the start of this...
National Apprenticeship Week 2026, 9-15 Feb
Shining a light on the positive impacts for businesses, their apprentices and the wider economy alike.
Applications and benefits of acoustic flooring
From commercial to retail.
From solid to sprung and ribbed to raised.
Strengthening industry collaboration in Hong Kong
Hong Kong Institute of Construction and The Chartered Institute of Building sign Memorandum of Understanding.
A detailed description fron the experts at Cornish Lime.
IHBC planning for growth with corporate plan development
Grow with the Institute by volunteering and CP25 consultation.
Connecting ambition and action for designers and specifiers.
Electrical skills gap deepens as apprenticeship starts fall despite surging demand says ECA.
Built environment bodies deepen joint action on EDI
B.E.Inclusive initiative agree next phase of joint equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) action plan.
Recognising culture as key to sustainable economic growth
Creative UK Provocation paper: Culture as Growth Infrastructure.
Futurebuild and UK Construction Week London Unite
Creating the UK’s Built Environment Super Event and over 25 other key partnerships.
Welsh and Scottish 2026 elections
Manifestos for the built environment for upcoming same May day elections.
Advancing BIM education with a competency framework
“We don’t need people who can just draw in 3D. We need people who can think in data.”
Guidance notes to prepare for April ERA changes
From the Electrical Contractors' Association Employee Relations team.
Significant changes to be seen from the new ERA in 2026 and 2027, starting on 6 April 2026.
First aid in the modern workplace with St John Ambulance.
Solar panels, pitched roofs and risk of fire spread
60% increase in solar panel fires prompts tests and installation warnings.
Modernising heat networks with Heat interface unit
Why HIUs hold the key to efficiency upgrades.

























