Simon is one of the founding Directors of D2, having joined the company following a successful career with Balfour Beatty and WSP, both in the UK and internationally. Operating at board level, Simon helps set our strategy to drive sustainable growth through service diversification and developing key client relationships. He has also been a keen proponent of our business core values: people, community, innovation, and integrity. A passion for innovation leads Simon to apply new thinking to solve perennial industry problems. For instance, he has led the application of gaming designs, new software development, and data science competence to transform our professional services business – helping our people to consistently outperform themselves. Simon has also initiated and sponsored the design and development of bespoke applications and processes to improve how we work. More recently, Simon has spearheaded the establishment and growth of D2’s Canada business since its incorporation in Nov 2021. Working across continents, Simon ensures consistency in our approach to similar project challenges, client objectives, and stakeholders’ needs.
A successful construction management, project, and programme development specialist, Simon has a track record for delivering benefits at any point in a project’s lifecycle. As an engineer with extensive knowledge and experience of infrastructure delivery and programme control solutions, Simon’s expertise is wide-ranging. His understanding of engineering requirements and principles to adds value and confidence for clients and infrastructure funders alike. To date, Simon has successfully led integrated programme controls teams across two major programme Alliances for Network Rail. Passionate about collaboration and building integrated teams around ISO44001 principles, Simon has supported both Alliances in achieving Institute of Collaborative Working accreditation. The resulting synergies have enabled Simon to combine project information from five industry partners to develop integrated programme baselines that successfully achieved full funding. Most recently, Simon has been working in a hybrid capacity to support D2 Canada’s development of a major rail network expansion programme around the Greater Toronto area.
Email:
simon.blair@d2rail.co.uk
