Head of environment who oversaw construction of Olympic village will join rival firm Mace

Andrew Kinsey, head of environment at Lend Lease, is leaving the firm for rival contractor Mace.

Kinsey oversaw the construction of the Olympic village, which won plaudits for its sustainability. However the project did later run into difficulties, with two plots handed over to the Olympic Delivery Authority over a month later than planned.

Kinsey joined Lend Lease in 1999 as a senior environmental scientist. He was promoted to senior sustainability manager in 2008 where he took responsibility for the environmental requirements of the Olympic village.

He became director of environment in May last year and oversaw the sustainability planning on the firm’s £1.5bn redevelopment of Elephant and Castle, which is ongoing.

His departure follows that of Vince Lydon, former director at Bovis Lend Lease, who was most recently a project manager at the Australian contractor. Lydon will become major projects director for commercial building at Balfour Beatty.

A number of high-profile directors have departed Lend Lease in recent years.

Kinsey’s new position at Mace was not clear as Building went to press.