Newly created role reflects ‘changing challenges’ faced by clients
Civic has appointed a new head of climate resilience.
The engineering consultant has picked Olivia O’Brien for the newly-created role, which spans physical risks like flooding, overheating and storms, as well as business transition risks related to reputation, policy, regulation and shifting market expectations.
O’Brien joins from Longevity Partners, where she was global head of climate resilience, building its resilience team over seven years.
“Civic is growing, and the challenges our clients are facing are changing,” said Julian Broster, co-founder and chief operating officer of Civic.
“Climate sensitive design has been a core consideration across our services since Civic was founded, and creating this role strengthens our ability to connect that expertise and continue evolving and expanding our approach.”
O’Brien added: “Civic’s approach allows me to move into a role where I can see solutions carried through into delivery. In my previous roles, much of the work focused on operational assessment and reporting.
“While that remains important, the greatest value comes from considering climate change much earlier in the process. Designing with future climate conditions in mind is often far more effective, and cost-efficient, than adapting a building once it’s already in use.”
Civic has a 250-strong staff, operating out of studios in London, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dublin.
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