Contractor pledged to grow infra business under last year’s rejig

Sir Robert McAlpine has appointed a new managing director of transport and made two other infrastructure hires.

Vip Gandhi joins the firm as managing director of transport from Keltbray, where he was managing director for highways and renewables.

Gandhi has more than 30 years of experience in infrastructure roles, having spent 21 years at Jacobs and then NMCN, the contractor which collapsed into administration in autumn 2021.

Vip Gandhi

Vip Gandhi will head up McAlpine’s transport arm

Keltbray picked up parts of NMCN’s highways, flood alleviation and renewable energy business days after the firm went under.

Gandhi has also worked on the HS2 and the Lower Thames Crossing projects and his new role will centre on major transportation projects and growing the firm’s infrastructure business.

McAlpine has also announced the appointment of two new framework directors, Richard Parker and David Polkey, for its nuclear work at Sellafield.

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“[Gandhi’s] appointment demonstrates the continued success of our sector-based approach and I look forward to seeing him apply his talents to our UK wide operations,” Tony Gates, executive managing director of infrastructure at Sir Robert McAlpine, said.

“It’s an exciting time for infrastructure, with clear growth plans for the years ahead.”

The appointments come as McAlpine has brought in a new chief executive earlier this month with former Lendlease boss Neil Martin replacing Paul Hamer.

Hamer rejigged the business last year to focus on sectors rather than regions with the firm saying it wanted to grow its infrastructure business.