ODA hires civils boss

The Olympic Delivery Authority has appointed Simon Wright director of infrastructure and utilities. He joins from Ove Arup, where he was director and group leader of Arup Project Management Europe.

Wright will handle the delivery of environmental, geotechnical and civil engineering solutions and infrastructure, including ground remediation, earthworks, pylon undergrounding, foundations and heavy structures.

He will also be responsible for commissioning and securing operator licences for all major utilities needed for the London Olympic Games including water and sewerage, gas and electricity.

David Higgins, ODA chief executive said: "Simon has over 30 years experience in managing complex, large-scale infrastructure projects and he will be an invaluable addition to the ODA senior management team. Getting the infrastructure and utilities right is crucial to the staging of a successful Games and to ensuring we leave a lasting regeneration legacy for the people of East London".

Wright has worked on projects such as the £200m Greenwich Peninsular regeneration, Battersea Power Station site redevelopment and a flood alleviation scheme in Hong Kong. He will join the ODA in August 2006.