Our leadership

As President and CEO, he is responsible for reviewing the strategic direction of the Company on an expedited basis and in developing a plan for sustainable success that de-risks and simplifies the company’s business model and generates consistent earnings and cash flow.

Before being appointed to his current role, Mr. Edwards was named Chief Operating Officer (COO) in January 2019 where he has taken the lead in executing the initiative to simplify, focus, and grow the business and implemented numerous measures to improve the operational performance of the company, ensuring that the efficiency and project oversight measures are being successfully executed.

Mr. Edwards joined AtkinsRéalis in 2014 and was later appointed President, Infrastructure in 2015. As President, Infrastructure, he led employees within AtkinsRéalis’ global Infrastructure business and oversaw the successful turnaround and transformation of the sector.

Prior to joining AtkinsRéalis, he spent six years in senior roles with the Leighton Group, where as Managing Director, Leighton Asia, India and Offshore, he led a diverse business of 20,000 employees spanning the construction, infrastructure, oil and gas and mining sectors in 14 countries.

Mr. Edwards holds Higher and Ordinary Certificates in Civil Engineering from Lancashire University in the United Kingdom. He is an incorporated Member of the Chartered Institute of Building, a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and Fellow of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers.

Mr. Young has significant private company board and board leadership experience during the past 20 years, including a number of European and US based companies.

Mr. Young began his career as a chemical engineer at Imperial Oil before transitioning into management consulting as a partner in Bain & Company’s European practice from 1981 to 1988. He was a founding partner of the Westbourne Management Group in 1988, a business focused on turnaround management opportunities. He would later become co-founder and partner of Boston-based private equity firm Monitor Clipper Partners, a mid-market private equity firm with over $2 billion invested in 45 portfolio companies in North America and Western Europe, from 1996 to 2018.

Mr. Young holds an Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Queen’s University, was granted P.Eng. designation in Ontario in 1979, and earned an MBA with distinction from the Harvard Business School. In June 2025, he received an LL.D. (honoris causa) from Queen’s University in Kingston. He was the former Chair of Queen’s University’s Board of Trustees and has been Chairman Emeritus since 2012.

Mr. Baughman is President of Back Tee Sports, LLC, a global event management company. He is a corporate director of American Equipment Company, Inc. (AMECO) (provider of heavy equipment, tools, vehicles and construction support services), and Nevada Drywall, Stucco and Stone (construction company specializing in wall systems). He also currently serves as executive director for the private equity firm Watermill Group, specifically supporting their Musser Biomass and Wood Products LLC holding (manufacturer of wood fiber-based products).

Mr. Baughman holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Clemson University. He obtained his National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) directorship certification in December 2020.

Ms. Bell is a director of Cogeco Inc. and Cogeco Communications inc. She is a former director of mdf commerce inc., NAV Canada, Énergir Inc./Valener Inc. and Cominar Real Estate Investment Trust. In addition to these public company memberships, Ms. Bell is a director of the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) as well as the Institute for Governance of Private and Public Organizations (IGOPP),chairing its audit committee. She served as director of the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) from 2002 to 2017 and chaired its board from 2012 to 2017. Ms. Bell has been also actively involved in the community. She is a former director of the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde, the International Women’s Forum of Canada, the Quebec Council on Science and Technology, Centraide du Grand Montréal and Women’s Y of Montreal.

Ms. Bell holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Polytechnique Montréal and a Master of Science degree from the Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS). She also completed the corporate governance certification from the Collège des administrateurs de sociétés.

Mr. Clark is a director of the boards of directors of Air Canada and Loblaw Companies Limited. In addition to these public company memberships, Mr. Clark has served as a director of many not-for profit organizations including, the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Canadian Olympic Foundation, Own The Podium, the Stratford Festival, the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer and the Sunnybrook Hospital Foundation. He is a former board member of Brookfield Office Properties Inc., IGM Financial Inc., Hydro One Limited, Hydro One Inc. and a trustee of Choice Properties Real Estate Investment Trust. He is an Emeritus member of the Stephen J. R. Smith School of Business at Queen’s University.

Mr. Clark graduated from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Commerce degree and from the University of Toronto with a MBA. He is a Fellow Chartered Accountant and the former National Academic Director for the Institute of Corporate Director’s course entitled “Audit Committee Effectiveness”.

She joined Schneider Electric SE through the acquisition of Invensys (multinational engineering and information technology company) in 2013 serving as Senior Vice President, Industry Services until 2017, and Senior Vice President, Industry and Cybersecurity until 2020. Prior to that, Ms. Marcotte held a number of executive-level positions at Invensys from 1996 to 2013, including Vice President, Engineering and Services. She began her career in 1985 in the Pulp and Paper industry and joined ABB Inc. in 1990 assuming different roles such as Manager, Marketing and Engineering and Control Engineer, Process Industry. 

Ms. Marcotte holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree and a Master’s degree in Applied Sciences (Engineering), both from Université du Québec.

Ms. McGregor-Smith is a director of Everyman Media Group plc and Thales SA. She is also the Chair of the Institute of Apprenticeships and Technical Education, and Airports UK; and Deputy Chair for the Tideway Tunnel. Ms. McGregor-Smith is a former Chair and director of Mind Gym plc, and former President of the British Chambers of Commerce as well as of the Board of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). 

Ms. McGregor-Smith holds a Bachelor of Economics degree from Kingston University and a Postgraduate Diploma in Global Business from the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. In 2012, Ms. McGregor-Smith was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to business and diversity in business. She is also a member of the House of Lords, having been granted a Life Peerage in 2015.

Mr. Paré is Chairman of the board of National Bank of Canada and sits on the board of directors of the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC). From 2018 to 2023, he was a director of the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD), having chaired the Québec Chapter from 2015 to 2017. He is also a former director of Québecor inc. from 2014 to 2022 and Groupe ADF Inc. from 2008 to 2019.

Mr. Paré has a Bachelor’s degree in Law from the Université Laval and is a member of the Quebec Bar.

Mr. Pedersen is a member of the board of directors of CGI Inc. and was the chairperson of the board of the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) from 2018 to 2023. He is a current director and past Chair of the board of Nature Conservancy of Canada, the Chair of the Advisory Committee of the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation of the University of Waterloo and a member of the Sustainable Finance Advisory Committee of the Global Risk Institute.

Mr. Pedersen holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Industrial Relations degree from the University of Toronto.

From 2021 to 2023, Mr. Shakir was President, Americas Operating Plant Services and President, Environmental Services of Westinghouse Electric Company, a nuclear technology and services company. Prior to that, he led Orano USA, a global supplier of materials and services to the nuclear energy industry, where he served as President and CEO from 2016 until 2021, and as executive director of Orano Med LLC. Mr. Shakir also spent 10 years in senior management roles at Areva Inc. and Areva SA, one of the largest integrated global suppliers of nuclear materials, reactors and services. He began his career at ABB Group in several functions including, engineering and technical sales.

Mr. Shakir holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Concordia University, Montréal, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley.

Ms. Warmbold is a member of the board of directors of The Bank of Nova Scotia and Methanex Corporation and the past chair of the Canadian Public Accountability Board.

She holds an Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree from Queen’s University and is a Chartered Professional Accountant and a Fellow of CPA-Ontario. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Directors and has been granted the ICD.D designation. Ms. Warmbold was inducted into the Women’s Executive Network’s Hall of Fame in 2016 and in 2017, she received a CFO Special Recognition Award for social responsibility and mentoring as part of the Canada’s CFO of the Year award.

As President and CEO, he is responsible for reviewing the strategic direction of the Company on an expedited basis and in developing a plan for sustainable success that de-risks and simplifies the company’s business model and generates consistent earnings and cash flow.

Before being appointed to his current role, Mr. Edwards was named Chief Operating Officer (COO) in January 2019 where he has taken the lead in executing the initiative to simplify, focus, and grow the business and implemented numerous measures to improve the operational performance of the company, ensuring that the efficiency and project oversight measures are being successfully executed.

Mr. Edwards joined AtkinsRéalis in 2014 and was later appointed President, Infrastructure in 2015. As President, Infrastructure, he led employees within AtkinsRéalis’ global Infrastructure business and oversaw the successful turnaround and transformation of the sector.

Prior to joining AtkinsRéalis, he spent six years in senior roles with the Leighton Group, where as Managing Director, Leighton Asia, India and Offshore, he led a diverse business of 20,000 employees spanning the construction, infrastructure, oil and gas and mining sectors in 14 countries.

Mr. Edwards holds Higher and Ordinary Certificates in Civil Engineering from Lancashire University in the United Kingdom. He is an incorporated Member of the Chartered Institute of Building, a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and Fellow of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers.

Mr. Ball has over 30 years experience and has held executive and senior management roles within EDF Energy and AtkinsRéalis. Mr. Ball was most recently the Chief Operating Officer for our Nuclear business, with responsibilities stretching across our key geographies of the UK, Middle East, Canada and USA, before taking up his current role.

He is a graduate in engineering from Manchester University in the United Kingdom, a follower of many sports and a long-term fan of Liverpool Football Club.

Prior to joining AtkinsRéalis, Mr. Bell was Group Chief Financial Officer at Centrica Plc, a UK FTSE listed energy services and solutions company. He joined Centrica’s Direct Energy business in Toronto in 2002 where he held various senior finance positions before moving to the head office in the UK in 2008. Mr. Bell held the positions of Executive Assistant to the CEO and Head of Group Strategy, and Director of Corporate Finance & Group Financial Controller before being appointed CFO in 2014. Mr. Bell previously worked for The Boston Consulting Group and KPMG in Canada.

Mr. Bell is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA), has a BA in Accounting from the University of Waterloo and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.

Andrée-Claude was appointed General Counsel of AtkinsRéalis in December 2022. In her role, Andrée-Claude leads both the company’s legal and integrity teams and plays an integral role in the execution of AtkinsRéalis’ global strategic plan.

Andrée-Claude joined AtkinsRéalis in 2020 as Associate General Counsel and Corporate Secretary where she worked closely with the Board of Directors and the business to improve the company’s governance practices and led the Legal team’s strategic transformation, implementing digital technologies and efficiency-driven initiatives to better serve the business.

Prior to joining AtkinsRéalis, Andrée-Claude was Associate General Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary at Sherritt International Corporation, a global mining and refining company where she held various leadership positions in Toronto, Madagascar, and Cuba. Before Sherritt, she spent ten years with international law firm McCarthy Tétrault.

Andrée-Claude holds civil and common law degrees from McGill University. She is a member of the Barreau du Quebec and the Law Society of Ontario.

Before joining WS Atkins plc, he was Group HR Director at Hays plc, a global professional services company. Prior to this, Mr. Cullens was Group HR Director at The BOC Group plc, a leading industrial gas producer, and subsequently Group HR Director at Linde AG, a multinational chemical company, when the two businesses merged. He also served as Head of Global Human Resources at PA Consulting Group, and spent his early career in Human Resources-related roles with Mars Incorporated, Asda, The Albert Fisher Group and Whitehead Mann. He has lived and worked in Hong Kong, New Zealand and the former Soviet Union.

Mr. Cullens has held non-executive board roles at African Oxygen Limited and at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development in the UK, and is currently Chair of the International Advisory Board of The Open University Business School.

Mr. Cullens is a Chartered Companion of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, and holds a Master of Arts (Hons) from Cambridge University as well as a Master of Letters, a Master of Science in Human Resources (Hons) and a Bachelor of Science.

Ms. Kenny brings over two decades of experience in infrastructure, consulting, and urban development. Prior to joining AtkinsRéalis, she held a series of senior leadership roles at Jacobs, most recently serving as Executive Vice President and General Manager for Europe. In this capacity, she oversaw more than 7,500 professionals across strategic consulting, transportation, water and environment, the built environment, and major programs. Her earlier roles at Jacobs included Head of Growth & Sales for Europe, Head of Sector for Cities and Places, and Director of Growth for London and Cities, where she played a central role in shaping inclusive and sustainable urban strategies.

Before her time at Jacobs, Ms. Kenny held leadership and technical roles at Arcadis, Sinclair Knight Merz, and Faber Maunsell, where she developed deep expertise in transport planning, infrastructure delivery, and client-focused growth strategies. She is widely recognized for her ability to lead high-performing teams, build trusted partnerships, and deliver complex programs that align with long-term societal and environmental goals.

Ms. Kenny holds a BSc (Hons) in Mathematics from Royal Holloway, University of London, and an MSc in Applied Statistics and Operational Research from Birkbeck, University of London. She is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers.

She is a passionate advocate for inclusive growth, sustainable development, and the role of infrastructure in enabling resilient, connected communities. Throughout her career, she has been a visible leader in advancing equity and opportunity in the built environment sector.

In his current role, he is responsible for continuing to grow the business in the region and maintaining AtkinsRéalis’ reputation as a world-class professional services and project management firm and employer of choice in the United States and Latin America. 

Mr. Morriss has more than 30 years of experience and global expertise. In addition to AtkinsRéalis, he has held executive and senior management roles with various engineering companies, including AECOM, Mouchel and Serco successfully delivering projects across six continents and in 60 countries. 

He began his career with WS Atkins, now part of AtkinsRéalis, as a civil and structural engineer. Mr. Morriss is a graduate of Bristol University UK in Civil Engineering and served in the Royal Engineers and Royal Marines Reserve. His professional affiliations include the title of Honorary Colonel from the British Armed Forces and Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. He is a steadfast Welsh rugby supporter.  

Mr. Robinson has over 25 years of experience in senior leadership positions in heavy industry and engineering, and has overseen transformational levels of business growth throughout his career. He joined AtkinsRéalis in 2019 as CEO for UK & Europe, then President, UK & Ireland. Prior to joining the company, he was Chief Operating Officer at HS2 and has also held senior positions at AECOM, BAA Heathrow, and Anglo American. 

He is passionate about leading change across the industry, recognising the need to improve performance through data and technology and striving for greater collaboration. Mr. Robinson has held the position of deputy Co-Chair of the Construction Leadership Council since June 2022, working in partnership with the UK Government to support the construction sector in building greater efficiency, skills and growth, with specific responsibility for accelerating the sector’s transition to net zero and boosting productivity through digital adoption. 

A Chartered Chemical Engineer, Mr. Robinson is an ICE Fellow, a Sainsbury Management Fellow, and holds an MBA from HEC Paris and NYU Stern School of Business, graduating on the Dean’s list.

As President of the global Nuclear sector, he is responsible for continuing the successful expansion of the nuclear business comprised of three primary growth regions around the world.

Mr. St. Julian’s oversight also includes the design and delivery of CANDU® reactors, the development of advanced fuel technologies for implementation in international markets and small modular reactor (SMR) support.

Joe St. Julian brings 30 years of senior leadership experience with a diverse background in construction, project controls, project management, strategic planning and commercial management in the Nuclear sector in addition to the oil and gas, power, civil and government sectors. He brings with him a wealth of knowledge and an excellent track record of building businesses and delivering operational excellence.

Prior to joining AtkinsRéalis, Mr. St. Julian spent seventeen years with Bechtel where, over the years, he worked on key projects for the U.S Department of Energy to remediate and decommission nuclear facilities in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and at the Waste Treatment plan in Richland, Washington, a $20 billion nuclear waste processing facility. Prior to joining Bechtel, he worked for companies such as The Shaw Group Inc. and H. B. Zachry Company. 

He holds a Master of Business Administration from Baylor University and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Kenyon College.

Mr. Taché has a solid background in risk management, including in his previous roles as Senior Vice President, Finance, Commercial Affairs and Risk Officer of the global Nuclear business and Vice-President of Corporate Risk Management at the Company. He joined AtkinsRéalis in 2012 in Montreal and gradually played a leading role in chairing the Risk Evaluation Committee and supporting the Bid and Investment Approval Committee. He developed and implemented the company’s first Enterprise Risk Management program and was the company’s management leader of the Project Risk Review Committee.

With over 30 years of experience, Mr. Taché’s career began in Montreal, Canada, with Cegelec/Alstom and Vinci/GTM. Prior to joining AtkinsRéalis, he worked for over 10 years for Suez Environment, holding executive roles across the company and in various locations in North America, most recently as Senior Vice-President Strategy, Planning, Risks and Investments in Atlanta, GA.

Mr. Taché holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the École des Hautes Études Commerciales in Montreal and a Master’s Degree from the Lincoln International Business School in Paris. He holds a Business Law Certificate and Public Accounting Diploma from the National Institute of Economics and Accounting Techniques of Paris.

With over 25 years of corporate experience, Ms. Vaillancourt joined AtkinsRéalis in 2016 and joined the Leadership team in 2019 as Executive Vice President, Capital and Treasurer. She was later given additional responsibilities as President, Capital and Operations & Maintenance. In this role, her responsibilities included project investments, managing the infrastructure investment portfolio and leading the company's Operations & Maintenance business globally.  

Prior to joining AtkinsRéalis, Ms. Vaillancourt held several senior positions with major corporations, including Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP).  

She holds a Master's degree in Finance from HEC Montréal and holds a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA/CGA) designation.

Mr. Véronneau brings over 30 years of leadership experience across investment management, infrastructure, industrials, and legal sectors. Prior to rejoining AtkinsRéalis, he served as Senior Managing Director and Global Head of Real Estate Investments at PSP Investments, where he oversaw a global portfolio valued at approximately $38 billion.

He previously served as Executive Vice-President and Chief Transformation Officer at AtkinsRéalis, where he played a pivotal role in launching the company’s transformation strategy. Earlier in his career, he held senior executive roles at Bombardier, including Senior Vice-President, Strategy and Corporate Development. He also served as Managing Director, Investment Banking at TD Securities, and held legal and corporate development leadership roles at Abitibi-Consolidated, including Vice-President and General Counsel, and later Vice-President, Strategy and Corporate Development.

Mr. Véronneau began his career in 1994 practicing law in the fields of Securities Law and Mergers & Acquisitions at Lavery de Billy and served in the Canadian Armed Forces as Company Commander.

He currently serves on the board of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and has previously served on the boards of Northcrest Developments and H2O Innovation.

He holds an LL.B. from the Université de Montréal and an LL.M. in International Business Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He also completed executive education in strategy at Harvard Business School and studied international private law at The Hague Academy of International Law.

He is recognized for his ability to lead complex transformations, execute strategic transactions, and build high-performing teams across diverse industries and geographies.