Construction figures in king’s birthday honours

Among those honoured by the new king are Anne Bentley, who becomes a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for services to construction.

Anne Bentley spent 20 years as a director of construction consultant Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB), including a stint as global chair, before stepping down last October. She has also been prominently involved with numerous industry organisations including the Construction Industry Council and the Construction Leadership Council.

Also becoming CBE are David Kilburn, who co-founded MKM Building Supplies in Hull 28 years ago, for services to the construction Industry and to charity.

Similarly recognised with a CBE is Professor Muhammed Basheer, chair in structural engineering at the University of Leeds since 2014, for services to civil engineering, and Janet Young, director general of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) for her previous work in the Cabinet Office as government head of property profession.

OBE recipients include Dr Young's recently retired predecessor at the ICE, Nick Baveystock, for services to engineering.

Also getting an OBE are: Barry Neilson, chief executive of the Construction Industry Training Board Northern Ireland, for services to economic development; Howard Smith, director of the Elizabeth Line; architect Sunand Prasad, chair of the UK Green Building Council, to go with the MBE that he already has; Christian Van Der Nest, Transport for London's resilience and partnership lead, for services to London's transport and the state funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II; and Jacqueline O’Donovan, managing director of construction waste management specialist O’Donovan Waste Disposal, who last year sold up to Swedish waste company Sortera.

New MBEs include:

• Iain Boyd, lately chair and trustee of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, for services to heritage
• Professor David Cooper, for services to lift and escalator engineering
• Caroline Hamilton, chief executive of the Safety Assessment Federation, for services to business and to engineering
• Robin Herringshaw, head of resilience at National Highways, for services to the state funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
• Dr Mark McBride-Wright, founder and chief executive of EqualEngineers, for services to diversity, equity and inclusion in engineering
• Richard Selby, managing director of Pro Steel Engineering and chair of the Institute of Directors, for services to the economy and to charity in Wales
• Sharon Young, director of WSP and formerly principal project engineer on the Elizabeth Line (Bond Street station) for Transport for London, for services to rail transport in London.

Ian Henry, director of Northern Ireland construction company Henry Brothers, also receives an MBE for services to the economy and to charity in Northern Ireland.

He was president of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce in 2020 when the covid pandemic emerged.

Ian Henry said: “It is a true privilege to be named on the King’s Birthday Honours list and I am humbled to be included amongst such esteemed company. I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside a vast number of talented individuals within the construction industry and also from the wider business community and am extremely proud of the positive changes that we have all achieved in this time.”

Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk