Meinhardt has announced the appointment of a new technical director in the West Midlands and revealed plans to invest in the creation of new jobs in the region.

The global multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy has hired experienced technical director and project manager, Richard James to lead the formation of a new team at its regional headquarters at Two Snow Hill, Birmingham.

The new technical highways and infrastructure team will be responsible for the delivery of high-level technical input into Meinhardt (UK’s) expanding portfolio of international projects, which includes significant developments throughout the Middle East. It is expected to create up to ten new jobs.

Richard James has more than 30 years’ industry experience in various senior management roles in the public and public sectors. They include technical director positions with environmental consulting company WSP, and engineering consultancy Arcadis, during which he delivered multidisciplinary projects in Saudi Arabia and Dubai.

More recently he oversaw the construction of an 800-unit housing development in the East Midlands on behalf of a leading residential property developer.

Richard James said: “The opportunity to create a new team and deliver significant projects in the UK and internationally is hugely exciting. Meinhardt (UK) has a strong global presence and an outstanding reputation, and offers the challenge of working with clients of different nationalities and cultures. Having delivered large-scale projects in the Middle East, I look forward to using my experience and leading a new team of technical specialists to support me.”

Nathaniel Gregory, regional director at Meinhardt (UK), said: “Richard is a highly respected leader with a superb track record of delivering complex, multidisciplinary construction projects, especially in the Middle East. His demonstrable technical expertise, client liaison skills and financial management experience make him the ideal person to take on this new role and drive the formation of a talented new team of consulting engineers. Being based within the West Midlands also means that Richard has an in-depth understanding of the regional marketplace, which will support the ongoing development of our West Midlands-based team.”

Meinhardt (UK) launched its West Midlands office in 2019 and has since delivered several regional projects including civil and structural design consultancy services at the 14-storey Timber Yard residential development in Birmingham’s Southside district, and MEP services at the £165 million Soho Wharf scheme, both on behalf of The Galliard Apsley Partnership.

It was also appointed by Midgard to deliver façade access consultancy services as part of the development of the world’s first octagon-shaped residential tower at the Paradise scheme in Birmingham city centre.

Last year, the firm announced Birmingham as the location for its new UK hub for the delivery of integrated design management services, which supports 50 Meinhardt offices worldwide.