"Urban transformation in the policy context" – Keynote speech by Peter Head at the Holcim Forum 2007 “Urban_Trans_Formation”

Peter Head is Director of Arup, a leading global firm providing design, engineering, planning and business services, and the creative force behind many of the world’s most innovative and sustainable buildings, transport and civil engineering projects.

Headquartered in London, Arup has more than 10,000 projects running at any one time, and almost one quarter of their worldwide staff of 7000 are based in Hong Kong and China.

Peter Head graduated in Civil Engineering from Imperial College, London in 1969, and has become a recognized world leader in major bridges (he received an OBE for successfully delivering the Second Severn Crossing as Government Agent), advanced composite technology, consulting engineering management and now in sustainable development in cities.

He is project director for the planning and development of the Dongtan Eco-city near Shanghai. Arup aims for Dongtan to be self-sufficient, generating all energy from renewable resources, growing all food and recycling all waste – but also encouraging active citizenry, another component key for a sustainable society.

Peter Head was also appointed as Independent Commissioner on the London Sustainable Development Commission in 2002. He has won many awards for his work, including the Award of Merit of IABSE.

[last update: 21-April-2007]