John Downer
Client Account Director for Rail Solutions
Jacobs
Offering a unique background and diversity of thought to the rail industry, John is a Chartered Wastes Manager and Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM). John held several prominent roles in CIWM providing good grounding for the RIA Board: A Trustee and sat on the 29 member General Council of the CIWM from 2015 to 2018; A Centre Councillor on the CIWM’s London & Southern Counties Centre Council from 2012 to 2018; Chairman of the CIWM New Generation Group from 2003 to 2007; Constitution sub-committee 2017-2019, upgrading the constitution from 2002; passed by Privy Council in March 2019.
Throughout his CIWM tenure John passionately engaged with new and younger members, mentoring and coaching for professional interviews and chartership.
John has presented at 19 international and national waste and resource and sustainability conferences, seminars and events, e.g. including on circular economy in the transportation sector, and waste by rail. He has published 13 papers and industry journal articles to his name.
An environmental scientist by degree (BSc and MSc) and training, he worked in the waste PFI and PPP sector for ten years, leading Jacobs’ technical, procurement and commercial advisory services. This business case, procurement and transactions background has provided a diversity of thought in rail infrastructure delivery.
John joined the rail sector in February 2014, initially leading work winning and business development with HS2, Network Rail, TfL, DfT and the Historical Railways Estate.
He is presently the Client Account Director for Rail Solutions directing all of Jacobs’ market engagement in the rail sector.
John is 15 months into a 24 month long Executive MBA course at Cranfield University (sponsored through the apprenticeship levy), from which he is currently applying corporate and marketing strategy learning by helping produce the Jacobs Buildings & Infrastructure Europe Strategy, our Transportation sub-strategy and our Network Rail and HS2 client strategies. Off the back of the MBA he has just joined the Chartered Management Institute.
John has been the client account manager for HS2, overseeing the relationships and smooth delivery of Jacobs various contracts with HS2; notably the Engineering Delivery Partner, main works civils contract with ALIGN, and Phase 2b environmental services and environmental overview consultant. He led Jacobs engagement on the strategic supplier relationship management programme at HS2. He spent six months full time leading the management of conflicts of interest during and after the acquisition of CH2M Hill, establishing himself as the go-to person in the business for conflict of interest with other clients and sectors.
John has been a Board Director of High Speed Rail Industry Leaders since October 2017, and a member of the HSRIL Steering Group since June 2017. Through his Board position, John: Proactively engages with media writing articles and press releases; Speaks on conference panels; Chaired the February 2019 high speed rail workshop in Budapest on behalf of DfT and DIT; Sits on the DfT’s High Speed Rail Export Strategy working group; Proudest achievement to date is initiating and producing the October 2018 report “Laying the Foundations for Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing.”
John leads Jacobs’ engagement with RIA and has been seeking opportunities to provide greater input to RIA for which he has the time for full involvement in the Board. He has struck up a solid and trusted relationship with Darren Caplan through HSRIL. He has attended the RIA innovation conference in 2018, attends the consultants’ group, PACN, parliamentary reception and roundtables.
John previously championed our Young Rail Professionals silver sponsorship and has pushed for our (post-CH2M acquisition) re-engagement, which we are literally just signing up to.
Within Jacobs, John is: On the Rail Business Leadership Team; A Positive Mental Health first aider; An Inclusion and Diversity champion; A former BeyondZero committee member; One of the nine committee members presiding over the prestigious Joseph J Jacobs Master Builder Awards; On the CEO’s Advanced Leadership Development Cohort.
Outside of work, and having played hockey at the highest national level, John is a Vice President of Reading Hockey Club, and a Level 3 National League qualified hockey umpire. At 9am each Sunday, with his son and daughter, he is an enthusiastic assistant to the U8 head coach (his wife)!