Published
We’re delighted to announce the formal appointment of three new members to the Major Projects Association Board, confirmed at last night’s AGM & Annual Dinner.
Please join us in welcoming Mark Dearden, Al Simmonite, and Chris Taylor-Dawson to the Board. Each brings a wealth of experience, perspective, and energy from the across the major projects landscape – and will play a vital role in helping to deliver the Association’s Strategy 2030.
Below, our new Directors share a little about their background – and what they’re most looking forward to as they join the Board.
Mark Dearden, Executive Director, Infrastructure Projects Delivery (IPD), AWE
Mark became Executive Director, Infrastructure Projects Delivery (IPD) at AWE on 1 October 2025.
Mark joined AWE in January 2025 to lead the Infrastructure Projects Delivery (IPD) programme as Portfolio Director. His vision extends beyond project delivery, he is passionate about developing people, fostering leadership, and building a legacy of excellence. Mark champions collaboration, transparency, and bold decision-making, believing that success is built through cohesive teamwork and learning from challenges.
Mark is a seasoned project and programme leader with over 30 years of experience at executive and strategic levels across infrastructure, defence, and energy sectors. A Chartered Civil and Structural Engineer, Mark has led complex initiatives in oil and gas, civil nuclear, and submarine programmes, both in the UK and internationally.
His career spans 16 years of global experience, having delivered major projects across the Caribbean, US, Asia, and Africa. Mark has held pivotal leadership roles, including spearheading the MEH Alliance at Sizewell C, resetting infrastructure and submarine programmes at Devonport, and contributing to the UK defence programme supporting Ukraine. He also led the key assurance review of HMS Vanguard during its major refit, reinforcing his deep commitment to the Continuous At-Sea Deterrent (CASD).
“I’m delighted to join the Board of the Major Projects Association, helping shape its strategic direction and governance. Being a Board member means more than oversight, its about setting vision, championing best practice, and ensuring our profession delivers projects that create lasting value.
With experience across UK and international sectors, I know diversity, inclusion and knowledge-sharing drive stronger project outcomes. I’m committed to fostering collaboration, building capability, and supporting the profession as we tackle challenges like achieving net zero. I look forward to working with colleagues across the Major Projects Association community to strengthen our collective impact and deliver positive change for society.”
Al Simmonite, Managing Director, The Advance Consultancy Ltd
Many will recognise Al Simmonite as a long-standing member – and regular face! – within the Association. We are especially pleased to welcome him to the Board in this new capacity.
Al is the Managing Director of The Advance Consultancy Ltd, a business focused on supporting organisations to deliver outcomes more effectively in complex environments. The focus for the business in recent years has been supporting the development of professional collaboration in project teams delivering complex projects in the infrastructure and transport sector.
Prior to joining Advance, Al has been a Project Management functional director and has been involved in complex project and programme management for 15 years including the delivery of complex projects, programmes and portfolios as both a client and supplier, developing new collaborative ways of working across the client-supplier interface in the Ministry of Defence.
Al's background is as an Aerospace Engineer with 20 years as a Royal Airforce Engineer Officer, subsequently shifting into the aerospace industry, across into transportation and now into a multi-sector consultancy. With Advance, Al has supported teams, projects, and organisations to develop appropriate and effective leadership and collaborative environments. Al has been closely involved with the Association's Inclusion Hub and has a particular interest in allyship and supporting inclusive workplaces.
"I'm excited to join the Board as the Association navigates an increasingly complex and ambiguous major projects landscape. Having championed project sponsorship and inclusion for years within the Association, I look forward to amplifying these topics and the SME voice and challenging to ensure as an Association we don't fall into comfortable consensus. Can the Association drive the conversation beyond "just building big stuff" to shaping how we deliver societal outcomes through major projects? As MD of a B Corp Company, I'm passionate about ethical and sustainable business and excited to see how we can explore better opportunities for major projects to become part of the solutions."
Chris Taylor-Dawson, Senior Director, Major Projects and Markets, Ofwat
Chris Taylor-Dawson is the Senior Director for Major Projects at Ofwat, providing leadership to the water industry’s £50bn pipeline of new water resources and major infrastructure projects. A chartered mechanical engineer with an early career in the water industry, Chris went on to set up National Highways’ Complex Infrastructure Programme, which he led for 10 years. During this time, he successfully delivered the award-winning £1.5bn A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme. He also oversaw the ongoing £1bn A428 Black Cat improvements project and played a pivotal role in major schemes such as the A303 Stonehenge tunnel and the early stages of the Lower Thames Crossing.
We’re thrilled to welcome Mark, Al, and Chris to the Board and look forward to working together as we continue to strengthen the Association’s reach and impact across the major projects community.
“I’m delighted and honoured to be joining the Board of the Major Projects Association and supporting the organisation in delivering its Mission. In my career I have benefited from individuals sharing their experience, time and support to me as I sought to wrestle with delivering big projects, and all the challenges and excitement that they bring. I’m particularly keen to understand how the Association supports those individuals whose day-to-day work is in the crucible of project delivery, and how we could make our offering more accessible, valuable and impactful for members.”