Alan Sinclair

UK Head of Energy and Natural Resources

I take pride in working for an ambitious business that understands client challenges while providing a platform for opportunity, for everyone.

As UK Head of Energy and Natural Resources, my role is to help our clients deliver on the energy transition required under the Paris Agreement. I work closely with a team to provide clients with the solutions they need to overcome these challenges, focusing on four sectors: clean energy, conventional and low carbon energy, transmission and mining.

Our efforts are also very much focused on helping the wider industry to best cater for early career starters. With an ever- increasing skills shortage, digital innovation and some exciting major programmes and projects coming to fruition, the energy and natural resources industry can provide a crucial platform for new talent.

I’m a chartered engineer and dual qualified in construction law. For the early part of my career, I worked on several power generation schemes in the UK and Middle East before embarking on a couple of roles in the nuclear industry. This is where my passion for energy and natural resources first ignited.

I then focused my career on distressed projects and programmes, and gained experience in all forms of dispute resolution, both in the UK and internationally. This was quite an eye opener and gave me great insight to commercial and contractual issues that impact on major schemes. I learned the most during this part of my career, and I was able to convert this knowledge into supporting clients with major project and programme set-up.

Throughout my time at Turner & Townsend, I’ve headed up our claims and disputes, contract services team for the advisory segment of our business, before stepping into my homeland role as strategic lead for our Scotland region and leading our infrastructure business unit across the region.

The leadership opportunities afforded to me at Turner & Townsend, and mentoring from within the business, have enabled me to transition into my current role as UK Head of Energy and Natural Resources.

Career highlights

Promoted to UK Head of Energy and Natural Resources, joined UK Board
2023
Appointed to lead our infrastructure business in Scotland
2021
Joined Turner & Townsend to set up a contract services business in Scotland and support wider growth in the UK and Ireland
2013
Specialised in dispute resolution working alongside two adjudicators
2007-2009
Seconded to British Energy (now part of EDF), part of team responsible for civil and structural engineering safety case inspections for all eight Nuclear Power Stations in the UK
2002-2005

Q. What attracted you to join Turner & Townsend?

A. It’s an ambitious organisation and there’s opportunity to work on some of the most complex and significant projects and programmes across the UK and globally. Personal growth has always been a key factor for me, and I’ve always been able to see a clear opportunity for personal development here.

Q. How has your career at Turner & Townsend developed?

A. I joined the UK business as an Associate Director, shortly followed by my role to develop and oversee a claim and disputes team within the advisory arm, which led to exposure to many major projects and programmes and eventually to working in other markets, primarily infrastructure and energy and natural resources.

Q. Which project are you most proud of being involved in at Turner & Townsend?

A. There are two aspects that particularly excite me about a project – it's significance in the clean energy market and the opportunity it will create for our future workforce within this developing sector. A few UK major projects come to mind as leading examples, including Hinkley Point and Sizewell C, as well as the small modular reactor work by Rolls Royce and advanced modular reactors with newcleo.

Q. Describe your typical day.

A. Every day is different for me but, when I’m not travelling across the UK to meet my wider team or clients, I usually kick start my day with some form of exercise. The remainder of my day consists of meeting with our leadership team, monitoring our day-to-day business performance, speaking with clients, checking in on the team and horizon scanning the market for new business opportunities.

Q. What is the emerging trend in your industry specialism and how are you responding to this?

A. With a current skills shortage and digital transformation very much at the forefront of the construction industry, there’s a real need to attract new talent quickly and efficiently. The wider energy and natural resources sector provides an exciting platform to do so. We’re already part of specialist networks, such as the Nuclear Skills Taskforce who are making headway in meeting those needs.