How can early risk identification support safer, more adaptable tunnel solutions?

Major tunnel and underground infrastructure projects often face a common challenge: early decisions are made before risks are fully understood, which can limit flexibility later in delivery. On major rail and high‑speed rail programs, this can result in mitigations that carry significant cost or schedule impacts.

Anthony’s career has been shaped by these challenges. He began his engineering career in London, working on tunnel projects where he was drawn to the technical complexity of underground construction and the coordination required across disciplines to deliver safe, effective outcomes. As his career developed Anthony has worked regularly as contractor’s designer delivering complex and novel solutions to improve project outcomes. Today, in senior technical and design leadership roles, he continues to enjoy driving success on major tunneling projects across all stages of delivery.

As a tunnel engineer, Anthony understands the inherent uncertainties of building underground. Having worked across the full project lifecycle, he has seen how poorly understood early risks can emerge later in construction, and how new perspectives during tender and detailed design phases can reveal better solutions. His approach focuses on identifying risks early and maintaining a range of mitigation options, allowing projects to respond as conditions evolve rather than becoming constrained by early decisions.

On long‑duration programs such as high‑speed rail, Anthony applies this by favoring well‑defined option ranges, for example using alignment corridors rather than fixed alignments to retain flexibility as requirements evolve. Having worked in design management roles on complex road and rail projects, Anthony values collaboration across disciplines, recognizing that complex projects depend on effective integration between teams. Taking the time to understand different perspectives helps build trust and enables teams to find common ground and develop whole‑of‑project solutions that improve delivery and outcomes.

Anthony is motivated by seeing the decisions and solutions he contributes to become real infrastructure that benefits our communities. A principle he returns to is that while technical excellence matters, strong relationships, behaviors and stakeholder engagement lead to better solutions and support successful delivery.

With experience spanning five continents and more than 30 rail projects, Anthony brings global insight into the planning and delivery of complex underground infrastructure. His portfolio includes two high‑speed rail programs and involvement in projects that have set world‑record benchmarks for segmental lining — twice! Through these programs, he has helped clients anticipate risk, retain flexibility and translate complex design decisions into buildable, resilient outcomes.