Insights for what's next

Explore practical perspectives that turn complex challenges and emerging trends into real-world outcomes.

466 items
aerial of coastline
Big Questions

How can nations protect their coastlines and water systems as climate risks intensify?

Rising sea levels, climate change and growing urban density are increasing pressure on Singapore’s coastal and water infrastructure. Without long-term planning, this pressure will only intensify. The challenge is multifaceted: strengthen coastal and flood resilience and secure the nation’s water future, all while contending with limited land availability, dense urban development and the need to keep communities and industries functioning with minimal disruption. This is where Jacobs’ Senior Project Manager, Reve Chin Jen Yee, steps in. Working at the forefront of Singapore’s most ambitious coastal, stormwater and water infrastructure programs, Reve supports clients to tackle escalating risks head‑on. He advances Singapore’s climate resilience through coastal protection planning, designing waterways that withstand tidal and stormwater pressures and driving system upgrades that safeguard the country’s water infrastructure for decades to come. Backed by over 20 years of geotechnical, civil and structural engineering experience, Reve brings deep technical expertise, strong regulatory knowledge and a future-ready mindset to Singapore’s nation-shaping projects. What drives Reve is a profound commitment to protecting people, communities and the places they call home. As climate pressures intensify, he sees engineering not just as a technical discipline, but as a responsibility to ensure future generations inherit a safer and more secure environment.

Reve Chin Jen Yee
water droplet
Thought Leadership

Redefining risk for a more complex water future

Australia’s water industry faces rising cost pressures and climate uncertainty as well as aging infrastructure. As complexity grows, utilities must rethink how risk is assessed, governed and shared to support more adaptive and resilient outcomes. Jacobs Director of Operations, Water, Australia and New Zealand, Kate Simmonds outlines why evolving governance frameworks will be critical to improving performance and decision-making.

Kate Simmonds
water treatment plant
Big Questions

How can community-rooted leadership shape the future of water reliability?

Since 2023, Jacobs has provided operations and maintenance services to Jackson, Mississippi’s O.B. Curtis and J.H. Fewell water treatment plants (WTPs) with one clear mission — deliver safe, clean and reliable drinking water to a community that has endured years of chronic failures. By improving operations and automation and employing skilled talent, Project Manager Amy McLeod and her team enabled the WTPs to achieve full compliance for the first time in a decade. For Amy, her work is more than just a job; it’s a responsibility and commitment to her operators and the community she has come to call home. Answering Jackson’s call Originally from Kentucky, Amy planted her roots in Mississippi more than 20 years ago. After earning her degree in geological engineering from the University of Mississippi, she spent nearly two decades with the Mississippi State Department of Health, overseeing 100 water systems across the central region. While Amy was with the Department of Health, an emergency was declared in Jackson, and she immediately stepped in to help stabilize operations at the WTPs. What she saw during that response — the dedication of the operators and the need for long-term support — made a lasting impact. In 2023, she joined Jacobs to focus her efforts fully on Jackson, first as an assistant project manager, and later as project manager. A team built from the community it serves For Amy and her team, their work at the WTP is personal. Several team members were born and raised in Jackson

Amy McLeod
sustainable architecture
Big Questions

How can architecture help mitigate risks related to climate change and ensure long-term building resilience?

With more than two decades of experience delivering complex, high-performance developments, Brian Cook is a seasoned architectural leader in civic, life science and commercial mixed-use design. As technical principal of architecture, laboratory planning and interiors based out of Boston, Massachusetts (MA), Brian drives design excellence and technical innovation for large-scale, multi-phased projects across the U.S. and internationally. In addition to his technical leadership, Brian plays a pivotal role in business development locally for the Jacobs team in Boston, helping strengthen long-term client relationships and expand the company’s presence in the life science, advanced technology/manufacturing industries. Brian is widely recognized for his experience in custom building enclosures and complex façades. His leadership spans all phases of project delivery — from early visioning through construction — ensuring precision, quality and alignment with client goals. Driving innovation in life sciences and workplace design Brian’s impact is visible in the life sciences industry, where he leads projects with highly technical workplace and laboratory environments designed to advance research, collaboration and employee wellbeing. CRISPR Therapeutics – Research & Development Headquarters, South Boston, MA Brian was the principal-in-charge for the CRISPR Therapeutics new research and development headquarters. This new 263,500-square-foot, seven-story research and development facility redefines how people interact at work and how science is supported through design. The project recently received the New England International Interior Design Association Award in the Science & Research category. 400 Guest Street, Allston Yards – Boston, MA Brian oversaw the creation of a 630,000-square-foot life sciences campus targeting LEED

Brian Cook
Report

Review of airport charges

For more than 25 years, we have produced this annual report to help airport management teams, investors, finance sector analysts, and airlines gain a better understanding of how airports worldwide stack up in terms of relative operational and financial efficiency.

Report

Airport performance indicators

Flying high: 36 key indicators to optimize airport performance The question is: how do airports globally ensure they grow at a sustainable rate and generate more commercial value than industry peers? By measuring and optimizing the right metrics. We've done the hard work for you: our report, now complemented by an executive summary, takes readily available but complex industry information, applies our expert analysis using a best-in-class approach and pulls out key insights in the executive summary. Our report dives deep into the performance of 48 major airports from across the world using 36 key financial and operational performance metrics to elevate your strategic planning with real industry insights. Airports featured include Heathrow, Brisbane, Hong Kong, New York (JFK), San Francisco and Vienna. Whether you’re an airport interested in how your revenue performance per passenger compares to your peers, an airline seeking powerful insights to inform discussions with the airports you use, or a regulator wanting to understand an airport’s operating cost efficiency, this report is designed to provide you with insights to unlock better decision-making with normalized industry data. 5.2 billion passengers are expected to use airports globally in 2026 according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), marking a 4.4% increase from 2025 and the first time surpassing the five billion mark. These numbers underscore aviation's pivotal role in the global economy and show how airports have rebounded from the pandemic slump. However, not all airports are growing or performing at the same level, with the gap between

Aerial view of a gently curving paved road cutting through pale sand dunes, with scattered green shrubs casting long shadows across the arid landscape.
Thought Leadership

Driving results: how public private partnership agreements improve aging roads

How can governments keep roads safe and traffic flowing over time? This article explores how operations and maintenance provisions in brownfield highway Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) improve infrastructure outcomes and maximize long-term value. Download or continue reading below. Download Article Now (PDF 1.5MB) Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) — also known as P3s or Private Finance Initiatives (PFIs) — are long-term contracts between governments and private entities to finance, design, construct, operate and maintain facilities or services traditionally provided by the public sector. Often lasting 25-30 years, PPPs are commonly used to deliver infrastructure projects while sharing risks and rewards between both sectors. While the basic structure of PPPs can apply to many projects, key elements differ depending on the type of deal at hand. This article explores elements of PPPs specifically designed to address operations and maintenance of existing roads and highways. It also shares insights and recommendations for optimizing these agreements to boost infrastructure quality and performance. Why brownfield highway projects matter Brownfield projects focus on upgrading or expanding existing roads and highways. These projects are essential to extending the life of aging infrastructure, improving safety, traffic flow and/or user experience. PPPs often play a crucial role in delivering these projects and raising the quality of service for road users. The core goal of O&M activities in brownfield projects is to preserve existing road infrastructure over the long term. A correctly structured O&M PPP agreement transfers day-to-day management, operations and maintenance responsibilities to the private sector with clearly specified

nuclear abstract
Q&A

Powering up nuclear growth: why the right planning process matters

With 37 years of planning experience, Ian Fletcher has tackled key infrastructure challenges across sectors. For the past 17 years, he’s focused on securing approvals for some of the U.K.’s most complex programs, including the Thames Tideway Tunnel and Southampton to London Pipeline. Major infrastructure demands bold problem-solving and deep collaboration—two hallmarks of Ian’s award-winning career. He has led six major development consent orders (DCOs), the planning and approval mechanism for nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs). Now, as civil nuclear energy becomes a Critical National Priority for the U.K., Ian is bringing his consenting process skills alongside Jacobs’ wider nuclear capability, helping guide projects through the high-stakes planning process. In this Q&A, Ian shares insights on how effective consenting can accelerate nuclear development and what’s ahead for the first small modular reactors (SMRs) in the U.K. How does getting the consenting process right help nuclear projects succeed? DCOs come with numerous commitments and conditions. It’s about getting the details right to ensure better implementation. In civil nuclear, developers face multiple hurdles, from financing to strict regulatory requirements. Planning is one of the most visible, and often most challenging, parts of the process, especially as it provides the public the clearest opportunity to weigh in. Successful consenting sometimes means pushing back, even on client requests. The key is knowing when to say yes and when to say no to protect long-term project outcomes. That decision-making depends on experience—especially in surveying, mitigation and design— where the greatest cost impacts are often defined

Ian Fletcher
pharmaceutical manufacturing
Big Questions

How can pharmaceutical companies scale capacity faster across complex global markets?

Maurice Gillen supports pharmaceutical companies to navigate rapid change by delivering complex manufacturing facilities across Europe with speed, reliability and global scale. As senior vice president and general manager for Jacobs’ Life Sciences business in Europe, he leads multidisciplinary teams that turn capacity challenges into real‑world outcomes.

Maurice Gillen
Hands holding glass with fresh pure water and showing thumbs up gesture
Thought Leadership

The US lead and copper rule improvements: A roadmap for water systems

Get ready for U.S. Environmental Protection Act’s (EPA) final Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) with actionable insights from Jacobs’ thought leaders and real-world examples from Wilmington, Delaware. This article highlights key compliance deadlines, funding strategies and practical steps utilities can take to prepare.

Power plant with tree
Big Questions

How do we rapidly deploy resilient energy infrastructure at scale in today’s fast-paced market?

As gas generation sees a resurgence globally, clients face a new set of challenges: strained supply chains, compressed schedules and unprecedented demand. Decarbonization needs prioritizing — but challenges can arise when energy systems move faster than technology, supply chains or commercial realities allow. In many markets, gas-fired generation continues to play a critical role as a dependable source of power, especially as access to renewables increases and demand accelerates from sectors like Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centers. The focus isn’t just on building gas assets; it’s on how they’re built. Today’s gas facilities are designed with adaptability in mind, enabling future transitions to lower-carbon fuels or sustainable alternatives. Speed to market, operational flexibility and lifetime efficiency are equally important, with balanced deployment strategies and diverse technology solutions meeting dual targets of reduced emissions and maximum output. This is especially evident in the surge in energy demand driven by the global data center boom happening now — particularly in the U.S. Staying ahead of the increasingly competitive landscape is a key focus for Jacobs’ Power Generation and Global Market Director Steve Vincent, who works with major corporations and developers to deploy reliable on-site integrated power generation systems for variable load infrastructure. A global perspective on energy transition A 20-year Jacobs veteran who has lived and worked across seven countries, Steve brings a truly global perspective to gas generation. His career spans all forms of power development in places like Kenya, Saudi Arabia and the U.S, leadership roles across Asia, and most

Steve Vincent
tunneling equipment
Q&A

A view on the future of tunnel & ground engineering: A Q&A with Mark Johnson

Tunnel and ground engineering works have a profound impact on the world by reshaping the very foundation of our landscapes and urban environments. In this Q&A, Jacobs Global Cross Market Director for Tunnel & Ground Engineering Mark Johnson talks about the impacts of tunnel & ground engineering, what clients are focusing on, and highlights trends co-creating the world to come.

Mark Johnson

  • Future Foundations

    Co-creating the world to come

    From developing climate resilience and transitioning to a low-carbon future, to modernizing and transforming infrastructure, governments and businesses face critical challenges. How they respond will define our future.

    As our clients navigate these challenges, we help them think differently – working together to pioneer tomorrow's infrastructure solutions and build the foundations for a prosperous, secure future. 

    Visit Future Foundations
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