Edward James McCann (born February 1968) is a British civil engineer. After studying atImperial College London he joinedBinnie & Partners and completed a masters degree in hydraulic engineering at theNational University of Mexico. He went on to work on flood defence schemes and the design ofHeathrow Terminal 5. After joiningExpedition Engineering as a director in 2002 he worked on theInfinity Bridge, theLee Valley VeloPark velodrome and theHigh Speed 2 railway. McCann served as president of theInstitution of Civil Engineers for the 2021-2022 session.
McCann was born in February 1968.[1] He decided on a career in civil engineering while attending a careers fair at the age of 17, which had three engineering stalls. He rejected electrical engineering and mechanical engineering as the examples of work he was given by the presenters were missile guidance systems and tank propulsion mechanisms and he didn't want to work on weaponry; the civil engineering presenter offered examples of work on roads, railways and water supplies. McCann went on to study for a bachelors degree in civil engineering fromImperial College London from 1986 to 1989.[2]
After graduation McCann joinedBinnie & Partners in 1990 (the company merged withBlack & Veatch in 1995), at the same time joining theInstitution of Civil Engineers (ICE) as a graduate member. The company paid for McCann to study for a masters of science degree in hydraulic engineering at theNational University of Mexico from 1992 to 1994 where he also learned Spanish. McCann works on the design of flood defence schemes in Nottingham before being seconded to contractorTaylor Woodrow for two years to work on a flood defence scheme in Cardiff. He became achartered engineer and a full member of the ICE in 1998. McCann worked on the design ofHeathrow Terminal 5 and reached the position of principal engineer at Black & Veatch.[2]
In 2002 McCann joinedExpedition Engineering, asmall and medium enterprise, as an associate director and helped to lead the firm's conversion to anemployee benefit trust in 2009.[2][3] McCann was the company's project director for theInfinity Bridge inStockton-on-Tees and for the2012 Summer Olympics velodrome atLee Valley VeloPark.[3][2] He discussed the design of the velodrome with Team GB cyclistChris Hoy who, he says, hold him the five secrets to building a fast cycle track. McCann and architect Mike Taylor's design was apparently successful; during the Olympics cyclists on the track set nine world records and twelve Olympic records.[2]
McCann has also worked on the redevelopment ofLa Monumental in Barcelona, England'sHigh Speed 2 railway,Sizewell C nuclear power station and theRolls-Royce small modular reactor factory.[4] He helped Expedition Engineering to winBuilding Magazine's Engineering Consultant of the Year in 2012.[4] After the London Olympics he worked with the Rio de Janeiro2016 Summer Olympics team to pass on learning.[2] His role at Expedition is now focussed onstart-up enterprises managed by the trust.[3]
McCann became afellow of the ICE in 2008 and from 2010 sat on the organisation's council.[2] From 2010 he has been aRoyal Academy of Engineering visiting professor of innovation at theUniversity of Strathclyde andUniversity College London. He is also a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and the Royal Academy of Engineering.[3] He sat on the ICE executive board from 2013 to 2018, when he became a vice-president. He became senior vice-president in 2020 and served as president from November 2021 to November 2022.[2] Since his presidency has joined an efficiency improvement working group at theInfrastructure Client Group.[4]
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| Preceded by | President of theInstitution of Civil Engineers November 2021 – November 2022 | Succeeded by |
