Mott MacDonald has appointed Heather Marshall as Technical Principal in the company’s Water Consultancy systems thinking business.

The team helps clients integrate their interventions across the water, environment, social and infrastructure systems, creating more joined up solutions to the concurrent challenges of biodiversity loss, climate change and social equity.

With over 10 years’ experience in the water sector, Heather Marshall joins the leadership of a team that is internationally recognised for its cutting-edge approach, having undertaken pioneering projects that bring transformative change in water, environment, energy and beyond.

Mott MacDonald is working with Imperial College, on the Greater London Authority’s Subregional Integrated Water Management Strategy for East London, described by the client as transformative in having created the evidence to quantify system interdependencies and trade-offs.

Similarly, in partnership with North Star Transition, Mott MacDonald has helped Anglian Water understand how to create and finance a massive scale up in nature and landscape interventions across the Fens alongside their development of two major new reservoirs in Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire. The consultancy is now taking their systems offering further to create synergies in cities, health and education.

Commenting on her appointment, Heather Marshall said:

“Systems thinking is a real accelerator in developing programmes that benefit people and the planet. By making more joined up interventions we can create much greater impact. Mott MacDonald’s values align with my own and offer a real opportunity to challenge businesses to think longer term and bigger picture. It’s critical that we actively consider what we do today so that 50 years from now there will be clean water to drink, homes will not flood, and communities will have a safe, green space to enjoy.”

Brendan Bromwich, Mott MacDonald’s lead on systems thinking in Water Consultancy, added

“Systems thinking supports our commitment to create value through connected thinking. Heather shares our ambition for linking initiatives in a way that is transformative – moving beyond incremental change. She combines rigorous analytical skills, developed in finance and regulation, with an empathy and understanding of different perspectives established through stakeholder engagement. This fantastic blend of capabilities will enhance our offering across water, environment, digital and beyond – supporting clients who want to make a step change in tackling the challenges they face.”