SIR ALAN COCKSHAW - BUILDING BRIDGES - CONNECTING PEOPLE

 SIR ALAN COCKSHAW 

BUILDING BRIDGES - CONNECTING PEOPLE

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By Post: Mail to Lynn Davidson, The Memoir Club, 34 Lynwood Way, South Shields, Tyne & Wear, NE34 8DB cheque payable to Lynn Davidson.

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Building Bridges - Connecting People is an examination of the life and work of one of the UK’s most distinguished civil engineers. Written in his inimitable style, it is an engaging portrait of a driven man and his charm and lust for life. In this fascinating autobiography, readers will learn about Sir Alan’s early years and his engineering education under esteemed mentors, showing both the highs and lows of a life lived in the spotlight.

 

It is an honest story but also a useful historical document, giving a contemporary account of some major infrastructure developments written from an engineer’s point of view. It outlines the combination of grappling with technical problems, and the added challenges of politics.

 

His forty years of involvement in urban regeneration, vast business leadership experience and local knowledge were invaluable during the regeneration of Hulme and the rebuilding of Manchester city centre.

 

Sir Alan discusses his belief that engineers are problem solvers not problem creators. He emphasizes that the future of engineering requires more cooperation and partnering which would provide huge cost savings and greater efficiencies. He discusses the need for local and central government and the private sector to work together for the benefit of society as a whole. 

AUTHOR

Sir Alan Cockshaw is a highly respected figure in the business world. Born in Manchester he spent his early career in both the public and private sectors. He became the Chief Executive of Fairclough Civil Engineering in 1978 and a Director of Amec in 1982 before his appointment as Group Chief Executive in 1984. In 1988 he became Chairman until his retirement in 1997.

 He was Chairman of Manchester Millenium (1996-2000), English Partnerships and Commission for the New Towns (1998-2001) and Roxboro plc (1998-2002).

He became a Director of Pidemco, Singapore (1991-2001), Director of CapitaLand, Singapore & UK, and the International Advisory Board (2001-2007).

He was Chairman of the Governors of Bolton School (1997-2007) and Chairman of the Major Projects Association (2005-2010).

 He became a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 1986 and was President of the Institution of Civil Engineers (1997-98). He holds two Honorary Doctorates from Manchester and Salford Universities.

He was knighted in 1992.

FOREWORD

by

The Rt Hon. the Lord Heseltine CH

It is a curiosity of ministerial life that there is no formal process of training. One day you are a backbencher with a constituency to look after aided by whatever public or private sector experience that preceded your election to the House of Commons. A day later you are seated behind a desk appropriate to the dignity and status as one of His Majesty’s ministers responsible for policy direction over a myriad of issues about which you may have little knowledge or experience. You will of course, have a feel for what your party expects of you! An outside observer may feel that there must be a better way to run a whelk stall.

I revert to the concept of training ministers. If I were to design such a scheme Alan’s book would be required reading. He brings the objectivity of a trained professional to the multi-disciplined challenges of public policy. I share his view that once an objective has been set the first essential is to put someone in charge and create a mechanism to deliver. Results will invariably depend on cooperation between the public and private sectors based on an understanding of the essential contributions that both can bring. He makes the important point that as many of the problems to be solved have similarities abroad it makes sense to see how other countries cope.

There is a fashion to promote recently graduated party enthusiasts to act as political advisers to ministers. I never did that but time and again I appointed advisers to bring their specialist expertise into the heart of the civil service. Alan’s story is a role model of how men and women with proven track records can be attracted into public service for the enrichment of us all.

 

Sir Alan and his wife Brenda have four adult children and live in the Manchester area.