Mott MacDonald appoints Steven Bentley, Alison Ryan and Andy Witchell to its healthcare team

Mott MacDonald has made three new hires to its UK healthcare team; Steven Bentley as healthcare technical lead, Alison Ryan as deputy healthcare technical lead and Andy Witchell as strategy and development lead for health.

Steven Bentley will take the role of healthcare technical lead. Steven has over 30 years’ experience in engineering design consultancy as a Chartered Engineer and Chartered Project Manager. He has recently led the engineering design of one of Denmark’s new super-hospitals at Hillerod in Northzealand. Further healthcare experience includes the Isle of Man Hospital, Bishop Auckland Hospital, and Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. Steven’s role will be to provide technical support at a national level for the Europe healthcare sector. The role will include technical assessments, assistance on delivery, peer review at key design gateways, thought leadership, development of technical delivery models as well as training and competency assessments for colleagues.

Alison Ryan has joined as deputy healthcare technical lead. She has over 20 years’ experience of hospital design work, project management and delivery of many complex projects in the UK. Alison has recently been involved in the technical assurance review of the eight front runners in the National Hospitals Programme and further six agile business cases for NHS E&I, providing advice on the expectations and evolving strategies to address the Ministerial priorities for net zero carbon and other key aspects. Alison has also been appointed as President Elect of the Institute of Healthcare Engineering & Estate Management (IHEEM) for 2022-2024 and is the first female to be appointed to this role. At Mott MacDonald she will support the healthcare sector in the delivery of major technical advisory and multi-disciplinary service commissions, particularly digital transformation and net zero carbon aspects of healthcare buildings.

Andy Witchell has been appointed as a strategy and development lead for health. Andy has over 30 years of experience in the healthcare sector and joins from ENGIE, where he was strategy and development director for public sector across energy and complex service solutions. He was responsible for direction of travel, growth and leadership in a business that doubled in size to include nearly 50 hospitals and 300 schools, central government contracts and defence.

Steve and Alison are presently providing technical support to NHS England as part of Mott MacDonald’s Interim Delivery Partner to the New Hospital Programme, as well as technical advisory services to a number of UK NHS Trusts.

Steven Bentley said: “I’m very excited to be joining Mott MacDonald’s talented healthcare sector team, developing technical guidance to support the UK’s new hospital building programme on nationally important priorities including health and social improvement, net zero carbon, modern methods of construction, and the development of the intelligent hospital.”

Alison Ryan said: “The new opportunities in the UK healthcare sector and beyond are very exciting. I look forward to the challenges ahead and building on the 20 years’ of healthcare experience that I have gained so far. I believe that my experience will provide an enhanced level of technical expertise on schemes and help drive forward our skills in this sector.”

Andy has already stepped into leading Mott MacDonald’s future strategy development and co-ordinating its growth opportunities. He said: “Health as a global market currently faces its greatest ever challenge, evolving through the global pandemic and positioning for the fight against climate change. I’m delighted to join the new senior team driving forward Health at Mott MacDonald as we support our health delivery partners as partner of choice for the development and delivery of business cases, transformation of assets and services and addressing the challenges of zero carbon.”

Rhydian Morgan, Mott MacDonald’s UK & Europe Health sub-sector lead​, said: “I’m delighted to bring Alison, Steve and Andy into our business to help us drive forward on a number of key fronts as we position to be the UK’s leaders in technical and advisory support to health clients. Its an exciting time in health and these individuals are each leaders in their field who will bring skills, knowledge and confidence to our clients and partners.”