Curtins CEO announces retirement
After a four-decade-long career at engineering consultancy, Curtins, chief executive Rob Melling has announced his retirement.
Melling took over as chief executive in 2004. In this time, he has overseen an office expansion to 14 locations, appointment on project masterplans in excess of £1bn and, most recently, its transition to an Employee-Owned Trust.
Employed by Bill Curtin himself in 1981, Melling was recruited into the business, which has an office in Nottingham, as an apprentice. Just over a decade later, he’d progressed to having responsibility over establishing a new office in Edinburgh, before joining Curtins’ board of directors in 1999.
Board director Paul Menzies has worked alongside Melling for more than 20 years. He said: “Where we were once just a civil and structural engineering firm, now we’re also a business with heart.”
Melling added: “Curtins has been my whole career, and a hugely significant part of my life, but I feel very comfortable that now is the right time for me to step down. The business is in better shape than it has ever been with strong leadership, a resilient operational structure and an extremely healthy market share.”
The planning of the transition and appointing Melling’s successor has been underway for a number of months. Neil Parkinson has been appointed as the next CEO of Curtins and will formally step into the role on 1 January 2025.
Parkinson has been with the business for over 30 years.
Mellin said: “I can think of no-one better than Neil to take on this role. He knows the business inside out, and his passion and experience are the perfect fit to continue to build on Curtins’ legacy and lead the business into what I’m sure will be a bright and exciting future.”
