Collaboration, communication and compassionate colleagues: Ruth Shilston’s must-haves for success

Global practice lead for engineering sciences Ruth talks to us about working across time zones, embracing autonomy and how engineering is a team sport.

Give us a brief summary of your role

I look after technical excellence for our specialist engineers in the buildings sector, from the façade engineers to the fire engineers to our sustainable buildings experts. Part of my role is to provide funding to allow people to develop innovative things, ensuring we have the right tools to deliver all of our specialist engineering. I’m also responsible for ensuring we have consistent quality assurance and quality control as well as consistent standards and ways of working across our teams globally.

You’ve recently been awarded an MBE for services to sustainable engineering. How does that feel?

I was thrilled to receive an MBE in the 2026 New Year Honours List. At Mott MacDonald, I’m a subject matter expert in climate aware design, looking at how we design buildings and cities which are sustainable and resilient to a changing climate. Sustainable building design has always been a key part of my career so this is an amazing recognition of the work that I do.

Why did you choose your career path?

I’m actually a great example of the power of STEM engagement in schools. I was always really good at maths and science but, after I went on some courses run by The Smallpiece Trust, I realised that you can apply that ability to solve problems and design things. The creative application of science and maths really appealed to me, so I went on to study engineering design at the University of Bristol.
I’m currently a trustee of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers which allows me to continue to support STEM outreach. I’ve also worked with my daughter’s Brownie group to help them achieve their engineering badges. Hopefully I’ve inspired at least one young person to consider a career in engineering. That would be a nice full circle moment.

Why did you choose Mott MacDonald?

I was attracted by the scale and variety of projects at Mott MacDonald. I previously worked for a smaller company where we were typically a subconsultant to the lead consultant. I wanted to be somewhere I could be closer to the client and the project, and I was excited by the idea of having a leading role on major projects, such as sports stadia and transit hubs, that impact people’s lives.

What does it mean to you to be trusted to do brilliant things at Mott MacDonald?

As a global practice lead, I’m incredibly self-directed and expected to own the role. I have very light-touch line management and am trusted to be quite autonomous in how we deliver our technical disciplines globally. That’s a different mindset from being an engineer on a project, which can be very structured and task-oriented. That flexibility and ability to set my own agenda really suit me.

What does a typical day look like for you at Mott MacDonald?

Working globally means I don’t work a typical 9–5 day. I work at different times to speak to people all over the world, which I love. I might start my day at 7am with a call to Australia or finish it with a call to Canada at 10pm, but that doesn’t mean I work 15-hour days! I have young children, so getting up at 7am, doing a half-hour call, and then getting them ready for school is a normal part of my day. I love being in the office because I’m a people person, but I balance this with working at home to spend time with my children and be there for bedtime. Being trusted to do my job in whatever way works best for me, my team, and our clients is one of the best things about working for Mott MacDonald.

How do you collaborate with colleagues from different specialisms to achieve common goals?

My role is all about collaboration. I coordinate teams of building specialists to support the business in winning and delivering major projects across the world. For major projects, I find our best talent, so we could have a building physics expert in Australia supporting a team in the UK to deliver a project in the Middle East. My job is to facilitate that global collaboration. I love it because everyone brings something different to the table: some have very technical minds, others are creative problem solvers, but everyone’s end goal is the same—to deliver the best possible solution for our clients.

What advice would you give to someone just starting their career at Mott MacDonald?

Ask questions and talk to people. We have brilliant people at Mott MacDonald—find your people, reach out to them wherever they are, even if that takes you out of your comfort zone. Ask senior colleagues how they got to where they are, what they’re working on, and what they’re interested in. Engineering is a team sport—none of us can design a building on our own; we excel by working with others.

What resources or support at Mott MacDonald have been most beneficial to your growth?

For me, it’s the people at Mott MacDonald. I’ve been here two years and found everyone to be naturally friendly and helpful. People are happy to answer questions, and the company encourages knowledge sharing. There’s also an incredible volume of online resources and information available to support you in your professional and personal life. All of this has helped me grow and develop in my role and given me the tools to support others in my discipline.