Arup has announced a new board structure, with the current Group Chair Jerome Frost OBE stepping into a newly created CEO role from April 2025.
Hilde Tonne, former CEO of Norway’s transmission system operator Statnett SF, will join as Non-Executive Chair of the firm’s new Arup Group Limited Board. She brings a wealth of experience, having previously served as Executive Director at Telenor Group and Chief Innovation Officer at Ramboll Group. She has also held several non-executive board roles at companies like Vattenfall, Danske Bank and Det Norske Veritas, and was the Chair of Hafslund and The Norwegian Research Council. Tonne has been serving as a Non-Executive Director on Arup’s Group Board since 2023.
Since its trust-owned structure was first established in the late 1970s, the company has grown into a global consultancy working in over 140 countries. Today, it comprises more than 18,000 members (employees) – from designers and engineers to economists and ecologists. These governance changes reflect Arup’s continued growth and the demand for its services, enabling it to respond more swiftly to market opportunities.
The new structure, which takes effect from April 2025, will comprise:
Arup Group Limited Board (AGLB): appointed by the trustees and led by Hilde Tonne as Non-Executive Chair. The board’s role will be to provide oversight of strategy execution, the firm’s performance, compliance, and leadership appointments.
Executive Management Board (EMB): led by Jerome Frost OBE as CEO. The board will be responsible for Arup’s leadership, operations and implementing the strategy.
Arup Trustees: Mahadev Raman will continue as Chair of Trustees, maintaining the trustees’ role of safeguarding the firm’s independence, long-term success, and unique culture on behalf of Arup’s members.
Further appointments to the new boards will be shared in 2025.
Jerome Frost OBE, incoming CEO, said: “As a proudly independent, trust-owned firm, we focus entirely on our clients and consistently invest in research and technical expertise. Whether it’s designing more resilient rail infrastructure or using AI to protect people from rising urban heat, our autonomy enables us to deliver the greatest impact for our clients’ projects. I look forward to working closely with Hilde Tonne, whose leadership and experience will significantly enhance our efforts in shaping a better world.”
Hilde Tonne, incoming Non-Executive Chair of Arup, said: “Arup is globally renowned for its independent thinking and innovative problem-solving. The company’s commitment to helping clients with decarbonisation, building resilience, and deploying innovative technology solutions significantly enhances the quality of life for people around the world. In an era of AI and digital advances, there is immense potential for Arup to play an even greater role in addressing the challenges faced by communities, cities, and countries.”
Mahadev Raman, Chair of Arup Trustees, said: “These changes will ensure we preserve our unique ownership structure – a firm owned in trust, for the benefit of our members. Arup has transformed and grown over the decades, with over 18,000 members today – from engineers, planners and economists to psychologists, material scientists and ecologists. This is the natural next step in evolving our governance to meet the needs of a business of our scale, operating in an increasingly complex world. In Jerome and Hilde we have leaders that embody Arup’s values and culture and have the diversity of skills and experience needed to take Arup forward.”
