Bon Voyage to the Bon Viveur
30/06/21
Well, it's fair to say it's a Big News Week this week in the world of AWP. Following on from the announcement yesterday that we have moved to Ada House at Pynes Hill, today we bid farewell to long-standing colleague, Director and founding partner of AWP, Rob Ward, who is set to sail off into the sunset to enjoy his retirement.
Rob started his career back in 1987 with Gifford & Partners, working as an assistant engineer supervising the construction of a series of viaducts, bridges and culverts on the North Devon Link Road. Over time he built his career working on a mixture of water engineering, waste management, building and development infrastructure projects, predominantly working with Jacobs Babtie. This included a variety of significant projects, including Lemon Quay in Truro, Hayle Harbour Redevelopment and the construction of Guernsey Airport Terminal. After moving to WSP in 2005, Rob took the opportunity to broaden his horizons with international work, helping to deliver a number of high profile schemes across the globe including the Middle East, India and South East Asia whilst also taking responsibility for the south-west regional Development Infrastructure Team back in the UK.
In 2012 he partnered with Ian Awcock and took the plunge to establish a new business, Awcock Ward Partnership, with the Vision of “being recognised in the south west as the leading provider of quality civil engineering design services to the development industry”. Since then AWP has grown from the initial Group of 7 start-up beavering away in a forgotten corner of Ashford House to a (still growing) team of 34 helping to deliver a wide-range of significant development projects across the south-west and further afield.
Although the pandemic means that the start of his retirement may not be exactly how he imagined it would be (watching the Lions vs South Africa on the telly rather than in the stadium for one!), we’re sure it won’t be long before Rob dusts down his passport and gets back out to see more of the world. He’ll also be out and about locally and a Chiefs match is usually a good place to bump into him for a chat…
AWP will be heading out for a Covid compliant BBQ tonight to mark the occasion, at what is truly the end of an era for us. Best Wishes to Rob for the future from the whole team…