The Environment Agency has expanded its senior engineering team with the appointment of Richard Lowey as deputy director for engineering and standards, reinforcing its focus on resilient infrastructure and long-term environmental asset management.
Lowey joined the organisation earlier this spring after an extensive career delivering technical leadership across some of the UK’s largest infrastructure and transport organisations.
Decades of experience across major infrastructure sectors
Throughout his career, Lowey has held engineering and strategic leadership positions within highways, rail, defence and consultancy environments.
His previous roles include senior positions at Kier Group, Atkins, WSP, URS Corporation, Network Rail, National Highways and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation.
Most recently, he served as capability lead for structural and geotechnical engineering at Kier, where he was involved in overseeing specialist engineering disciplines and infrastructure delivery capability.
Leading engineering standards and resilience
In his new role, Lowey will oversee technical engineering functions within the Environment Agency, supporting the management and development of infrastructure assets designed to improve environmental resilience and public protection.
The position will involve working alongside engineering specialists and technical teams responsible for delivering safe, sustainable and climate-adapted infrastructure solutions.
The Environment Agency continues to face growing pressures linked to flood resilience, ageing assets and climate change adaptation, increasing the importance of long-term engineering planning and standards management.
Focus on sustainable infrastructure delivery
The agency said the role will support wider objectives around sustainable development, environmental protection and the creation of infrastructure that benefits both communities and natural ecosystems.
Lowey acknowledged the move publicly through a LinkedIn announcement, describing his first few months at the organisation as both busy and rewarding.
He said he was looking forward to the next stage of work supporting infrastructure and engineering programmes aimed at delivering a more climate-resilient future.
Engineering expertise increasingly critical
The appointment reflects a wider trend across the infrastructure sector as public bodies and asset owners continue strengthening technical leadership in response to increasing environmental and operational challenges.
Engineering resilience, asset performance and sustainability are becoming increasingly central to long-term infrastructure planning across transport, flood defence and environmental management programmes throughout the UK.
