Peter Hansford appointed as Chair of the Board of Directors for TEDI-London

His appointment was preceded by that of medical device specialist and chemical engineer, Dr Chris Roberts, whose term concludes in May after serving on TEDI-London’s Board of Directors since its inception in 2019.

Having worked in the civil engineering and infrastructure industries for over 40 years, Hansford brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his newest position. He was awarded a CBE in 2020 for services to innovation in civil engineering, and has held numerous senior appointments during his career, including serving as the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)’s President in 2011, and as the government’s chief construction adviser between 2012 and 2015. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, and served as the Chair of Engineers Without Borders UK – one of TEDI-London’s industry partners – from 2011 to 2017. 

“We are very pleased to have Peter Hansford taking over as our new Chair of the Board”, commented Professor Judy Raper, Dean & CEO at TEDI-London. “We look forward to working with him to shape the future of TEDI-London, as well as seeing our students benefit from the valuable insights and networking opportunities he can offer them. Given his many achievements within the industry, there were a whole host of opportunities available to him, so we’re delighted that he chose TEDI-London. He will be a wonderful inspiration to our students, demonstrating how much they can achieve through hard work and dedication as they embark on their engineering careers.” 

Hansford's appointment brings further esteem to TEDI-London, which has already worked with an impressive range of partners; from start-ups, SME's and charities to larger businesses such as British Land and RS Group. Founded by three global partners – Arizona State University, King’s College London, and UNSW Sydney -, TEDI-London itself stems from a vision to bring more diverse and globally focused problem-solvers into the industry.

Having welcomed its second student cohort last year – achieving an overall student population comprising 39% females and 71% members of ethnic minority groups -, TEDI-London is already succeeding in fulfilling this vision, through its innovative teaching and admissions processes as well as changing the narrative around what engineers can do. As the institute prepares to grow its student population and scale its business model, Hansford’s expertise and guidance will be instrumental in supporting its next steps. 

Commenting on his appointment, Peter Hansford said: “I’m very pleased to begin my new venture as TEDI-London's Chair of the Board of Directors. Despite having retired, I was drawn to TEDI-London when I came across the opportunity because its mission resonated with me. Engineering education tends to focus heavily on detailed theory relating to one discipline, which doesn’t represent what the real world is like. TEDI-London's generalised degree programme will help to develop the well-rounded, creative, and globally responsible engineers that the future needs, and I'm excited to be a part of it!”