Barbara joined Mace as a graduate civil engineer in 1997 and has delivered projects across many sectors of the industry. During her career she has lived in the UK, Hong Kong and Russia, from where she has worked on projects across a broad range of countries, from Macau to the Maldives and Singapore to Serbia. Before her current secondment to the Royal Household, Barbara was Mace’s regional director responsible for Western Europe and Global Clients.
In 2022, Barbara was named in the Cranfield School of Management ‘Women to Watch’ list, which identifies leading female professionals from across all industries, globally. In 2013 Barbara won the ‘Outstanding Woman in Construction Award’ at the UK's Women in Construction Awards, where judges cited her “outstanding career as an inspiration for all women in engineering, property and construction professions”. She is a Trustee of the Mace Foundation and a former Board member of British Expertise.
She is passionate about inclusion, diversity and developing talent. She works with Whitehall & Industry Group (WIG) on their mentoring programme, alongside the industry focused Mentoring Circle and the Royal Academy of Engineering Leadership Scheme, of which she is an alumni and a steering group member.
Barbara is a Fellow of the Institute of Civil Engineer and a Fellow of the Association of Project Managers.
Barbara Welch
programme director
Mace