The recent annual dinner of the Republic of Ireland local association of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) saw the presentation of the ICE RoI Outstanding Achievement Award for 2023 to Michael Hand, former CEO of Grangegorman Development Agency.

Each year, this award recognises a civil engineer who has made a significant contribution to the profession in Ireland. Candidates are nominated by previous recipients of the award, by the ICE RoI Committee and by the membership of the ICE in the republic. The recipient of the award is then decided by vote of the previous recipients.

Michael Hand is a Chartered Engineer, a chartered water and environmental manager and a chartered director, and is a fellow of ICE, Engineers Ireland, the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management and the Irish Academy of Engineering. In a career spanning almost 50 years, he has left an indelible mark on Ireland’s infrastructure and personifies the commitment to society that is at the heart of the civil engineering profession.

Keith Elliott, right, chair, ICE Rol Branch and Michael Hand.

A professional of the highest integrity

He holds qualifications in civil engineering and the environment together with a master of business administration degree. In 2014, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Dublin Institute of Technology (now Technical University Dublin) in recognition of his contribution to engineering in Ireland. He is recognised by all who have worked with him as a professional of the highest integrity.

Graduating in 1976 with an honours degree in civil engineering from University College Galway (now the University of Galway), Hand began his career as an assistant engineer with Laois County Council, before joining consultants PH McCarthy in 1978.

Since then, he has gained more than 45 years’ experience working with multidisciplinary technical teams in the planning and design of critical civil engineering infrastructure throughout Ireland.

In particular, he has had key leadership roles, as project manager and project director, in the delivery of several major national infrastructure projects, from concept to completion.

He is a recognised business leader with a national profile and reputation for public and private sector project delivery, often in very challenging environments.

As such, he has demonstrated an in-depth knowledge of all aspects of infrastructure planning and construction, together with associated stakeholder management. He has worked with a variety of statutory planning models including Part 8, Strategic Development Zone Planning Scheme and Strategic Infrastructure Development routes.

Particular expertise in negotiating and managing joint venture agreements

He has demonstrated particular expertise in negotiating and managing joint venture agreements with technical service providers and contractors. He has worked successfully with a variety of infrastructure procurement models including design build, design build operate, and public private partnerships. He has extensive knowledge of public procurement, both as a service provider and as a client.

He is an experienced director, having held various board positions since the 1990s. He has acted as director and chairman of PH McCarthy Consulting Engineers Ltd and McCarthy Hyder Consultants Ltd.

He has also acted as a director of White Young Green Ireland Ltd, part of White Young Green Group plc, and as a director of Grangegorman Development Agency, a state entity. He has also served at board level in the voluntary community sector, most notably as director of Rathfarnham & District/Heritage Credit Union, trading in the regulated financial services industry.

Hand has particular expertise in strategic planning and driving strategic change, acquired from leadership positions in public, private and quoted companies, and in the voluntary sector. He has been involved in the development and implementation of numerous strategic plans in his career.

He acted as CEO of Grangegorman Development Agency from 2010 to 2016, successfully leading the organisation through a period of economic turbulence while advancing the Grangegorman urban redevelopment project through stakeholder engagement, planning and funding challenges in accordance with the strategic plan. Today, the project is recognised as a flagship national project and a symbol of Ireland’s economic recovery.

Throughout his career, Hand has been prominent in the various engineering and environmental professional bodies as a committee worker or presenter of technical lectures.

He has represented the organisations where he worked in various public fora. He has made numerous presentations to public meetings, consultations, and public inquiries. He has also given sworn evidence in the courts and to An Bord Pleanála hearings and has given numerous interviews on radio and TV and in the print media.

As a chartered director, via the Institute of Directors in Ireland, he has attained the highest independent standard for Irish company directors. Accordingly, he has been appointed an independent non-executive director of Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, EirGrid plc, Dublin Port Company and JB Barry Consulting Engineers.

Expertise in corporate governance and enterprise risk management

As well as his extensive civil engineering infrastructure experience, he brings expertise in corporate governance, enterprise risk management and strategic direction to these boards.

It is the true mark of a stellar career that Hand is still contributing to society at such a high level, more than 50 years after he embarked on his civil engineering career journey as a student in Galway. He has made a significant contribution to the advancement of the profession of civil engineering to date and continues to do so through his high-profile independent non-executive director positions.

On top of all his professional achievements, Hand has somehow managed to find time for a wide range of voluntary activities. In addition to his work with Rathfarnham Credit Union previously mentioned, he chaired the Development Committee of the Parish of the Divine Word, Rathfarnham for 17 years, he played a leading role in the operation and development of Ballinteer St. Johns GAA Club for 21 years and was chairperson of Edmondstown Golf Club for three years from 2018.

Presenting the award, Keith Elliott, chair of the ICE RoI Local Association, said: “Michael personifies all of the characteristics that our great profession aspires to, and more. He is a shining example of what civil engineers should be to society.”