Our team

With more than 40 years’ industry experience, Mark Barwood was well placed to lead one of the largest construction value projects we have ever been involved in. A well-respected and passionate advocate of engineering, he is keen to ensure it remains a career option for the next generation.

Mark joined Alan Wood & Partners in 2014, having worked for major UK based consultancies and tier one contracting organisations on a variety of high value projects across the UK, Europe and the Middle East.   Mark joined the company in 2014 as Director of our, then new Lincoln office, within two years becoming a Board Director & Equity Partners.

At Lincoln he leads a team of twelve civil and structural engineers and building surveyors, all of whom benefit from his 40 years’ of experience in the industry.

Although Mark has worked across a large variety of construction sectors, he specialises in the delivery of multi-disciplinary complex industrial/process projects, both nationally and internationally and took the lead on the delivery of a £150m plasterboard manufacturing plant which produces over 50 million m² of board each year, one of Alan Wood & Partners largest construction value projects to date.

Mark’s Board responsibilities include business improvement and development and as part of this Mark leads on the company’s BIM Level 2 ISO 19650 Accreditation with Lloyds Register.

Mark is a passionate advocate of innovative, quality engineering and spends a great deal of time supporting and mentoring apprentices, trainee engineers and graduate engineers to ensure they continue to progress. He believes this is the key to creating a successful and sustainable team.

Mark is a Chartered Engineer and a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers.

A proud team player with a passion for helping people develop their skills, support and trust are key to Mark in heading up Alan Wood & Partners

Mark joined Alan Wood & Partners in December, 2012, as an Associate Surveyor and Project Manager and quickly set about expanding the company’s building consultancy services.

Since this time, Mark has expanded the team and added new services creating a department that now forms a significant part of our overall offering.

These achievements didn’t go unnoticed and Mark was one of five employees invited to join the board as equity Directors in 2015 and became Managing Director in January 2023.   He is involved in the vast majority of building consultancy projects in their early stages, providing guidance and practical support where needed. Mark additionally has Board responsibilities for information technology, property and premises.

Notable projects include leading on the 10-year transformation of Hull Minister, an award winning project he described as a labour of love, along with being involved in a number of landmark projects across Hull including the Campus for Digital Innovation (C4DI) and Arco’s National Distribution Centre extension, all of which are part of Hull’s continuing regeneration.

As a compassionate and dedicated leader, Mark places emphasis on trust within the business.

“I believe passionately in teamwork, I played sports where trust and true teamwork really does make the difference between satisfactory and great results. 

I strongly believe in building on the foundations laid by those who have worked and managed the business in the past and to develop and maintain our “can do” culture by striving to be the consultant of choice, the partner to work with and the place to work.”

He is a member of RICS and the Chartered Association of Building Engineers, with more than 35 years’ experience in the industry.

Specialising in the water sector, James has led on the design and delivery of local, national and internationally renowned projects and is recognised as a flood risk, SuDS and drainage expert.

James heads up Alan Wood & Partners Civil Engineering service, leading a team of engineers in Hull and throughout our offices in Sheffield, York, and Leeds.

Specialising in flood risk and sustainable drainage he is the lead designer on the Yorkshire Water, Environment Agency, Hull & East Riding ‘Living With Water’ initiative, helping to protect the city and surrounding areas from the risk of future flooding.

James started his career in hydraulics and engineering associated with public wastewater treatment works, and then saw the opportunities in development led flood risk and drainage projects, covering residential schemes, new schools and new commercial and industrial schemes. He  progressed through the ranks to become a Regional Director in AECOM with his career highlight being part of the leadership team that delivered the Jeddah Stormwater Drainage Programme, a £1Bn dams, channels and drainage project to protect lives and reduce flood risk after severe flooding affected the city.

He joined Alan Wood & Partners in 2014 and continued his fast career progression, becoming a Director & Equity Partner in 2015 and Head of Civil Engineering across the business.

James is closely involved in all civil engineering jobs, particularly on the technical design side and in managing client relationships where he is known for his strong track record of delivery.

A highly professional individual, he combines a keen client focus with a personable attitude, ensuring the smooth delivery of even the most complicated of projects.

Beyond his core role, James is responsible for finance in the business, reporting on financial matters to the Board.  In this role he works closely with the accounts department to ensure the business operates on a sound financial footing.

James is a Chartered Engineer and Chartered Water and Environmental Manager; he is a member of the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management and holds a Masters degree in Civil Engineering.

Kim Han brings 35 years’ of engineering experience to Alan Wood & Partners. Recruited to establishing our Leeds office, he has taken it from a standing start to a team of fourteen in under four years, with a multi-million pound annual fee income.

Kim has lived and worked in Leeds since graduating as a Structural Engineer in 1989, making him the perfect candidate to establish our office in the city.

He joined Alan Wood & Partners in April 2019 and our Leeds office officially launched a month later. Since then, he has grown the team to fourteen, including nine structural engineers, four civil engineers and a surveyor.

Kim started his career in a small structural engineering practice in Leeds which was bought out by the Waterman Group. Here he stayed for 11 years before moving to a medium-sized independent practice where he became an Associate and then a Board Director.

During his career, he has worked on some of the UK’s largest developments including playing a key design role in the flue gas-desulphurisation project at Drax Power Station and on the Sizewell B nuclear power plant in Suffolk.

Closer to home, he worked on the Debenhams department store in Leeds, as well as a number of high-rise residential and office developments and some of the largest warehouses in the country.

With a huge amount of technical knowledge, Kim is very hands on and is regularly asked for guidance on solving complicated engineering challenges by colleagues, architects, and contractors. He also puts his experience to good use in mentoring colleagues both from a technical engineering perspective, and also on how to work effectively with clients.

Kim is a Chartered Engineer with both the Institution of Structural Engineers and the Institution of Civil Engineers.

Responsible for the success and growth of Alan Wood & Partners’ North Yorkshire operations. Passionate about professionalism and quality, he brings more than 18 years’ experience in the design and delivery of major residential, industrial, commercial, power generation, and rail projects to the business.

Chris started his journey with Alan Wood & Partners as a Graduate Engineer in 2006. However, in 2008, he ventured into a role with a national Tier One contractor. During this period, he led the design of notable national railway station and depot refurbishments as well as large materials handling and power generation projects across the UK.

Returning to Alan Wood in 2015 as an Associate based in our York office, Chris was tasked with growing our operations in North Yorkshire – our York and Scarborough offices – where now, as Director, he leads a team of more than twenty engineers handling a multi-million pound annual fee income.

Chris was promoted to Director & Equity Partner in 2020 with Board responsibilities that include legal and statutory compliance, as well as taking the lead on employee engagement and marketing within the business.

Well known throughout the business for being approachable Chris is passionate about professionalism and quality and is dedicated to the personal and professional progression of his colleagues, helping them to achieve their career ambitions and personal goals.

He has a proven track record as a legal and expert witness and is a Chartered Civil Engineer and a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

As the founder of our Geotechnical and Geo-Environmental division, Jonathan Saunders has established Alan Wood & Partners as a leading consultant in the earthworks and foundations sector. With a wealth of experience on major projects, his expertise is in demand across the UK.

Jonathan joined Alan Wood & Partners in 2011 with the dual task of establishing the Geotechnical and Geo-Environmental division and our Sheffield office. Since then, the division has grown to a team of nine, and the Sheffield office has become the second largest in the company.

Jonathan graduated with a Degree in Geology in 1987, followed by a Masters Degree in Foundation Engineering in 1988, before career stints with Scott Wilson Group and Joynes, Pike & Associates.

During this time, he worked as the Geotechnical Engineer responsible for the foundation work for Chesterfield Football stadium and as the Resident Geotechnical Engineer for the A50 – the major trunk road linking Leicester and Warrington.

At Alan Wood & Partners, he was the Project Director on a £200m mixed use development at Brough in East Yorkshire, and completed the stabilisation of the cliff face beneath St Mary’s Church in Whitby, close to the famous Abbey Steps.

At Board level, Jonathan is responsible for HR and is known for his amiable and empathetic attitude towards those in his team and the across the entire company.

He is a Chartered Engineer, a Member of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and a Fellow of the Geological Society.

Highly experienced in all aspects of general engineering, James Shores specialises in complex temporary works. With a career spanning more than 20 years’ at Alan Wood & Partners, his innovative approach and dedication to his job, has seen him rise from Technician to Director, Board Member and Equity Partner.

After completing his studies in 2002, James joined Alan Wood & Partners.  Initially stationed in Hull, he later transitioned to our York office where he dedicated a decade to his work.

Leading the civil and structural division from the Sheffield office, he guides a team of fourteen engineers undertake a diverse range of projects, encompassing concrete, steel, and modular solutions across various sectors. The team also spearheads temporary works, benefitting from James' extensive experience in this realm.

Actively involved in every civil and structural project undertaken at the Sheffield office, he plays a pivotal role in guiding his team towards delivering exceptional results.

James is widely acknowledged in the industry for addressing intricate projects that demand meticulous and thoughtful engineering solutions. His approachable attitude and handling of projects in a professional and methodical manner have earned him recognition, ensuring optimal outcomes for both clients and staff.  His focus on maintaining long-term client relationships, having retained many clients for multiple years at Alan Wood & Partners.

Alongside his regional responsibilities, James’ is responsible for company insurance and information technology at Board level.

James is a Chartered Engineer and a member of the Institution of Structural Engineers.