International Women’s Day: Two of Arup’s leaders reflect on their experiences

Two of Arup’s leading figures- directors Becci Taylor and Sowmya Parthasarathy- reflect on the changes they have seen in their combined 50-year careers and predictions for the future on International Women’s Day

This International Women’s Day (8 March), the number of women taking up construction apprenticeships is rising, and the number of women employed in construction is at a record high of 340,000. 

Two leading female figures who have seen this change happen in real time, are Arup’s Becci Taylor and Sowmya Parthasarathy.

Careers, infrastructure and International Women’s Day

Becci Taylor, director, Arup

With 20 years experience in the industry, Becci has delivered retrofit and new build projects across housing, arts & culture, and master planning globally.

She leads Arup’s Retrofit at Scale business, which takes a whole-system approach to decarbonisation and delivers beneficial outcomes for place and people. She directs strategic research and projects that deliver transformational change to a sustainable built environment.

To achieve this, she collaborates across the industry ecosystem and has built strong relationships with local authorities, construction institutions, and a wide range of stakeholders.

“Over the course of my career so far, the shift in awareness and demand for sustainability in the built environment and infrastructure has been enormous. In 20 years, the drive for socially and environmentally impactful outcomes has gone from niche to fully mainstream, and it is a privilege to part of the industry’s continued progress – both in the work that we deliver and the culture we foster in our project teams.

A more conscientious industry will draw new generations of workers

“Work-life balance has been revolutionised in the sector – we are more conscious of mental health than ever before, and great progress has been made to facilitate flexibility, especially for those with caring responsibilities.

“As an industry we need to keep this going and continue to push for diversity – sometimes a missed opportunity is with children yet to select subjects to take further, who may have no idea about the possibilities of a career in infrastructure or sustainability and what would support them in that route.”

Sowmya Parthasarathy, Arup Fellow

Sowmya is an architect and urban designer with 30 years of global experience in the UK, US, Middle East and India, leading Arup’s Masterplanning and Urban Design team in London as well as business in India, Middle East, Africa, and International Development.

She is involved in preparing award-winning masterplans, strategic plans, and urban design guides for institutions, city districts, neighbourhoods, waterfronts, brownfield sites, and public open space. Some examples of her work include London’s 2012 Olympic Legacy Masterplan and the Battersea Power Station masterplan.

Climate resilience has become instrumental to infrastructure

“The drivers of change in infrastructure have completely transformed over the course of my 30 years in the industry, mostly related to the complex challenges around liveability, climate resilience and social equity.

“These factors will continue to affect how we must think and build at site or city scale – infrastructure must therefore continue to be at the forefront of plans for investment and innovation, including mobilising a more diverse workforce that can deliver the right outcomes for people and planet.

Shaping sustainable outcomes will require greater collaboration

“With community-scale interventions becoming increasingly important, it is crucial that we leverage the connections between disciplines to creatively shape sustainable outcomes for all. Those who can facilitate and leverage cross-industry collaboration will be best placed to be influential and lead positive change in the sector.”