Meet Adriana
Adriana Vargas-Colwill is a Chartered Chemical Engineer who works at BEIS as an Energy Innovation Project Manager. She has acquired experience in project management and process safety design for engineering projects within the UK and overseas.
Adriana graduated from UCL and is a member of the Institution of Chemical Engineers, she is also a fellow member of the Women’s Engineering Society. Currently, Adriana is studying for an executive MBA at the University of Surrey, which she will complete in late 2022.
“It is a great honour to be part of the board at Engineers Without Borders UK, and to contribute to helping the charity, not only achieve its organisational objectives but to be able to support the progress of the 2021-2030 strategy. There is only one planet, and engineering plays a key role to ensure that the planet’s resources are used in the most efficient and sustainable way to safeguard the future of the generations ahead.”
Adriana Vargas-Colwill, Energy Innovation Project Manager at BEIS
Meet Claire
Claire Orton has over 25 years of experience working in the UK and Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering from the University of Southampton and a Master of Science (Environmental Engineering) from Imperial College, London.
Claire currently works for the Macquarie Group in the UK, as Acting Head of Environment and Social risk. Her role is to increase the organisation’s awareness of climate-related risks associated with its investments, helping to support the delivery of the organisation’s commitment to net zero.
Claire has worked for various engineering and infrastructure consultancies. The projects she worked on fell into industries such as road, rail, water infrastructure, stadium design and contaminated land remediation. Her roles have focused on integrating environmental and sustainability policies and practices into infrastructure projects.
She moved to Australia in 2004, establishing the inaugural sustainability consulting division for the consultancy Parsons Brinkerhoff Australia. In 2008 She joined the Australian investment bank the Macquarie Group, as sustainability manager to the real estate group. And later moved to the Charter Hall Group in 2010, as head of sustainability. Claire returned to Macquarie Group in 2014.
“I’m hugely excited to join Engineers Without Borders UK, to work with an organisation that shares my passion for sustainability, and to help support the next generation of engineers in transforming our industry during this decisive decade. I’m looking forward to bringing my insights and global experiences in infrastructure and investment to support the team and Trustees to help drive transformational change in our profession through the Engineers Without Borders UK, movement.”
Claire Orton, Acting Head of Environment and Social risk at Macquarie Group
