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Join us in person for a discussion on design management, an often overlooked but crucial discipline that bridges creativity and business. Whether you're a designer, manager, or just curious, this event will uncover the secrets to making design a key player in any project.
Rick Hopkins (FIEAust), Design Director at Sydney Water, will explore why design management is the critical yet often under-recognised link between technical excellence and successful project delivery. Drawing on 25 years of experience leading large, complex government infrastructure projects with Aurecon and Mott MacDonald, Rick will share practical insights into how structured design leadership can transform outcomes.
Rick will discuss how effective design management goes beyond coordination — it provides clarity of roles, strengthens governance, manages risk early, and aligns multidisciplinary teams around shared objectives. He will reflect on his work at Sydney Water, where he has led the complete restructuring of the design process to improve consistency, accountability, and performance across major infrastructure programs.
As a qualified civil and structural engineer, Rick understands both the technical depth and the human dynamics involved in delivering integrated solutions. Attendees can expect real-world examples of facilitating complex discussions between engineers, architects, services designers and stakeholders — and practical strategies to make design a true strategic driver in any organisation, rather than an afterthought.
Natasha Cookson & Anna Roberts are engineering recruitment specialists who work with businesses in the consulting and engineering space to match the right talent to the right companies, ensuring a perfect skills, qualifications and cultural fit.
KBR delivers science, technology and engineering solutions to governments and companies around the world.
Sydney Water
design director
Rick Hopkins is an Engineering Design Manager and Technical Leader who specialises in large, complex, multi-disciplinary projects. With 25 years of experience leading large, complex government infrastructure projects with Aurecon and Mott MacDonald, career highlights include:
- Sydney’s Cross City Tunnel (2002)
- The Holsworthy Special Forces Training Facility (2004 – 2007)
- The $1B Newcastle Coal Export Terminal (2009 – 2010)
- Villawood Immigration Centre Redevelopment (2011 – 2017)
- Military training facilities for the UAE Presidential Guard Command (2014 – 2015)
- Civil and Structural lead for Sydney Metro’s Pitt St Station (2019 – 2021)
- St Leonards Plaza, now Wadanggari Park (over the rail corridor) (2018 – 2021)
- Concept designs for the Hunter St and Five Dock Metro West stations (2022)
- Borneo Barracks Signals Project (2023)
A five-session course delivered by industry experts focusing on key aspects of contracts used in Civil Engineering.
Who will take home this year's Princess Royal Award for Emerging Engineers in Scotland? Join us and hear presentations from our three finalists.
Are you ready to conquer your fear of public speaking and communicate with confidence?
