WS Atkins unveils new chief operating officer

Norman Schunter has been appointed chief operating officer at WS Atkins. He has taken up the new post with immediate effect.

Schunter will be responsible for all operation and performance issues and the delivery of Atkins’ short-to-medium-term business plan. The announcement follows the appointment of Keith Clarke, the consultancy group’s chief executive, as non-executive chairman of Metronet, the PPP consortium which won a major stake in the £15bn, 30-year upgrade of London Underground.

In future Clarke will focus on Atkins’ strategic business issues while Schunter handles operations.

In his 35-year career at Atkins, Schunter has worked both in the UK and overseas, most recently as managing director of the design, environment and engineering division where he was responsible for 4,000 staff.