The consultancy has appointed Mike O’Donnell as UK PMC lead, alongside Al Fernie and Jason Smith, signalling a targeted push to strengthen integrated project management, cost consultancy and construction management services across complex, capital‑intensive sectors following its recent combination with CBRE.
Turner & Townsend has bolstered its UK project management consultancy with three senior appointments, naming Mike O’Donnell as UK PMC lead, Al Fernie as project director and Jason Smith as director. According to the firm’s announcement and industry coverage, the hires are intended to strengthen delivery across complex programmes and to expand the integrated project management, cost consultancy and construction management capabilities that Turner & Townsend offers to clients.
Mike O’Donnell brings almost four decades of experience on major London schemes to the role, having worked on projects including the London 2012 Olympic Stadium, the O2 Arena and Bloomberg’s London campus. His long association with Sir Robert McAlpine — the contractor recently reflected on his return to that firm and his previous stewardship of large commercial projects — underlines the senior hands-on delivery experience Turner & Townsend is emphasising with this hire.
Al Fernie and Jason Smith join to provide sector-specific delivery expertise. Fernie, who has worked with Multiplex and Balfour Beatty, will oversee delivery across hyperscale data centres, healthcare and mixed‑use projects as project director; Smith, whose background includes roles at JRL, Mace and Durkan, will concentrate on data-centre and technology programmes. The appointments reflect an explicit push to deepen the consultancy’s capability in fast-growing, capital‑intensive sectors where specialist delivery and supply‑chain coordination are critical.
Turner & Townsend frames the move as part of a deliberate build‑out of its integrated PMC model, which it describes as combining project management, construction management and cost consultancy to coordinate delivery partners and drive programme, cost and quality outcomes. “Programmes are becoming increasingly complex,” Chris Sargent, managing director for UK real estate, commented in the company release, adding that the PMC approach gives clients greater oversight of the supply chain and helps identify both risks and opportunities for cost or schedule gains. The firm says these hires form part of targeted investment to meet rising client demand.
The personnel moves come after a significant structural change in the sector: in January 2025 CBRE completed the combination of its project management business with Turner & Townsend, a transaction the companies said was designed to create broader global scale and a deeper talent pool. CBRE’s public statement on the deal described the enlarged business as delivering enhanced offerings across major programmes, infrastructure and the transition to net zero, and noted board-level appointments associated with the integration. Industry releases at the time also highlighted the enlarged workforce and international footprint that underpin expanded delivery capacity.
Market indicators cited by industry commentators suggest the appointments are being made into a favourable demand environment. Turner & Townsend has previously pointed to double‑digit growth across several divisions and independent coverage reported turnover growth to around £1.5 billion, citing expansion across real estate, infrastructure and energy and increasing demand for programme and delivery expertise. The firm and market analysts argue that scale, specialist teams and closer coordination with contractors and supply chains are becoming a differentiator for clients facing capacity constraints, regulatory change and tighter viability pressures.
Taken together, the hires signal a strategic push to align senior delivery experience with the broader capability set created by the CBRE‑Turner & Townsend combination and recent organic growth. The company presents the appointments as client‑facing reinforcements that will help steer complex programmes; independent observers will watch whether the combination of global scale and senior sector hires translates into measurable improvements in cost certainty, programme resilience and supply‑chain engagement on the ground.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://constructionwave.co.uk/2025/08/19/turner-townsend-appoints-trio-of-industry-leaders-including-former-mcalpine-md-to-run-project-management-consultancy/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://constructionwave.co.uk/2025/08/19/turner-townsend-appoints-trio-of-industry-leaders-including-former-mcalpine-md-to-run-project-management-consultancy/ – The Wave article reports Turner & Townsend has appointed three executives to strengthen its UK project management consultancy. Mike O’Donnell, formerly managing director at Sir Robert McAlpine, is UK PMC lead and brings nearly forty years’ experience on schemes such as the London 2012 Olympic Stadium, the O2 Arena and Bloomberg London. Al Fernie, who worked at Multiplex and Balfour Beatty, joins as project director overseeing delivery across hyperscale data centres, healthcare and mixed use sectors. Jason Smith, formerly at JRL, Mace and Durkan, is director focusing on data centre and technology projects, supporting the firm’s integrated PMC offering service.
- https://www.turnerandtownsend.com/news/turner-townsend-strengthens-uk-real-estate-team-with-three-senior-pmc-appointments/ – Turner & Townsend’s news release on 19 August 2025 announced it strengthened its UK Real Estate team with three senior Project Management Consultancy appointments. Mike O’Donnell joins as UK PMC Lead, supported by Al Fernie as Project Director and Jason Smith as Director. The release explains the PMC model as an integrated contracting approach combining project management, construction management and cost consultancy to coordinate delivery partners and drive programme, cost and quality objectives. Mike’s near forty years’ experience on major London projects is noted and Chris Sargent’s quote highlights rising programme complexity and the value of PMC delivery for clients.
- https://www.srm.com/news-and-comment/welcome-back-mike-o-donnell/ – Sir Robert McAlpine’s profile piece welcoming back Mike O’Donnell describes his career and highlights work on major projects. It notes he rejoined the firm and was appointed Managing Director for the Commercial sector, recounting his previous tenure beginning in 2003 and roles on the London 2012 Olympic Stadium, the O2 Arena and Bloomberg London. The article quotes O’Donnell on delivering client-focused outcomes and reflects on his pride in those iconic schemes. It outlines his emphasis on people, sector approach and legacy, and confirms his longstanding association with Sir Robert McAlpine and broad experience across large complex developments in the industry.
- https://www.cbre.com/press-releases/cbre-group-completes-turner-and-townsend-project-management-combination – CBRE’s press release dated 3 January 2025 confirms completion of the combination of CBRE Project Management and Turner & Townsend into a single global business. It highlights Vincent Clancy’s appointment to CBRE’s board and describes Turner & Townsend’s services in programme and project management, cost consultancy and project controls. The release explains the strategic rationale for combining capabilities to create unmatched scale and breadth across major programmes, infrastructure and net zero transitions. It states the unified business will deliver enhanced client offerings worldwide and underlines the increased global footprint, deeper talent pool and expanded delivery capacity resulting from the transaction.
- https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250102076560/en/CBRE-Group-Completes-Turner-TownsendProject-Management-Combination-Vincent-Clancy-Joins-CBRE-Board-of-Directors/ – The Business Wire release announcing completion of the CBRE and Turner & Townsend project management combination restates the strategic rationale and quotes executives. Published in January 2025, it explains that Turner & Townsend provides programme management, cost consultancy and project management globally and that the integration enlarges the combined business to more than twenty thousand people in over sixty countries. The release emphasises client benefits from scale, deeper expertise and data driven delivery across sectors such as infrastructure and energy. It also mentions Vincent Clancy joining CBRE’s board and frames the move as transformative for project and programme delivery worldwide.
- https://projectscot.com/2024/08/turner-townsend-hails-excellent-figures-as-turnover-grows-to-1-5-billion/ – Project Scotland reports Turner & Townsend hailed strong financial results as turnover rose to £1.5 billion, noting double digit growth across its real estate, infrastructure and energy divisions. The article highlights the company’s expansion, its global footprint and increasing demand for expertise across complex programmes, and references the 2025 transaction combining CBRE’s project management arm with Turner & Townsend to create a larger global capability. It states Turner’s growth follows strategic acquisitions and expanded service offerings in programme advisory and cost management, underpinning its capacity to deliver major capital programmes and support clients through net zero and digital transformation priorities.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative is fresh, with no prior publications found. The earliest known publication date is August 19, 2025. The report is based on a press release from Turner & Townsend, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were identified.
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
No direct quotes were identified in the provided text.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative originates from Construction Wave, a niche industry publication. While it provides detailed coverage, its limited reach may affect the overall reliability.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims are plausible and align with Turner & Townsend’s recent activities, including the completion of the CBRE combination in January 2025. The appointments of Mike O’Donnell, Al Fernie, and Jason Smith are consistent with the company’s strategic focus on complex programmes and integrated project management. The language and tone are appropriate for the industry and region.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is fresh, with no prior publications found. It is based on a press release from Turner & Townsend, which typically warrants a high freshness score. The claims are plausible and align with Turner & Townsend’s recent activities. The source, Construction Wave, is a niche industry publication, which slightly affects the overall reliability.
