Independence, focus and opportunity
In the last year, we have evolved our corporate governance framework, readying our firm to seize the future.
Mahadev Raman
Chair of Arup Trustees
Arup is a proudly independent, trust-owned firm without external investors. This allows us to focus our attention on our clients and bring the full breadth of our technical expertise to solutions to the challenges that they face.
Evolving our governance
In April 2025 we introduced revised governance arrangements, which clearly define the responsibilities of ownership, oversight, and operation of the firm, vesting these in three separate bodies:
Arup Trustees
Maintain their ownership role of safeguarding our firm’s independence, long-term success and unique culture on behalf of our members.
Arup Group Limited Board (AGL Board)
Responsible for providing oversight across strategy execution, firm performance, compliance and leadership.
Executive Board (EB)
Responsible for our firm’s operations and implementing our strategy.
This structure matches the needs of a business of our current size and scope and is designed to support Arup’s continued growth and the demand for our services, allowing our members to concentrate on our clients and the increasingly complex challenges they face. Our ownership structure and values remain unchanged and we continue to invest in our own research and technical expertise.
17,464
Members
Leading for the future
The AGL Board and the EB together represent the global leadership of Arup, with the AGL Board chaired by Hilde Tonne and the EB by CEO Jerome Frost. In Hilde and Jerome, we have leaders who embody Arup’s values and culture, and our boards have the diversity of skills and experience needed to secure Arup’s success now and in the future.
Overseeing our global leadership are the Arup Trustees, who direct the trusts that own Arup Group and its entities. The Trustees are current or former members of the firm, one of whom is elected Chair of Trustees, the position I have held since April 2024. The Trustees act in the best interests of the trusts’ beneficiaries. This includes regular engagement with our members.
Opportunities through ownership
Trust ownership gives us the independence and ability to take a long-term view, without undue external pressures or the risk of a change in ownership, providing our clients with stability and continuity of service. We have the freedom to shape our own direction and invest in what we feel matters most: our members, knowledge, resources and communities.