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Across two countries: Richard Barrett’s journey in infrastructure
30+ years in Australia. Three years in Canada. One evolving perspective on what it means to lead.
Meet our Regional Chief Executive
35 years ago, Richard Barrett was a young civil engineer in Queensland. Today, he leads more than 3,000 people across AECOM Canada as the Regional Chief Executive.
The journey between those two moments has taken him across two countries, thousands of kilometres of infrastructure, and some of the industry’s most complex projects.
Along the way, Richard has moved from designing and delivering projects to leading the people and teams behind them. Three years ago, after more than three decades in Australia, Richard moved halfway around the world to begin a new chapter in Canada.
Starting again in a new country gave him something few leaders get: the opportunity to see a familiar industry with fresh eyes.
Today, his perspective is shaped by both sides of the Pacific. His Australian career shaped his belief in collaboration, relationships and outcome-driven delivery. His Canadian chapter has challenged him to look at familiar questions from a different lens.
We sat down with Richard to talk about the journey, the lessons along the way, and what he believes matters most when you are building infrastructure—and the relationships behind it.
Finding purpose in infrastructure
For Richard, the attraction to engineering was never simply about designing things.
It was about what those things could make possible.
“It’s really been around the opportunity to create things that improve our communities.”
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News
Press Release
AECOM selected to support next phase of Ontario Pumped Storage project
TORONTO (September 4, 2026) — AECOM, the trusted global infrastructure leader, today announced it has been engaged by Worley to support the next phase of development of the proposed Ontario Pumped Storage Project (OPSP), a major long-duration energy storage project
Press Release
AECOM selected as Lead Designer for the Alexandra Bridge Replacement Project
DALLAS (July 7, 2026) — AECOM (NYSE: ACM), the trusted global infrastructure leader, has been selected as the Lead Designer by Capital Crossing Constructors for the replacement of the Alexandra Bridge in Ottawa, a major infrastructure initiative connecting Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec.
Press Release
AECOM Achieves Bronze Certification in Canada’s PAIR Program for Indigenous Relations
TORONTO (September 16, 2025) — AECOM, the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, is proud to share that it has achieved Bronze Level Certification in Partnership Accreditation in Indigenous Relations (PAIR) from the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business (CCIB).