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Innovation meets impact at the 2025 Chair’s Award
News
Byron Tabet (left) and Joshua Rhodes (right).
At GHD, we’re reimagining what’s possible through innovation and ingenuity. The 2025 Chair’s Award for Technical Excellence shines a light on that commitment – celebrating the people who turn bold ideas into real-world impact
At GHD, we’re reimagining what’s possible through innovation and ingenuity. The 2025 Chair’s Award for Technical Excellence shines a light on that commitment – celebrating the people who turn bold ideas into real-world impact. This annual celebration recognises the people who don’t just ask “how” - they ask “what if” when tackling the industry’s most pressing challenges for our clients and communities.
This year saw 48 nominations from across 40 of our technical Service Lines - our technical communities of practice - brimming with bold ideas, deep technical excellence and relentless curiosity. Each told a unique story with a few standing out for their commitment to shaping a better future.
Meet our 2025 Chair's Award winners: Designing the infrastructure of tomorrow
When Byron Tabet (UAE) and Joshua Rhodes (Australia) set out to design the UAE’s first vertiport for Skyports, they were helping launch an entirely new mode of transport. Embodying technical leadership, this complex project involved 16 Service Lines and industry-leading aerial mobility innovation. The vertiport, will support the world’s first operational aerial taxi network launching in 2026. Currently under construction, the project required the design of safe, scalable, and sustainable future-ready infrastructure for electric vertical take-off and landing-capable aircraft.
“We were designing infrastructure for aircrafts that are still undergoing flight testing,” Josh said. “That’s the edge we were working on.”
“This wasn’t just a project - it was a global effort,” Byron added. “Over 120 GHD people came together to make this real. That’s the power of what we do.”
Meet the other finalists moving the needle
The Chair’s Award also acknowledged finalists from around the world for demonstrating their commitment to providing technically excellent solutions for our clients and communities.
Digital scanning (mapping) tool for geology and linings of tunnels and caverns
William Desparois (Canada) developed a digital geological mapping tool that’s already making tunnelling projects safer and more efficient. His work blends photogrammetry, LiDAR, and real-time data capture to create 3D models of rock walls - transforming how we manage underground risk using readily available hardware: an iPad Pro.
Small supplier water conservation program
Teresa Garrison (United States) led a Californian water conservation initiative that’s helping small suppliers build resilience in the face of climate uncertainty. Launched in response to the 2021 California Drought Emergency, the program has already saved over 6.6 million gallons of water annually, with projected savings reaching over 50 million gallons.
Extension strains in embankment dams
Cameron Purss (Australia) turned his Master’s research into a practical method for measuring strains in embankment dams that can cause failures - advancing safety and sustainability in critical infrastructure.
Enter the RAT
Rosy Browell (Australia) developed the RAT (R Programming Language Acoustic Toolbox), a powerful tool transforming underwater noise modelling - enhancing marine environmental protection and enabling clients to meet regulatory requirements while minimising ecological harm.
A culture built on curiosity
“The Chair’s Award reflects who we are at GHD. Innovation is integral - we celebrate it and we build a culture where it can thrive. Whether it’s designing the world’s first vertiport or rewriting the rules of underwater acoustics, our people are proving that when you combine deep technical excellence with bold thinking and a passion for creating lasting community benefit, there’s no limit to what we can achieve,” Rob Knott, Chair, said.
Let’s keep pushing boundaries, together.
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About GHD
GHD is a leading professional services company operating in the global markets of water, energy and resources, environment, property and buildings, and transportation. Committed to a vision to make water, energy, and communities sustainable for generations to come, GHD delivers advisory, digital, engineering, architecture, environmental and construction solutions to public and private sector clients. Established in 1928 and privately owned by its people, GHD’s network of 12,000+ professionals is connected across 160 offices located on five continents.