º£½ÇÉçÇø

ImperiaRoger

BEng, Class of 1981

Roger has been a practising Civil Engineer throughout his career and is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers. Before joining the client team on the Thames Tideway Tunnel project in 2012, he held board-level positions in civil engineering contracting businesses and engineering and planning consultancies.

He spent the first 20 years of his career in geotechnical contracting, including mining, piling and ground engineering, in the UK and overseas. He then worked for over a decade in transport consultancy, covering highways, rail and aviation, for clients including Crossrail, Network Rail, Transport for London, the Highways Agency and the Department for Transport.

From 2015 to 2026, Roger was part of Tideway’s executive leadership team, becoming Chief Technical Officer in 2018. His Completion and Handover Team oversaw technical matters, property and commercial agreements, planning compliance, system commissioning and integration of the completed Thames Tideway Tunnel into London’s existing sewer network. Commissioning was completed in 2026, with operational handover to Thames Water in August.

Following a planned leadership transition, Roger has stepped down from his Tideway responsibilities. As he moves away from full-time work, he is keen to support the Department and strengthen engagement between alumni, staff and students.

ImperiaPeri

PhD, Class of 2016

Dr Peri Smith is Director of Systems Engineering and Integration at global consultancy WSP , with 22 years’ experience delivering complex, safety-critical transport and infrastructure programmes. Her expertise includes systems engineering and integration, system safety, technical assurance, testing and commissioning and operational readiness.

Starting her career as an Electrical Engineer in commercial flight simulation, Peri has since worked across mainline, metro and sub-surface rail, as well as trams and river infrastructure. She has contributed to major programmes including Qiddiya’s Grand Central Station in the Middle East, Irish Rail, East West Rail, Sydney Metro in Australia, Transport for London’s Four Lines Modernisation, Crossrail (Elizabeth Line), London Overground and the Jubilee and Northern Line upgrades.

Peri holds a PhD and an MSc in Control Systems, alongside a bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Her doctoral research examined the safety case for introducing ERTMS into an existing railway.

She has co-authored publications on railway safety, ERTMS and human performance, received a Transportation Research Board Best Paper Award and a Public Sector Management Consulting Award for London Overground Capacity Improvement.

ImperiaShamik

MEng, Class of  2002

Shamik is Managing Director in Private Equity Real Estate at Morgan Stanley . He graduated from Imperiain 2002 with an MEng in Civil and Environmental Engineering, and following this completed an MBA in 2007 from London Business School. 

ImperiaElvan

MSc Environmental Engineering, Class of 1998

Elvan is Commercial & Regulatory Manager at South Hook LNG Terminal in Wales.  Elvan Akkaya has built an international career across the engineering and energy sectors, working with consultancies and contractors in the UK, Asia and the Middle East. These experiences have provided opportunities to work on complex projects, collaborate with professionals from diverse backgrounds and develop a broad perspective on the challenges facing the industry. While her career has evolved from technical engineering into commercial and regulatory leadership, the foundations established during her Environmental Engineering studies continue to influence her thinking and approach.

As a member of the CEE Alumni Board, she looks forward to reconnecting with former classmates, supporting current students and contributing to the continued success of CEE. Outside work, she is married and has two daughters.

ImperiaAllan

BEng, Class of 1977

Allan is Programme Director and Strategic Advisor at Laing O’Rourke , where he joined in 2017 responsible for the delivery of the final link of the Pacific Highway upgrade in NSW, Australia. He has extensive experience in project, programme and portfolio management with a strong focus on complex, large-scale infrastructure and transportation schemes.

Before joining Laing O’Rourke, Allan held leadership positions for organisations including major UK contractors, a leading Management Consultancy, Heathrow Airport and a global Programme Management Consultant operating in the Middle East delivering complex highway projects in the State of Qatar.

ImperiaDwin

MEng, Class of 1997

Having travelled alone from a small island in the Indian Ocean, Dwin came to Imperiawith strong A-level results and O-level (GCSE) taken three years early. Despite facing a highly academic cohort, the welcoming environment within the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering helped him navigate four demanding years, graduating with first-class honours, out of three, in 1997. This experience fostered a lifelong commitment to continuous improvement, broader perspectives and deeper involvement.

He was awarded a research grant to study Stochastic Finite Element Methods (SFEM) using Random Field Theory and subsequently trained as a structural engineer, focusing on buildability and sustainability, before bridging into electrical engineering (renewables) and later regenerative design. The new amalgamated skillsets ensured a holistic approach in design for the future by integrating ecology, community, circularity and resilience.

Research undertaken at Imperiamore than two decades ago laid the groundwork for Dwin's subsequent transition into microclimate rainfall forecasting and extreme weather flash-flood analysis, particularly impactful in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), where compact topography, hydrological fragmentation and orographic realities present distinct and unique complexities. Imperiashaped Dwin as a principles-first engineer, developing critical and lateral thinking, intellectual curiosity and a pragmatic approach to professional and life challenges.

ImperiaBenson

BEng, Class of 1984

Benson is Founder and CEO of Venturous Group , a pioneering conglomerate established in 2019. Benson steers the company’s unwavering focus on creating and investing in transformative solutions aimed at making cities more livable, sustainable, and productive.

Venturous Group, the parent company of Neuron Digital, Benson’s flagship venture, operates across key verticals such as smart buildings, smart energy, and smart computing — all integral components of the smart city ecosystem.

Benson is a remarkably well rounded and accomplished leader, blending his expertise as a civil engineer, software engineer, and financial engineer to drive groundbreaking innovations and strategic investments in the field of smart city technologies.  With a robust career spanning over 30 years in private equity across Asia, Benson has been pivotal in the growth of numerous “Super–Unicorns” such as Alibaba, AsiaInfo, and WuXi AppTec. Prior to founding Venturous Group, he served as a Partner at Fidelity Growth Partners Asia and held significant roles at Electra Partners and Hellman & Friedman, further honing his expertise in venture capital, private equity, M&A, corporate finance, and strategic business development, with a particular focus on China.

Benson’s academic credentials are equally impressive, holding a MSc in Computer Science from the University of Oxford and a BEng in Civil Engineering from º£½ÇÉçÇø.

ImperiaZorica

MSc Environmental Engineering, Class of 1998

Zorica is a Technical Director at AtkinsRéalis with more than 35 years of experience in the UK, Europe and the Middle East, advancing sustainable water management, flood resilience and climate adaptation across the public and private sectors. Through advisory roles spanning government, water companies, local authorities and professional bodies, she has contributed to the development and implementation of the Flood and Water Management Act and helped shape sustainable drainage standards, guidance and industry best practice through CIRIA-led initiatives. She served as a member of the IWA Diffuse Pollution Specialist Group and regularly delivers professional training and presents nationally and internationally.

As AtkinsRéalis' Global Technical Authority for Stormwater Management and Blue-Green Infrastructure, Zorica leads an international network of specialists and helps shape the company's technical direction in this rapidly evolving field. She has long championed digital and data-driven approaches while fostering multidisciplinary collaboration and mentoring across all career stages.

She holds degrees from the University of Belgrade, Imperiaand the University of Salford, and is a Chartered Civil Engineer and Chartered Environmentalist.