Across four decades, Dr Olawale Nelson Ogunshakin OBE has become one of the most influential voices in global infrastructure. A British-Nigerian civil engineer and business leader, he most recently served as Chief Executive of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) from 2018 to 2024, strengthening the systems through which much of the world’s major infrastructure is procured and delivered.
From project engineer to global industry statesman
Educated at Aston University and the University of Birmingham, followed by an MBA at Aston, Dr Ogunshakin’s early career spanned contracting, local government transport planning and international consultancy before he moved into sector leadership. He led the UK’s Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) for 14 years, modernising the body that represents hundreds of firms. He later joined the board of Transport for London (TfL), serving from 2016 to 2024, including roles on investment and assurance committees during the commissioning of the Elizabeth line between 2018 and 2022.
Repositioning FIDIC and aligning the multilateral system
During his FIDIC tenure (2018–2024), he secured landmark licensing agreements that allow major development banks to embed FIDIC’s standard forms in their procurement documents. The World Bank, African Development Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank all signed multi-year agreements, with renewals expanding the scope to more contracts. These accords increase consistency, cut transaction costs and improve risk management across tens of billions of pounds and dollars of projects each year.
National service, investment leadership and governance
Beyond FIDIC, Dr Ogunshakin continues to serve in critical public and market-shaping roles. He is Chair of the ARM-Harith Infrastructure Fund Investment Committee, a US$250 million platform focused on African infrastructure (2015 to date). He has also been appointed to the board of HS2 Ltd, providing governance on the new £60 billion railway system from London to Birmingham. His public service in London included eight years on the TfL board, where annual turnover is around £12 billion.
Honours and professional standing
In recognition of his services to engineering and construction, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2010. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2021, reflecting peer acknowledgement at the highest level of the profession.
Why his story matters now
Dr Ogunshakin’s impact is not only organisational, it is systemic. By aligning multilateral development banks around robust contract standards, he helped improve fairness and predictability for clients, contractors and communities. By serving on the boards that guide London’s transport and the UK’s high-speed rail, he brought global market insight to public-value decisions. Through ACE, FIDIC and his investment committee work, he has lifted capability across the consultancy and infrastructure investment ecosystem.
A model of purpose-driven leadership
What stands out is the combination of technical credibility, commercial fluency and public-spirited stewardship. His career shows how engineers shape outcomes far beyond design, influencing the rules, incentives and partnerships that determine whether infrastructure is bankable, buildable and beneficial. For rising leaders in Africa, the UK and beyond, his trajectory offers a practical template for impact: master your craft, build coalitions, raise standards and serve the public interest while enabling private enterprise to thrive. Dr Nelson Ogunshakin OBE continues to demonstrate that as governance improves, projects deliver and societies gain. That is the quiet power of engineering leadership in action.
