Dervilla Mitchell, with the approval of the Executive, was proposed for membership of Council of the Academy at its meeting on 23rd October 2025 and was unanimously approved. Dervilla was admitted to membership of the Academy in 2019 and was presented with her parchment when visiting the Academy in January 2023 by past President Tom Leahy.
A Civil Engineering graduate of UCD, Dervilla spent the early part of her career in Dublin and Boston before settling in London. She was a member of the Global Board of Arup for 10 years and served as Deputy Chair of this £2bn business. Prior to this position she was Executive Chair of the UK, India, Middle East and Africa Region responsible for over 6000 staff and revenues of £700m. Her knowledge and experience cover all aspects of management of a large organization from strategy to operations and assurance.
In March 2024 Dervilla delivered a lecture to the Academy on her career and was welcomed by the Academy Executive.
Tom Leahy, Dervilla Mitchell, Seamus McKeague, Joe Harford.
During her almost 40 years in Arup, she has been involved in wide range of projects but is perhaps best known for her leadership of major aviation projects at Heathrow, Dublin, and Abu Dhabi. She is equally proud of her part in large complex projects such as Portcullis House, Westminster or Stratford City for the 2012 London Games and the smaller schemes such as Goodwood Paddock redevelopment.
She was awarded a DBE for Services to Engineering in 2024 having previously received a CBE in 2014. She has received Honorary Doctorates from University College Dublin and Imperial College London where she now sits on the Industry Advisory Board of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and contributes to undergraduate and CPD courses.
Dervilla’s other current roles include Chair of the IAB for a UK government research project studying sustainable and resilient transport; a member of the IAB for a marine carbon capture start up and she was recently appointed to the Board of Trustees for Kew Botanic Gardens.
President Sean Finlay said “We are delighted to welcome Dervilla to Council as she brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience”.
Academy news bulletin 24 November 2025- Dervilla Mitchell joins Academy Council