David Wilkes C.Eng, CWEM, BSc, HonFellow CIWEM, MICE is an Honorary Fellow of CIWEM, a chartered civil engineer, and Global Flood Resilience Leader and a Director of Arup. He is Project Director working on river, coastal and integrated catchment management projects within Europe and across the globe.

David has specialised in coastal, tidal and inland flood risk management for almost 40 years. The first 30 years with the public sector, and the last 10 with Arup as director on a multitude of projects. With the Environment Agency he was responsible for all operations at the Thames Barrier and the 120 miles network of defences which protect London from the storm tides. During this time he set up the TE2100 study to develop plans to protect London against sea level rise to 2100.

His present responsibilities include reviewing and supporting Arup’s flood resilience services globally. This includes being lead flood resilience specialist for 17 major projects in Peru  following the devastating ElNino of 2017, as Project Director for helping Bahrain adapt to climate change and sea level rise, and a portfolio of schemes for the Environment Agency and Sheffield City Council. He was Project Director for developing the practice guide to accompany PPS25 – Development and Flood Risk, and for the Cabinet Office report on Flood Resilience of National Infrastructure. David has also advised the Isle of Man Government about their flood risk strategy and his report has been accepted in full.

Before joining Arup, David was a Flood Risk Manager with the Environment Agency and their predecessors, most recently for Yorkshire from 2000 to 2006 and from 1994 to 2000 as Manager of the Thames Barrier in London. During his time with the Environment Agency, David handled several operational and emergency events including the 2000 floods in Yorkshire and water resource protection during the Foot and Mouth epidemic.