AtkinsRéalis appoints Ian Tasker to private finance role

AtkinsRéalis has appointed Ian Tasker as Director of Private Finance for the UK and Ireland, adding a senior infrastructure finance specialist to its regional leadership team.

He joins as public sector bodies, infrastructure owners and investors explore new funding structures for large projects. His role will focus on helping clients develop funding and financing strategies for infrastructure and growth programmes.

Tasker brings more than 30 years of experience advising central government, local authorities, investors and financial institutions on the structuring, funding and delivery of infrastructure projects. His background spans advisory, banking, investment and development roles at Knight Frank, Grant Thornton, Morgan Sindall Investments and NatWest Bank.

Before joining AtkinsRéalis, he was Senior Responsible Officer for one of the consortia appointed by Homes England and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as Strategic Adviser to the Government's New Towns Programme. In that role, he worked on delivery, governance and financing strategies for major new settlements across England.

The appointment comes amid a wider debate over how to bring more private capital into British infrastructure as governments and local authorities face pressure on public finances. For engineering and advisory groups, that has created an opening to support not only project design and delivery, but also the commercial structures that determine whether schemes attract investors.

AtkinsRéalis cited recent research suggesting investor appetite remains strong, even as many schemes struggle to reach a bankable stage. It found that 90% of institutional investors view the UK as an attractive destination for infrastructure investment over the next three years, while 64% have walked away from UK projects because of weak business cases.

Those findings underline a central issue for the sector: access to capital is not the only constraint. Risk allocation, delivery confidence and the quality of project preparation remain major factors in whether private finance is deployed.

Finance focus

James Butler, Senior Vice President of Growth, AtkinsRéalis UK & Ireland, outlined the company's view of the market backdrop.

"Ian joins AtkinsRéalis as government, asset owners, industry and investors are aligned on the need to accelerate delivery. But doing so requires projects that are commercially robust, investable and capable of attracting long-term private finance. Ian's experience advising both the public and private sectors will strengthen our ability to help clients develop funding and financing strategies that support economic growth while delivering long-term value for communities," Butler said.

That reflects a growing emphasis in infrastructure policy on making schemes attractive to long-term investors such as pension funds and institutions. It also highlights demand for advisers that can bridge public sector objectives and private sector return requirements.

Tasker said AtkinsRéalis is well placed to work across government bodies, investors and delivery organisations.

"As a strategic delivery partner across UK and Ireland infrastructure, AtkinsRéalis is positioned to be the integrator between public, private and finance organisations - helping to de-risk projects and incentivise investment. We know investors are interested in new and innovative models so I'm looking forward to working with clients to attract the investment, accelerate delivery and support sustainable growth for communities," Tasker said.

Market conditions

Across the UK, ministers, combined authorities and local councils have increasingly turned to blended finance models, land value strategies and other forms of private investment to advance housing, transport and regeneration schemes. That trend reflects both the scale of investment required and constraints on traditional public funding routes.

For AtkinsRéalis, the hire signals an effort to strengthen its position in a market where technical advice, programme management and financial structuring increasingly overlap. Its UK work includes support for regional growth and investment programmes for mayoral combined authorities.

Outside the UK, AtkinsRéalis has also worked on privately financed infrastructure, including Toronto's Eglinton Crosstown LRT. That offers some indication of the experience it may seek to apply as clients in Britain and Ireland consider alternative financing routes for transport, housing and other long-term projects.

The company operates across the infrastructure lifecycle, covering advisory, engineering and programme delivery. In practical terms, its pitch to clients increasingly extends beyond design and construction to whether projects are structured in a way investors will support.

With investor interest in UK infrastructure still evident, but many projects failing to clear commercial hurdles, appointments such as Tasker's indicate where advisory demand is moving. The challenge for the sector is no longer only identifying capital, but turning plans into projects that can withstand scrutiny from both public authorities and private financiers.

Tasker's immediate brief sits at that junction between policy ambition and investable delivery, an area that has become more prominent as governments seek new ways to fund major infrastructure and development programmes.