Exclusive: Sydney Opera House and Gherkin designer Arup loses finance chief
The design company behind the Sydney Opera House and Gherkin has been left without a finance chief after the former executive in the role quietly left the business, City PM has learned.
Robert Boardman, who spent nearly seven years as chief financial officer at the blue-chip engineering, design, and professional services consultancy, resigned as a director on 13 July from all Arup entities, according to Companies House filings. His profile has also been removed from the firm’s executive board webpage.
There has been no announcement, nor has the firm, which confirmed his exit to City PM, named a new chief financial officer.
Previously, Boardman was the finance chief at management consultancy firm Hakluyt for over six years, and was the global finance director at law firm Herbert Smith Freehills between 2009 and 2013. Boardman did not respond to requests for comment.
Last April, the group appointed Jerome Frost, who has been at the firm for over 14 years, to the newly created chief executive role.
Arup spent £20m on cut jobs
Arup’s global revenue was £2.16bn for the financial year ending 31 March 2025, down from £2.20bn in the previous year. Its operating profit stood at 2.7 per cent, while its headcount dropped by 3 per cent to over 17,400.
In the UK, the firm generated £652.2m in revenue, down more than five per cent from the previous year. Its recent UK annual report, filed with Companies House, also revealed that for the financial year ending 31 March 2025, the group reported “headcount reduction costs” of £19.8m.
Arup, a UK-based firm established in 1946, has engineered some of the most iconic buildings and structures in the world, including the Sydney Opera House, the Gherkin and the Millennium Bridge in London. The firm also played a major role in the design and engineering of the Elizabeth Line.