John Philp

Background

About John Philp

With 33 years of experience in the bridge industry, I began my career in Hong Kong and China, working on the construction of record-breaking suspension bridges for a UK-based contractor who specialized in the erection engineering and fabrication of large-span bridges and buildings. This phase culminated in my involvement in the world’s first suspended deck replacement of an aging landmark suspension bridge in Vancouver, BC, for a US-based specialist contractor. In the next phase of my career, I transitioned into the design of permanent works for highway, heavy rail, light rail, and pedestrian bridges in the UK, building on my steel design and construction expertise. During this time, I contributed to a variety of projects, including traditional and design-build contracts, including independent category reviews, detailed analysis and design, strengthening schemes, load ratings, and erection engineering. Upon returning to Vancouver, I continued in consultancy, working on multi-billion-dollar design-builds, small to medium traditional design-bid-build projects, and more recently, an Alternative Project Delivery (APD) Alliance Project. My work in this phase included seismic analysis, assessment and retrofit, as well as concrete and steel-concrete composite bridge designs. I further honed my project management skills, led diverse teams, and mentored engineers in their career development. In my current role as British Columbia Bridge Lead, I am responsible for driving sales targets, strategic planning, market and business development, and overseeing project management, technology development, and technical deliverables. I also play a key role in mentoring staff, developing engineering talent, and serving as the primary point of contact for clients on project-related work. Throughout my career, I have frequently assumed roles such as Owner’s Engineer, Engineer of Record, Independent Structural Reviewer, Technical Advisor, Project Manager, and Quality Manager.