Young Consultant of the Year
Ellie McBurney is a consultant in Arup’s Strategic Water Services team with a focus on strategy, policy, and asset management and performance. Ellie developed a passion for water after growing up in Aotearoa New Zealand, where there is a keen appreciation for both the value and fragility of the natural world, which led her to pivot her career towards water science, policy, and management. Ellie has demonstrated excellent performance for clients, delivering tangible impacts through her technical engineering knowledge and strategic thinking.
Ellie has worked on several high-profile projects, including, on a national scale, a secondment to Ofwat, the UK Water Regulator, where she led efforts to set storm overflow targets for English and Welsh companies, aiming for a 45% reduction in spills by 2030. She also played a key role in strengthening climate change adaptation activities for Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, guiding the client through stringent reporting requirements and developing a roadmap for improving climate risk management.
Internationally, Ellie supported the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board in Canada, at the catchment level, to become more water resilient, adapting Arup’s City Water Resilience Approach to address the region’s challenges. Ellie also leads Arup’s strategic relationship with the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), organizing events at World Water Week and the United Nations Climate Change Conferences. Her passion, commitment to excellence, and positive attitude makes her an invaluable collaboration partner.
View the Arup profile in the MCA Members Directory.