David Singleton

Chair, Smart Cities Research Institute, Swinburne University of Technology

David Singleton is Chair of the Smart Cities Research Institute and a Swinburne Council member. He is also Chairman and Director of the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia, a Director of Standards Australia Ltd and a board member of the Future Business Council of Australia. David is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of the Academy of Technology and Engineering.

He is an experienced company director who holds or has held director-level roles with privately held, industry and government boards in Australia, UK, Singapore and Africa, including several as chairman.

David is a civil engineer and planner who has had responsibility for the strategic leadership and growth of the global consulting firm Arup, as a founding member of the Arup Group Board (2001–2011). He has experience in leading the growth and development of the global business of Arup in 40 countries during his 41 year career.

David created the sustainability strategy and global policy framework that Arup applies across its global operations and led its development and implementation from 2004 to 2011. Whilst a member of the global board of Arup David had responsibility for the development and leadership of Arup's global strategy on diversity. Prior to this, David drove strategic change as CEO of Arup in Australia that was recognised by his selection as a finalist in the EOWA awards for 'Leading CEO for the Advancement of Women', 2002.

David is a five-time recipient of the 100 Most Influential Engineers in Australia Award (Engineers Australia), with the most recent being in 2015.

His previous non-executive experience includes:

Chair, College of Leadership and Management, Engineers Australia, 2014–2016
Member, Advisory Board, University of Cambridge Program for Sustainability Leadership, 2008-2010
Chair, Buildings Standards Sector Board, Standards Australia, 2003–2008
Chair and Director, Australian Construction Industry Forum, 2001–2005
President and Chair, Association of Consulting Engineers Australia, 2000–2002
Director, Association of Consulting Engineers Australia, 1994–2004
Chair, National Engineering Registration Board, 2002–2005
Director of RedR Australia Ltd, 1998–2001
David holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Nottingham and a master’s degree by research in Transport from the University of Melbourne. He holds an Advanced Management qualification from Harvard Business School and a Business Sustainability qualification from the University of Cambridge.