Civic backs itself to double in size with appointment of executive chair
Announcing Dominic Miller's appointment as executive chair of Civic.
We're proud to share we have appointed Dominic Miller as Civic's first executive chair.
The heavyweight appointment adds firepower to our drive to double in size over the next three to four years and cement our reputation as creating positive impact for people, place and the planet.
Miller has been instrumental in shaping Civic’s trajectory since he joined the board as a non-executive director in 2022. He is an experienced corporate strategist and leader with a deep understanding of how successful businesses scale. His expertise in governance, acquisitions and operational efficiency across industries, including the pharmaceutical sector will now help drive Civic’s next phase of growth.
Dominic Miller, Executive Chair of Civic, said: “Civic means business. It’s rare for a firm of this size to have an executive chair, CFO and non-executive directors. But Civic has never followed convention. We invest in leadership, structure and expertise because we’re serious about long-term impact. My role is to ensure that the business is resilient, efficient and primed for sustainable expansion. This isn’t just about financial growth – it’s about extending our reach, empowering our people and making a lasting difference.
“Our leadership structure gives Civic founders Julian Broster and Stephen the remit to push forward with confidence, knowing they have a heavyweight board behind them, including Michelle McDowell MBE, who was the first woman to chair the Association for Consultancy and Engineering in its 100-year history.”
Operating out of studios in Manchester, London, Leeds, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dublin, our ambitions have always gone beyond traditional engineering. An early adopter of climate resilience, we have built a reputation for integrating sustainability and system thinking into our projects. Under Miller’s leadership, Civic will continue to scale responsibly, ensuring our commercial strength supports its mission to create people focused, environmentally responsible infrastructure.
Stephen O’Malley, CEO of Civic, said: “Having Dominic step into the role of executive chair is a major milestone for Civic. It strengthens our leadership team at a pivotal time, giving us the firepower to push further while staying true to our core values.”
Civic’s leadership has been deliberately strengthened to match our growth ambitions. Alongside Miller, we appointed Simon Edwards as CFO, bringing in a level of financial expertise more typical of a firm two to three times its current size. This forward-thinking approach ensures that Civic is structured not just for today but for the future scale it envisions.
Civic’s recent expansion into Dublin, alongside its growing portfolio of major UK projects including 2024 Stirling Prize-nominated Park Hill in Sheffield, Mayfield Manchester, Gascoigne Estate in London and The Avenues, Glasgow, reflects its strategy of carefully curated, sustainable growth.
We are committed to maintaining our unique culture – one that values long-term relationships, climate responsibility and a belief that financial strength should be a means to a greater purpose, not the end goal itself.
Miller concluded: “The market is responding positively – clients value the breadth of expertise we now offer, and other businesses want to join us. That’s a testament to the momentum Civic is building.”
“At Civic, growth isn’t just about revenue. It’s about influence, opportunity and impact. We’re not here to be the biggest – we’re about setting the standard and succeeding by being true to our values. And the more we grow, the more we can do for our clients, our people and the places we help shape.”