APM reacts to Nick Smallwood stepping down as IPA Chief Executive

It has been announced that Nick Smallwood, Chief Executive of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA), is to step down from his position in March 2025 after five years of service.

The IPA is the body responsible for overseeing the delivery of major government projects, and during his tenure as Chief Executive Nick led the transformation of the Government Project

Delivery Function and introduced professional accreditation and training programmes to enhance project delivery expertise across government.

Nick Smallwood, IPA Chief Executive, said: "It has been a great honour to serve as a civil servant, supporting the delivery of some of the most transformative, complex and socially important projects the UK has ever seen. I am immensely proud of what we have achieved together, creating public services that will benefit future generations."

Nick has been a regular, valued contributor to Association for Project Management’s (APM) work throughout his tenure at IPA. In 2022, Nick won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the APM Project Management Awards.

APM’s Chief Executive, Prof Adam Boddison OBE, said: “Nick Smallwood has been a tremendous advocate for the project profession and, on behalf of APM and the project community, I would like to thank him for his leadership, expertise and professionalism over the years.

“Whilst we will be sad to see Nick step down as the IPA’s Chief Executive, I would like to recognise his contribution to ensuring that APM and the IPA have such a strong, collaborative working relationship. We wish Nick all the best for the future and we look forward to continuing to work with the IPA – and the incoming National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) – so that society will continue to benefit from well-delivered government projects.”

Photo by Will Amlot