Lara Poloni

Lara Poloni is President of AECOM (NYSE:ACM), the world’s premier infrastructure consulting firm delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. AECOM is a Fortune500 company with its Professional Services business generating revenues of circa AUD$20 billion in fiscal year 2021.

After graduating with an Arts degree (Honours) in Urban Geography from Monash University in 1991, Lara went on to pursue postgraduate studies in Urban Planning and Policy before commencing work in a small Melbourne planning firm. She then joined Maunsell (a legacy AECOM company) in 1994 and has been a longstanding team member since then.

Prior to assuming the AECOM Global President role in 2020, Lara served in several key leadership roles, including as the London-based Chief Executive of AECOM’s operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) from 2017 to 2020, and as Chief Executive of the Australia New Zealand business from 2014 to 2017.

Over a career spanning 30 years, Lara has predominantly worked in the planning, assessment and development of major infrastructure projects for both public and private sector clients, including many of Victoria and Australia’s landmark road, rail, port and airport projects. She is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Infrastructure and a former board member for Infrastructure Partnerships Australia. As a proud Monash alumna, Lara is delighted to serve as a current member of Monash University’s Industry Council of Advisers (MICA).

In addition to her extensive experience in complex global infrastructure projects, Lara is a passionate industry advocate for various equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives as well as leading AECOM’s ESG strategy and various leadership development programs.