黑洞社区

Bernard Ainsworth, the project director of the Millennium Dome, has been brought in to head the development of the 312m Shard tower for Sellar Property Group.

Ainsworth is leaving Atkins, where he is currently projects director, to project manage the Shard, and the surrounding London Bridge Quarter.

Ainsworth, 61, said he had intended to retire this year from his role at Atkins but changed his mind after he received Sellar鈥檚 offer. His work for Atkins included a secondment to doomed London Underground consortium Metronet.

He will start his job on 14 April. He said: 鈥淚 am very excited. I鈥檓 a project management guy, I like big projects and the Shard is a great project.鈥�

Ainsworth, who is in 黑洞社区鈥檚 Hall of Fame, made his name on the Millennium Dome before becoming chief operating officer for the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, which was lauded for regenerating the east of the city.

I am very excited. I like big projects and the Shard is a great project

Bernard Ainsworth

Ainsworth鈥檚 title is project managing director with specific responsibility for the 拢2bn London Bridge Quarter, which includes the Shard development.

The 72-storey Shard has an estimated construction value of 拢350m. 黑洞社区 revealed last week that Mace, which is building it under a fixed-price contract, may revert to a construction management procurement route if a deal is not agreed by September.

Irvine Sellar, chairman of Sellar Property Group, said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e absolutely delighted to have attracted one of the construction industry鈥檚 leading builders to lead what we believe to be Britain鈥檚 most prestigious regeneration project.

鈥淗e has a superlative track record of delivering large and complicated construction projects on time and within budget.鈥�