Topic People, Awards
Date 11 Jun 2025
Kay Denham, Director of Engineering for Galliford Try’s Environment business, has been shortlisted in the Inspirational Leader category at the 2025 Construction News Inspiring Women in Construction & Engineering Awards.
This prestigious category celebrates women in leadership roles who have used their positions to inspire and engage the workforce while driving better outcomes for customers and their businesses. Kay exemplifies this through her leadership, commitment to innovation, and dedication to building a more inclusive and sustainable future for engineering.
Highlights of her engineering career include the Wilmington scheme, one of the first to use reedbed technology to specifically target phosphorus removal, the Poole Digestion project and the Hazards Green Ultra Violet treatment plant.
Padraig McCormack, Operations Director, Galliford Try Environment, who nominated Kay, commented: “Kay Denham is a true inspiration in our industry and a powerful example of how women are shaping the future of engineering and the water sector.
“Long before I joined Galliford Try, I was aware of Kay’s reputation during my time at another business in the sector. Her influence and standing in the industry were clear — and since working alongside her, I’ve only grown more impressed by her leadership, clarity of vision, and ability to drive innovation.”
A passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, Kay is actively involved in STEM and Women in Engineering networks, empowering the next generation of talent. Her thought leadership on sustainable innovation and standardising engineering solutions was recently featured in New Civil Engineer, where she outlined the future of Modern Methods of Construction in the water sector.