Fiona Cousins Elected Fellow of Royal Academy of Engineering
The Arup executive joined the prestigious engineering organization as part of its 2026 intake.
Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in People
In 2026, the Royal Academy of Engineering elected Fiona Cousins to its Fellowship. The recognition follows her tenure as a leader in international professional engineering and sustainability organizations.
Why it matters
Election to the Fellowship serves as recognition of significant contributions to the field of engineering. It marks the culmination of a career spent leading major firms and professional bodies.
The Royal Academy of Engineering elected 75 new Fellows in 2026. This class of inductees joins a historic body of professionals recognized for their excellence in the engineering sector.
The players
Fiona Cousins
She is the Chief Operating Officer for Total Design at Arup and a veteran leader in global engineering and sustainability organizations.
Royal Academy of Engineering
This is the UK national academy for engineering that promotes excellence in the field through its elected Fellowship.
CIBSE
This is the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, a global professional body for those who design and operate buildings.
US Green Building Council
This is a private, non-profit organization that promotes sustainability in building design, construction, and operation.
Arup
This is a global firm of designers, engineers, architects, planners, and consultants providing professional services across the built environment.
The details
Cousins currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer for Total Design at Arup. Her professional background includes leadership roles such as President of CIBSE and Chair of the US Green Building Council.
Timeline
Fiona Cousins served as President of CIBSE from 2024 to 2025.
Fiona Cousins was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2026.
Market Landscape
The Royal Academy of Engineering Fellowship remains the primary benchmark for engineering excellence in the UK, as evidenced by this election. This addition follows the established institutional pattern of recognizing industry leaders who have demonstrated excellence within major professional bodies.
Professional recognition for industry executives like Cousins highlights the leadership standards within global firms such as Arup. Consumers and project clients can use such status indicators to gauge the expertise behind major design and engineering firms.
The takeaway
Engineering leadership roles often involve multi-year commitments to diverse professional bodies and global sustainability initiatives. Achieving a Fellowship status validates a career-long dedication to both corporate management and the advancement of technical standards.
Further reading
For more information on the leaders shaping the industry, see our People section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Raeng.
