CBE Robin Sham

Robin Sham CBE is the world’s best bridge builder, designer of monumental feats of engineering and named as a superhero by the Institution of Civil Engineers. He constructs some of the biggest and most technically difficult bridges on Earth – helping to connect people and grow economies, creating wealth and better standards of living. Recent projects include the 14-mile Trans Harbour Link in Mumbai, the longest bridge in India, and Padma Multipurpose Bridge in Bangladesh, a 3.7-mile two-level, road-railway river crossing that is the longest bridge in Bangladesh and is key to improving disaster prevention and poverty relief. Both won International Association of Bridges and Structural Engineering 2024 Awards. His Gordie Howe International Bridge, the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America, will become a strategic border crossing between the US and Canada. Robin’s shrewd understanding of commercial forces still leaves room for unfettered passion for creation, and his purpose is noble. As he says: “I perceive bridges as a metaphor for overcoming obstacles and resolving conflicts, and as structures for connecting people and places. I am determined to realise the physical and emotional power of bridges to connect people and drive the growth and development of countries.”