Stephen Hicks
Former General Manager Structural Systems (2008 – 2019)
I’m a Structural Engineer with over 20 years’ research and development experience within the steel construction industry – providing professional services to clients across Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.
My ongoing areas of focus at HERA were steel-concrete composite buildings and bridges, development of design guides and standards, product development, structural dynamics, structural reliability, fire engineering, sustainability, light steel framing and software development.
With a strong background working with large corporate members and SME’s on promotional, market development and collaborative research activities, I was able to provide training that enabled designers and national standards bodies to invest in their professional development – equipping them with the skills necessary to operate in a constantly changing environment.
Projects I worked on included the advancement of standards and design guides using the latest research outcomes to increase design efficiencies and deliver more cost-effective steel structures. Helping client’s gain access to overseas markets through a deep knowledge of different regulatory requirements such as CE marking through the EU Construction Products Regulation. And, I also chaired BD-090-06, the committee responsible for AS/NZS 5100.6 – the first joint Australian and New Zealand design standard for steel and composite bridges.
I’m proud to have been part of HERA’s excellence in research and development for the metals industry – to harmonize national standards to facilitate trade and increased member productivity. I take pride in the fact that a lot of my research has been adopted by industry through national and international standards, design guides and papers, and within the built environment. It’s a great legacy to leave behind.