Engineering company IBI Group announced on February 23 that it has appointed Audrey Jacob as its Chief Operations Director.

In the new executive role, Jacob takes over responsibility for the company’s global marketing and communications and human resources functions, as well as its office leases across the world. Jacobs will also take a leadership role in advancing IBI Group’s mandate on diversity, inclusion and belonging.

Jacob has worked with IBI Group since 1986 and has a long history of the firm’s business and people. She has previously held roles as Canada East Deputy Regional Director, and Toronto Office Lead, where she was responsible for the financial performance of the firm’s headquarters and largest office.

“I am very pleased to welcome Ms. Jacob into this new and important executive role,” said IBI Group CEO Scott Stewart. “Having worked with her for many years, I am confident in her ability to impact positive change within IBI, and I look forward to working alongside her to foster the global growth, performance and success of the firm.”

Jacob is a Registered Professional Planner and a Professional Land Economist with more than 30 years of experience. Prior to her new appointment, she led IBI Group’s real estate, economic & planning practice, specializing in growth management; market analysis; development, financial feasibility and strategy; economic impact; development charges; and municipal financial impact analysis. She has appeared as an expert witness before the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal and its predecessor, the Ontario Municipal Board to support land use and economic analysis of various land development-related matters in municipalities across southern Ontario.

Jacob is also a member of the Ontario Professional Planners Institute, the Canadian Institute of Planners, the Association of Ontario Land Economists, the Urban Land Institute, and is a Women’s Leadership Initiative Champion. She currently serves as Chair of the Executive Committee of Pragma Council at the University of Waterloo, a think tank which brings together urban planning thought leaders.

She is a member and active participant in Lambda Alpha International, an organization which helps foster the study and understanding of land economics. She has appeared as a guest speaker or panelist at many industry events, focusing on her area of expertise or speaking about career paths/direction for women and young professionals.