The WS Atkins chief executive successfullly steered his company through a deep recession

In an age when chief executives are shown the door within months, Keith Clarke has kept shareholders happy for more than seven years.

The 58-year-old shows no signs of letting up. Having steered engineering giant Atkins through the recession 鈥� profit was 拢100m off 拢1.5bn revenue in 2009

This year, Clarke made a major move into the US market, acquiring rival PBSJ for 拢178m. PBSJ had 3,100 staff in 80 offices across the States.

However, it has not been all plain sailing. In 2007 Atkins wrote-off 拢130m related to its stake in Metronet, the failed London tube maintenance PPP. Clarke admitted in an interview this year: 鈥淲e鈥檙e great at design but we鈥檙e not a contractor.鈥�

Clarke is opinionated but well-liked. Unlike many bosses of listed companies, Clarke is open about his politics 鈥� a Labour Party supporter who was disillusioned by the Iraq War 鈥� and his outside interest include tennis and cycling.