Michael Wood has joined Ridge to establish a new utility surveying capability within the expanding geospatial team.

Michael started his career in 2006 as a trainee, working his way up to Senior Surveyor positions and managerial roles establishing utility departments. He became a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (CICES) in 2020 and has worked on projects across the UK and internationally, spanning a number of sectors from industrial to commercial. Michael joins us from 128Mapping, a company which he founded. This impressive trajectory has equipped him with the experience and technical skills required to spearhead this niche discipline within Ridge. 

Utility surveying plays a critical role in modern design processes, focusing on the accurate mapping of underground infrastructure to mitigate risk and ensure safe, efficient project delivery. This involves leveraging advanced tools such as electromagnetic locators and ground-penetrating radars to provide comprehensive, reliable data. This role is crucial in identifying, documenting, and managing data related to buried assets such as pipelines, cables, drainage systems, and other subsurface utilities. 

Commenting on his new role, Michael said: “Joining Ridge is an exciting opportunity to build a specialist capability from the ground up in a forward-thinking and rapidly growing business. Utility surveying is an increasingly critical expertise, and I’m looking forward to leading its development here. In these first few weeks, I’m focused on setting up processes for capturing, processing, and presenting data, ensuring we deliver the highest standards for our clients.” 

Michael’s appointment reflects our ongoing commitment to investing in talented professionals who bring new perspectives and skills to our business. As part of our geospatial team, he will play a pivotal role in enhancing our service offering and contributing to the success of our clients’ projects. 

Daniel Pickett, Geospatial Partner, said: “We’re really looking forward to Michael joining the team, having this capability in-house rather than sub-contracting will be a game-changer for our team and our clients, ensuring greater control over the quality of our product. This will also enable us to offer a full suite of core Geospatial services and fill in what is currently the missing piece.”