Benita Mehra

Benita Mehra studied Electrical & Electronic Engineering at the City University London before completing an MSc in Construction Management at Heriot-Watt University.[1] Upon graduation she joined British Airports Authority (BAA) the airports operator and with their support attained chartered status, having been seconded from BAA into a manufacturing company.[2] In 2005, Mehra achieved an MBA in Henley Business School, allowing her to manage large groups of engineers.[3] In 2015 she became a Fellow of the Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estate Management, and the Institution of Engineering and Technology in 2016.

After the British prime minister Boris Johnson had appointed Mehra to the Grenfell Tower inquiry, it was found that the Women's Engineering Society had received a £71,000 grant from the Arconic Foundation, whose board includes several senior Arconic executives[4]. Arconic had made the cladding panels that were the principal reason why the Grenfell Tower flames had spread so rapidly. Amid mounting conflict of interest allegations, Mehra resigned from the Grenfell inquiry panel, citing 'a regrettable oversight'.[5]

In 2016, Mehra became the President of the Women's Engineering Society.[6] Under her guidance, National Women in Engineering Day (NWED) became an international celebration.[7] She has campaigned for women to be more readily welcomed back into the engineering workforce after time taken out for maternity leave, and encouraging small-to-medium enterprises to explore job-sharing for mid career workers.[8]

Mehra works to inspire the next generation, working with teachers and girls to highlight careers in engineering.[9] She was a judge of the annual Top 50 Women in Engineering campaign run by the Women's Engineering Society in partnership with The Telegraph newspaper.[10] She received an Honorary Doctorate for Science for her diversity work from Chichester University in 2017.[11][12]