Jerome Frost is a planner who has built his career around making projects useful for people. For more than two decades, he has worked on city planning, transport, and major regeneration efforts. Today, he leads Arup, one of the world’s most respected design and engineering firms. His path has been practical, project-driven, and rooted in the belief that places should work for the people who live in them.
Early years in planning
Frost trained as a town planner and studied planning, land economics, and urban renewal. This early foundation taught him to think about cities not just as buildings or roads, but as whole systems where communities grow and economies thrive. Unlike many who focus only on design, he looked at how planning decisions affect everyday life. That ability to step back and see the wider picture has stayed with him throughout his career.
In his first roles, he worked on projects that required patience and a clear eye for detail. Planning is rarely fast, and Frost learned to balance long-term goals with the short-term needs of local communities and governments. These early experiences prepared him for the large, complex projects that would later define his career.
London 2012 Olympics
The turning point for Frost came when he was appointed head of design and regeneration at the Olympic Delivery Authority for the London 2012 Games. His task was enormous: to transform a neglected industrial area in East London into a world-class Olympic Park and, just as importantly, to create a lasting legacy after the Games were over.
Under his leadership, the project turned wasteland into stadiums, housing, parks, and transport links. It was a balancing act of budgets, deadlines, and community expectations. The successful delivery of the park is often pointed to as one of the most effective Olympic legacies in modern times.
For his contribution, Frost was awarded an OBE, a recognition of how his work went beyond construction to leave a long-lasting impact on the city.
Growing inside Arup
Frost has been with Arup for many years, and his rise through the company reflects both his technical skills and his ability to lead teams. He took on the role of head of planning for the UK, India, the Middle East, and Africa, where he dealt with a wide range of city and infrastructure projects. Each region had its own challenges, from rapid urban growth to complex transport demands, and Frost’s job was to guide planning teams through them.
He also served as global leader of Arup’s consulting group and became a member of the Arup Group Board. These roles gave him a seat at the table where long-term strategies for the firm were set. His voice was one of practical leadership, always pointing back to the real outcomes of projects and the people who would use them.
Stepping into the top role
In April 2024, Frost was appointed Group Chair of Arup. A year later, in April 2025, he took on the newly created role of Chief Executive Officer, becoming the first to hold that title in the firm’s history. Today, he leads an employee-owned business of almost 18,000 members worldwide.
His appointment as chief executive showed the trust the firm had in his balanced approach. Running such a global organization requires not only business judgment but also the ability to keep people-focused values alive. Frost’s background in planning, where community impact is central, has shaped how he approaches this responsibility.
His way of working
Colleagues often describe Frost as someone who pays close attention to detail but also keeps his eyes on the broader outcome.
He is not a leader who focuses only on the numbers; he is more concerned with what a project will mean for a community five, ten, or twenty years down the line. This outlook makes sense for a planner, and it explains why he has been successful in both project delivery and company leadership.
Projects and impact
Beyond the Olympic Park, Frost has been involved in major regeneration and transport projects across different countries. His work often requires bringing together governments, private investors, engineers, and local communities, groups that do not always see eye to eye. His skill lies in creating agreement and pushing projects forward without losing sight of their purpose.
These projects leave behind more than just physical structures. They change how people move, how they live, and how cities grow. That is the true measure of Frost’s work.
Personal side
Not much is publicly shared about Frost’s personal life. What is clear from his career is that he values patience, long-term thinking, and fairness.
These traits are reflected in his professional journey, where he has often been the one to balance competing interests and deliver results that stand the test of time. His life outside work may be private, but his career speaks strongly about the type of person he is.
Why his story matters
Jerome Frost’s career shows how planning, when done right, can reshape whole communities. He started as a town planner, took on one of the most-watched projects in the world, and now leads a global firm. His journey underlines a simple truth: leadership grows from experience, persistence, and the ability to turn plans into results.
For young planners and engineers, his story is an example of what is possible when you combine technical skills with an eye for real human outcomes. For the industry, it is a reminder that the best leaders are those who know the ground, understand the details, and never forget the people they serve.
