Alex Steele is the Chief Financial Officer of Engineering and Environmental Consultancy, Waterman Group. She started her career at PwC where she qualified as a chartered accountant in 1997, and was later seconded to PwC in Sydney, Australia, for three years. Returning to the London office as a senior manager, Alex specialised in mid-tier company audits and buyside due diligences.
Joining Waterman in 2008 as Group Divisional Director of Finance, her group-wide role focussed on their international operations in Europe, Russia, Middle East and Australia. In 2010, she joined Waterman’s main executive board, becoming the company’s first female board director. Since then, Alex has been central to the company’s continued development and she played a pivotal role in Waterman’s 2018 acquisition by CTI Engineering.
As a seasoned leader of multi-national teams, Alex has gained a rich understanding of international business cultures over her career which sees her champion collaborative efforts to promote mutual understanding. She is passionate about providing opportunities for young people from all backgrounds and has been instrumental in the development of apprenticeship programmes both at PwC and Waterman. Alex has mentored apprentices throughout her career, and she has been involved in initiatives with universities to promote career opportunities. She has also worked with international teams in Canada and Chile for environmental and youth charities, both focused on making a difference to the local environment and the lives of the community.
