New BGA Chair and Vice Chair Take up their roles
The BGA is delighted to announce that Chaido (Yuli) Doulala-Rigby has taken over as Chair of the British Geotechnical Association (BGA) and that James Lawrence has taken on the role of BGA Vice Chair.
The outgoing BGA Chair Dr Andrew Ridley hands over to Chaido (Yuli) Doulala Rigby at the BGA AGM on 25 June 2025.
BGA Chair – Chaido (Yuli) Doulala-Rigby
Yuli is the third female Chair in since the founding of the BGA/BGS – a significant milestone for representation and progress in the geotechnical community.
Yuli is a highly respected civil and geotechnical engineer with more than 30 years of both UK and international experience in infrastructure and ground engineering. Currently serving as Chief Civil Engineer at Tensar International. Her technical leadership spans continents, having worked on landmark infrastructure projects from London’s Jubilee Line Extension to major developments in Hong Kong, Europe, and the Middle East.
Yuli is a Chartered Engineer (CEng), a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers (FICE), the Permanent Way Institution (FPWI), and notably, the first non-military Fellow of the Institution of Royal Engineers (FInstRE). She also holds memberships with the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, Geotechnical Discipline (MHKIE(G)) and the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IoM3). In addition to her new role at the BGA, she is an appointed board member of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) and an elected general member of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Council.
Beyond her technical achievements, Yuli is a passionate STEM ambassador and vocal advocate for diversity in engineering. Her recent work with ICE Connects: Women in Fellowship has been instrumental to ICE’s effort to increasing the number of female Fellows within the Institution of Civil Engineers.
Reflecting on her appointment, Yuli said: “I’m deeply honoured to take on the role of Chair of the BGA. This is a community I care deeply about – one that plays a vital role in shaping our built environment and nurturing the next generation of geotechnical engineers. I look forward to continuing the BGA’s important work and raising more women and underrepresented voices within our profession.”
BGA Vice Chair – James Lawrence
Dr James Lawrence is a Reader in Geological Engineering at Imperial College London. After graduating from Cardiff University with a MSc. in Mineral Resources he worked as a geologist in the petroleum industry before joining the University of Brighton. James worked at the University of Brighton for eight years as a researcher and lecturer, whilst working towards his PhD. His research focused on the engineering properties of the chalk in relation to coastal environments and processes. This research gave James the opportunity to work on several major pan-European research and industrial projects.
James is the National Representative of the International Society Rock Mechanics (ISRM), Member of the ISRM Commission on Radioactive Waste Disposal and he is on the editorial board of the Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology