Engineering the Future, Brick by Brick: Lenka’s Journey Across Borders and Viaducts
Lenka never planned to be an engineer. “No one in my family was,” she says. “I went through a bit of a rebellious stage — my mum wanted me to study dentistry or economics. So of course, I did the opposite.”
Today, she’s one of the most inspiring civil engineers in the UK rail infrastructure space, recently relocating to Zurich after leading one of the most complex pieces of HS2’s city-centre construction. Her story is one of grit, humility and the quiet strength of someone who leads with action over ego.
From the Czech Republic to Paris, from a high-pressure project near the Russian border to managing over 200 people on the UK’s biggest infrastructure job, Lenka has been tested in ways most professionals never experience — and she’s still growing.
“Every day is different. That’s what I love.”
What first hooked Lenka on site life wasn’t the size of the structures, it was the people and the unpredictability. “You’re outside, you’re dealing with problems every day. There’s always something new. And when you see something you helped design and build, knowing it’ll be there in 100 years — that’s special.”
Her early experiences weren’t exactly welcoming. “I was a young woman, working in Russia, on a 1,600-person site. I was scared to go out on site at first,” she admits. “But I started learning Russian, speaking with people and it changed everything. I got hooked.”
That resilience and hunger to learn have defined her entire career. And they showed up in spades on HS2.
Scaling Up: HS2 and the Challenge of Curzon Viaduct
Lenka joined HS2’s Curzon Street section in the early pre-construction days. Over seven years, she went from technical planning in a project office to leading the delivery of a landmark viaduct, part of a complex, one-mile stretch of inner-city infrastructure.
“I always wanted that section,” she says of the Curzon Approach Viaduct. “It was the most complex structure. And I thought I could learn the most from it.”
The engineering challenges were massive — 280 deep rotary bored piles, over 100 workers on site at peak, tight tolerances and a constantly shifting design and programme. But the people challenges? Arguably bigger.
“We self-delivered,” she explains. “No subcontractor. So if something went wrong — it was on us. But that also gave us the flexibility to adapt. If the design was late or we needed to switch sequence, we could.”
That autonomy came with pressure, but Lenka’s leadership style was crystal clear: build trust, be honest and surround yourself with people who are willing to grow.
“I didn’t always know the answers. But I always said: I don’t know — let me find out. That attitude mattered more than experience.”
A Culture Still Catching Up
Despite her success, Lenka is refreshingly candid about the cultural gaps that still exist in construction.
“I’ve grown tired of the ‘women in engineering’ slogans. It’s not about that. It’s about diversity of thinking, of culture, of background. That’s how you grow a project. That’s how you grow as a leader.”
She’s passionate about changing how we talk about engineering, especially to young people and parents.
“People think construction means pouring concrete in a muddy hole. But it’s so much more. There’s policy, digital modelling, planning and strategy. There’s room for everyone.”
Leadership in Practice, Not Just Title
In Lenka’s world, leadership is about influence, not hierarchy.
“When I look back, what helped me most was having someone who believed in me. A line manager who didn’t care that I was young or a woman, just that I could do the job.”
Now she pays that forward, mentoring and guiding younger engineers who, like her, might need a reminder that attitude often matters more than credentials.
“It’s not about pretending to be someone you’re not. Just be yourself. Ask questions. Build trust. The rest comes.”
