SOCOTEC Appoints Ivan Jelic, PhD, PE, as EVP to Strengthen Capabilities for Complex Projects

• Senior hire to scale specialty & forensic engineering and advisory: SOCOTEC appoints Ivan Jelic, a structural engineer and seasoned advisor on multi-billion-dollar capital projects, to accelerate growth in construction advisory, and forensic engineering.
• Supporting clients in complex environments: The appointment strengthens SOCOTEC's ability to bring clear, technically grounded expertise to clients navigating complex projects, disputes, and high-risk situations.

NEW YORK, May 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- SOCOTEC US today announced the appointment of Ivan Jelic, PhD, PE, as Executive Vice President of its Technical Consulting & Advisory (TCA) practice, marking a key step in the firm's strategy to scale its advisory and forensic engineering capabilities.

This appointment comes at an important moment for the industry. As projects become more complex and expectations around performance, delivery, and sustainability increase, clients need partners who can provide clear, independent expertise across the full lifecycle of their assets, helping them make informed decisions, manage risk, and optimize outcomes at every stage.

Technical Consulting & Advisory is a cornerstone of SOCOTEC's platform, combining specialty engineering, high-value advisory, and forensic expertise to support clients from early-stage planning through project delivery and asset operation. Acting as a trusted third party, SOCOTEC helps clients enhance performance, improve delivery, and address complex technical and financial challenges, including, when necessary, disputes and expert testimony.

"Over the past several years, SOCOTEC has evolved in the US from a niche consultancy into a national platform of more than 1,700 professionals," said Nicolas Detchepare, CEO of SOCOTEC USA. "What has remained constant is our role as a trusted third-party partner to our clients—helping them enhance the performance, delivery, and sustainability of their assets across the entire lifecycle. As projects become more complex, clients need partners who can combine specialty engineering, strong advisory, and forensic expertise. Ivan brings the experience to further strengthen these capabilities and support our clients at every stage."

Ivan Jelic brings more than 25 years of global experience across engineering, consulting, and advisory. He combines senior leadership with deep technical expertise, holding a PhD in structural engineering from Imperial College London and licensure as a Professional Engineer in New York. His credentials also include MIStructE, CEng (UK), and LEED AP.

Most recently, Ivan served as Partner at Boston Consulting Group, where he led large capital project advisory across Southeast Asia and helped scale high-growth consulting capabilities. Prior to that, he spent over a decade at McKinsey & Company as a Senior Expert in the Capital Excellence Practice, advising on multi-billion-dollar infrastructure, energy, and real estate programs, including complex stakeholder landscapes and challenging commercial arrangements. Earlier in his career, he spent 15 years at Arup, leading major international engineering and design projects.

Throughout his career, Ivan has delivered measurable impact across large-scale programs, including double-digit cost reductions, schedule acceleration, and the recovery of significant project value. His experience spans design, delivery, risk management, and dispute resolution on some of the world's most complex capital projects.

At SOCOTEC, Ivan will lead teams across 40 offices from New York and focus on accelerating the growth of high-value advisory services and strengthening the firm's forensic engineering capabilities, leveraging a national network of specialized laboratories and experienced engineers to better support clients on complex projects and disputes.

Ivan Jelic commented:
"Clients are navigating more complex projects and higher-risk environments, particularly when it comes to delays, costs, and disputes. What matters is having access to clear, credible, and technically grounded advice. SOCOTEC has strong expertise in place, and I look forward to further develop our ability to support clients in these critical situations."

This appointment follows the evolution of TCA's leadership, with Robert Vecchio transitioning earlier this year to the role of Chief Technical Officer, where he continues to drive technical excellence across SOCOTEC USA.

Together, this leadership structure positions SOCOTEC to accelerate the growth of its Technical Consulting & Advisory platform, and continue to deliver trusted expertise across the built environment.

ABOUT SOCOTEC
For more than 70 years, the SOCOTEC Group, chaired by Hervé Montjotin, has built its reputation as an independent, trusted third party in risk management, compliance, safety, health, and environmental services across the Building, Real Estate, Infrastructure, and Industry sectors.

As a guarantor of the integrity, sustainability, and performance of built assets, SOCOTEC provides a comprehensive range of Testing, Inspection, and Certification (TIC) services—from its historical expertise in technical control to advanced consulting and risk management solutions for construction, infrastructure, and industrial facilities. The Group supports public and private clients throughout the entire asset lifecycle, helping strengthen the safety, quality, and longevity of the built environment.
A leader in its field, SOCOTEC is the No. 1 provider of construction inspection in France and geotechnical and construction quality control services in the United Kingdom and Italy. The Group operates in 26 countries with 15,000 employees and 250,000 clients, generating consolidated revenues of €1.850 billion—60% of which come from international markets. With more than 250 external accreditations, SOCOTEC acts as a trusted and accredited partner in major projects worldwide.
In the United States, SOCOTEC brings together the highly technical expertise of 1,700 professionals across 40+ offices and comprehensive service lines, including Building Performance and Compliance, CMT & Laboratories, Forensics & Expert Services, Geotechnical Services, Specialty Engineering, Project Advisory & Risk Management, Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS), Data Intelligence & Compliance, Professional Training & Certification. SOCOTEC's multidisciplinary teams deliver trusted expertise to help clients design, build, and maintain resilient, compliant, and high-performing assets across the built environment.

Visit www.socotec.us and www.socotec.com for more information.

SOURCE SOCOTEC