In this episode, I talk to Omo Esemuede, PE, PMP, Senior Vice President of Aviation at WSP in the U.S., about leading complex infrastructure program leadership initiatives by aligning capabilities, guiding teams under pressure, and using global experience to elevate leadership.
Engineering Quotes:
Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed About Infrastructure Program Leadership: Best Practices for Stronger Teams:
- Clear structure and defined roles help teams stay aligned on complex and high value projects. When goals match skills and career growth, teams perform with greater confidence and consistency. This is a hallmark of effective infrastructure program leadership.
- Success under pressure depends on shared leadership, open communication, and trust. Strong teams respond quickly when leaders understand strengths and support each person’s capacity to contribute.
- Listening closely and checking for alignment early keeps client relationships strong. When communication stays open, evolving challenges become opportunities to collaborate more effectively.
- Different regions bring different priorities from national image to operational efficiency. Global experience helps leaders weigh those needs and recommend smarter, more balanced solutions which support infrastructure program leadership.
- Technical success means more than quality, it means staying on budget, on schedule, and aligned with client expectations. Strong delivery supports future opportunities and long-term business growth.
- The most effective teams reflect the communities they serve and value every individual’s contribution. Great leadership creates space for people to grow, connect, and deliver meaningful results together.
About Omo Esemuede, PE, PMP
Omo Esemuede is a senior vice president at WSP leading the aviation business and strategy across the Texas and Louisiana Region. Omo excels in this role by building and nurturing key client and organizational relationships to help achieve shared success. He is focused on understasnding client goals through partnership and delivering curated solutions for our airport clients to accomplish their specific goals through planning, design, and construction implementation.
With over 20 years of experience, Omo has provided organizational leadership and program specific leadership on design and construction programs across the U.S. and globally exceeding $10 Billion. His early experience included leading design and providing construction administration on a range of civil infrastructure and DoD projects in the U.S. This experience gave him the technical foundation and opportunity to relocate abroad for multiple years to expand his expertise in managing design and construction projects at world-class airports in the Middle East and in the U.S. from a technical and organizational leadership perspective, which culminated to his current leadership role.
Omo holds a master of engineering with a concentration in project management from the University of Maryland College Park and a Bachelor’s of science in civil engineering from the University of the District of Columbia, an HBCU. He is a licensed professional engineer in Texas, Maryland, and Washington and is a certified project management professional. Omo serves as a member of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) and Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC).
About the Host: Rebecca Swabey, P.Eng.
Rebecca is a professional engineer who transitioned into the role of a tech startup founder. With ten years of experience in the civil consulting industry, specializing in water resources engineering and land development, she co-founded Equator Studios in 2018. The company enhances efficiency and quality for civil firms in the early stages of projects by providing better access to LiDAR and proposal automation tools. Based in Ontario, Canada, Rebecca enjoys hiking along the Grand River, experimenting with pizza recipes, and spending time with her two dogs.
Resources and Links Mentioned in This Session Include:
WSP in the U.S.
TDY
AEC PM Certification
AEC PM Connect
Project Management Accelerator™
Engineering Leadership Accelerator™
Keynote Speaking
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