As Executive Vice President of Development and Construction, Paul Westbury is responsible for overseeing the strategic planning and delivery for Sphere Entertainment Co.’s venue development projects, led by Sphere – a next-generation entertainment medium that is redefining the future of live entertainment. The first Sphere venue opened in Las Vegas in September 2023, and the Company is having discussions regarding the development of Sphere in other forward-thinking cities. Mr. Westbury manages a global team of construction professionals who were responsible for driving the completion of the Las Vegas venue and retaining the knowledge gained for future Sphere projects.
Mr. Westbury joined the Company in 2019 as Senior Vice President of Development and Construction, bringing more than 30 years of diverse global construction industry experience. Prior to joining Sphere, Mr. Westbury was Group Technical Director at Laing O’Rourke, a multinational construction company, where he also served as the Director of the Laing O’Rourke Center for Construction Engineering at the University of Cambridge. Before joining Laing O’Rourke, Mr. Westbury spent 20 years with Buro Happold, an international engineering consulting firm, in roles of increasing responsibility, including as Group CEO. During his tenure at Buro Happold, Mr. Westbury was involved in the development of some of the world’s most prestigious venue projects, including the masterplan and main stadium design and delivery for London’s successful 2012 Olympic Games. His other high-profile projects have included the Millennium Dome and O2 Arena in London; Arsenal Football Club’s Emirates Stadium in London; and Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland.
Mr. Westbury has been awarded a Royal Academy of Engineering MacRobert Award for engineering innovation, as well as a highly coveted Gold Medal from the Institute of Structural Engineers. He has previously served on the Board of Trustees of the Royal Academy of Engineering; was part of the Steering Group for the Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Construction in the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge; and in 2013 was made a CBE in the British New Year’s Honours List for his overall contribution to engineering and construction.
Mr. Westbury received an MA in Engineering Science from the University of Cambridge.