Isherwood’s team is composed of curious and passionate people from around the globe. We share the vision that there are always ways to improve and grow in perception, skill, and art. Our team is driven towards learning and developing ways to do things smarter, seeking better strategies for success in every aspect of our work.
Brian Isherwood worked to guide Isherwood for 50 years. Isherwood started with one, grew to two, and now there are over 60 minds at work, engaged to serve our clients best.
BRIAN ISHERWOOD
Sadly, our cherished founder Brian passed away September 24, 2022 leaving behind a huge legacy that lies on and under so many landmarks all around Toronto and across Canada. Brian was a pioneer in the geotechnical industry, raising the bar of engineering. He tirelessly pushed into new territory, testing boundaries and assumptions and brought his creativity to the table. He was involved in the design of all types of foundations, the design and supervision of temporary works for excavations, shafts, and tunnels, and numerous innovative projects requiring a high degree of expertise and monitoring control.
Born on April 15, 1934, near London (England), Brian studied structural engineering at the University of Birmingham. After working in Britain and Yemen, which sparked his interest in soil mechanics, he immigrated to Canada with his young family in 1966. While working in Canada, Brian became actively involved with novel shoring techniques. In 1972, Brian founded his own company, Brian Isherwood and Associates, later renamed Isherwood Geostructural Engineers. He was instrumental in the advancement of soil anchors in Toronto at a time when internal bracing and rock anchors were considered the primary system of support. Brian also introduced inclinometer monitoring to support the observational method of excavation support design, and as a result, his work became known for its reliability, quality and for his dedication to public safety.
Brian was a fellow at the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering, a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers of Britain, the Canadian Geotechnical Society, the Tunnelling Association of Canada, and the Deep Foundations Institute. In 2015, Brian won the Ontario Professional Engineering Medal for Engineering Excellence: A Career Driven by Creativity and Safety.
In his professional and social lives, Brian was a man of wide interests. He was an advocate of lifelong learning, a passionate problem solver, and a generous, enthusiastic mentor. He thrived in environments that strived for excellence and brought that extra little bit of magic and special touch of quality, finesse, and elegant simplicity to everything he did. He is missed as a truly inspirational man who touched many people's lives.
NADIR ANSARI
P.Eng. (ON, AB, BC, NB), D.GE, M.ASCE
President
Nadir joined Brian Isherwood in 1987 as the firm’s first full-time employee and never left.
Nadir has been involved in the analysis, design, review, field inspection, and monitoring of over 1500 structures across Canada and in the US, Mexico, and the Caribbean. He is actively involved in the improvement of in-situ soil reinforcing techniques and works closely with local contractors and developers to advance soil-nailed, micropile, and ground-improvement design. He is a major proponent of the Observational Method, precision geotechnical instrumentation and monitoring, and the prediction of earth and building movements related to excavations (including finite element analysis modelling). A couple of Nadir’s most memorable projects include the Princess of Wales Theatre, the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Rescue Shaft, Pier 27, and the Sir Adam Beck Tunnel Cofferdam.
Nadir was born in Amman, Jordan, and grew up in London, Ontario. He completed his Master’s thesis on Statistical Modeling of Bridge Loading from the University of Western Ontario. He is a proud member of ten professional associations including the Deep Foundations Institute, the Professional Engineers Ontario, the ADSC International Association of Foundation Drilling, the International Society for Micropiles, the Tunneling Association of Canada, and WPO – World Presidents Organization. Nadir is also the President of Monir Precision Monitoring.
Nadir’s personal interests vary widely and include gastronomy, performance in orchestras and chamber music ensembles, travel, languages, reading, collecting automotive art, and any learning opportunities with social content.
Matthew Janes
P.Eng. (BC, AB, ON), M.E.Sc., M.B.A.
Specialist Engineer and Senior Technical Reviewer
Matthew joined Isherwood in 1999 to introduce his colleagues to the art of finite element analysis. As the senior engineer at our Vancouver location, Matthew has strong expertise in geotechnical engineering, geotechnical dynamics, geostructural engineering, and finite element analysis, as well as a comprehensive understanding of the complexities of the industry. He is a highly active member of the Deep Foundations Institute, serving as a trustee for the past 10 years and beginning his 2 year term as president in 2018.
A few of his memorable projects include Calgary’s The Bow (2007-2013), Whitemud in Edmonton (2008-2009), Sheppard Subway Stations (1999-2003), and Murano (2006), in Toronto. Born and raised in British Columbia, Matthew spent considerable time in Ontario completing his Bachelor of Engineering Science in Civil Engineering, Master of Engineering Science in Soil and Structural Dynamics Western University, and Master of Business Administration at Simon Fraser University. He has over 30 years of experience in geotechnical engineering consulting, contracting, and manufacturing. With an emphasis on applied research and product development, Matthew has been a key proponent in bringing many new innovations to the industry including Statnamic load testing, underwater pile driving, and more recently the development of a resonant pile driving hammer.
His free time is often spent cycling, mountaineering, and with his wife of 25 years and three children.