Kristen Smith 
- Former KBR executive Byron Bright has joined AtkinsRéalis as president of U.S. operations
- The leadership transition comes as the company expands its U.S. footprint
- Bright has decades of experience leading large-scale government and engineering businesses
AtkinsRéalis has appointed Byron Bright as president of its U.S. business, effective July 1. Bright, a six-time Wash100 Award recipient, will succeed Steve Morriss, AtkinsRéalis said Tuesday.
Morriss will remain with AtkinsRéalis through the end of 2026, continuing to oversee the company’s global minerals and metals business and its hyperscaler growth market initiatives.
The leadership change comes as AtkinsRéalis continues to expand its presence in the United States, with a record backlog reported during the first quarter.
“AtkinsRéalis has built a strong presence across the U.S., underpinned by deep technical expertise and trusted client relationships,” Bright said. “I’m energized by the opportunity ahead and look forward to working with the team to build on this foundation, expand our capabilities, and deliver exceptional outcomes for our clients.”
Who Is Byron Bright?
Bright brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in engineering, government services, technical operations and program management.
Before joining AtkinsRéalis, he served in several senior leadership roles at KBR, including chief operating officer and president of the company’s government services business. During his tenure, he helped grow KBR’s federal and defense portfolio through a combination of organic expansion and strategic acquisitions.
As president of KBR’s government services organization from 2017 to 2025, Bright oversaw a multibillion-dollar business delivering defense, intelligence, space, aviation and logistics support services to U.S. government and allied customers. He managed a global workforce of more than 16,000 employees across dozens of locations worldwide.
Bright also previously held a business development leadership role at Jacobs Engineering and served as a flight test engineer in the U.S. Air Force.
What Did AtkinsRéalis Leadership Say?
“Byron is a proven leader with a strong track record of delivering results in complex, high-stakes environments,” said Ian Edwards, president and CEO of AtkinsRéalis. “His operational experience, growth-centered mindset and values make him the right leader to accelerate the next phase of development in this critical region.”
