Balfour Beatty has announced two key promotions to its senior leadership team.
Jon Ozanne has been promoted to chief information officer (CIO), with responsibility for coordinating IT and digital initiatives including cyber security and AI adoption.
While Evan Sutherland has been promoted to chief procurement officer (CPO), having joined the business in 2015 as UK procurement director.
A trained accountant, Ozanne also joined Balfour in 2015, but to lead the transformation of its IT function.
Subsequently, he was promoted to the position of UK IT director and in 2019, to the position of CIO for the UK.
In addition to leading the UK procurement and supply chain function, Sutherland will now head up all group-wide procurement and supply chain initiatives, promoting and adopting best practice to drive measurable value across the business.
The promotions will support Balfour’s long-term focus on technology and innovation and will see the company drive further improvements in safety, productivity, and digitally assured capability.
Both men report directly to group chief executive Leo Quinn.
Ozanne said: “It is a pivotal time for the construction and infrastructure industry, with digital tools and technologies integral to driving the industry’s productivity challenge.
“At Balfour Beatty, we continue to lead from the front, not only to ensure we are best positioned to deliver for our customers, but to realise opportunities that will benefit the sector as a whole.”
Sutherland added: “Balfour Beatty has a significant footprint across our chosen geographies with thousands of valued supply chain partners working alongside us to deliver critical national infrastructure and projects at the heart of local communities.
“Operating responsibly and with integrity is how we do business, ensuring that we have the systems and processes in place to uphold the highest ethical standards as we raise the bar for our industry.”
The news follows Balfour’s recent delivery of a strong half year as profits and revenue increased, with the company “making great strides” to secure work that will drive future profitable growth.
Revenue for the six months to 28 June, 2024, rose 3 per cent to £4.7 billion (2023: £4.5 billion), generating a pre-tax profit of £112 million, up 32 per cent from £82 million in the previous period.
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