Leadership

Sir John Parker, Chair of Laing O'Rourke, has built up an enviable reputation across a range of industrial sectors as a leader in the boardroom, including Chair at five FTSE100 companies. As former President of the Royal Academy of Engineering and a visiting Fellow at Oxford University, he takes a keen interest in the development of engineering technology and talent, a core value of Laing O'Rourke's global business.

Sir John, Ray O'Rourke and the Group Executives' focus is on making Laing O'Rourke the recognised leader for innovation and excellence in the construction industry.

Major Shareholder and founder of the Laing O’Rourke Group. He chairs the Group Executive Committee and is responsible for leading the strategic direction and operational management of the Group’s business activities. Ray founded R O’Rourke & Son in 1977, and commenced trading the following year. The business acquired the construction arm of John Laing PLC in 2001, and with the acquisition of Barclay Mowlem in 2006, created today’s extended international engineering and construction group.

Ray has a passion for developing and promoting engineering and project delivery talent to meet global construction challenges, and has a keen focus on safety performance.

Shareholder and co-founding director of the Laing O’Rourke Group. Des provides Board-level support to the Chair and Chief Executive in the operational management of the Group’s business activities. Des has a proven track record in project delivery, mobilising large teams of people onto complex projects around the world.

Rowan joined Laing O’Rourke in September 2020 as the company’s global Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Rowan also sits on the company’s Group Executive Committee and Corporation Board.

An experienced finance executive, Rowan joined Laing O’Rourke from McCarthy & Stone plc, where she held the role of Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining MCCarthy & Stone in 2012, she worked in finance for Barclays Bank plc and professional services for PwC.

During her most recent role, she has also gained extensive experience of the construction sector and the challenges it faces to improve productivity, deliver greater certainty for clients and overcome a long-standing skills shortage.

Rowan has a masters degree in Law from Cambridge University and is a qualified accountant (FCA) and chartered tax adviser.

Following a number of senior leadership roles across the business, including Laing O’Rourke Australia Managing Director from 2013 until 2022, Cathal started his role of Group Chief Operating Officer (COO) on 1 April 2023.

Throughout his time in the business, Cathal has been a tireless advocate for driving positive industry change and in 2020 was elected President of the Australian Constructors Association where he led significant reform initiatives to ensure a healthy, dynamic and thriving construction industry for the future.

While leading the Australian business, he played a leading role in securing, delivering and sponsoring a number of significant building and infrastructure projects. During Cathal’s time as Managing Director, the business was twice named as one the country’s most innovative businesses, and was the 2016 Winner of the Australian Construction Achievement Award.

Prior to leading the business in Australia, Cathal had operational business unit leader roles in both Hubs, in main contracting and the specialist businesses.

Cathal graduated from the University of Birmingham with an honours degree in civil engineering and is a chartered civil engineer and a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers.

Rebecca Hanley has served on Laing O’Rourke’s Group Executive Committee since June 2018 and in April 2022 was appointed Managing Director for the business’s Australian operations.

Prior to this appointment Rebecca served as Group Director for Strategy and Transformation, where she was instrumental in shaping the Group’s Deliver 2025 global strategy focused on innovation and excellence.

Within the Laing O’Rourke Group, Rebecca has also held executive accountability for the Technology and Innovation Group where she reinvigorated the company’s portfolio and commercialisation strategy.

She has also been deeply engaged in shaping the company’s Executive Development Program – bringing the science of excellence and performance into the organisation’s operations as well as the company’s advanced manufacturing strategy, data transformation and financial turnaround initiatives.

Rebecca previously worked in strategy for Anglo American plc and in financial leadership positions, including for PricewaterhouseCoopers in both the UK and Australia. She is a Chartered Accountant with an MBA from INSEAD in Paris.

Jim joined the Group in January 2018. He is a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales and a former joint senior partner of a major London law firm with responsibilities for strategy, thought leadership, nurturing of client relationships and business development. Jim also specialised in advising on corporate structures, succession planning
and the application of proper administration and corporate governance in the context of directorships and trusteeships.

Laing O’Rourke appointed Dr Hayaatun Sillem, CEO of the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering Foundation, to its Board as a non executive director in March 2022.

Dr Sillem has been named as one of the ‘Inspiring 50 Women in Tech’ and one of the most influential women in engineering.

She chairs the UK government’s Business Innovation Forum and the St. Andrews Prize for the Environment, and co-chaired Sir Lewis Hamilton’s Commission on Black Representation in motorsport.

Charlotte was appointed to the Board as an independent Non Executive Director in March 2018. Charlotte has more than 30 years’ experience in the financial industry and has held a range of executive and non executive directorships in listed organisations, including Kennedy Wilson Europe Real Estate Plc, 3i Infrastructure Plc, Blackstone/GSO Loan Financing Ltd, DW Catalyst Fund Ltd, NTR Plc, Renewable Energy Generation Ltd and JPMorgan Convertibles Income Fund Ltd.

In addition to her role on the Board, Charlotte is a member of the Laing O’Rourke Audit and Risk Committee, the Remuneration, Nomination and Governance Committee and the Finance Committee.

Heather was appointed to the Board as a Non Executive Director on 1 November 2022.

She has more than 20 years’ experience gained in global professional services firms, most recently in KPMG’s financial services practice, where she provided audit and advisory services to the investment management sector.

Heather is a member of the Institute of Directors and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS), and currently serves as a non-executive director on boards of several companies, including Jersey Water, an unlisted company; Kedge Capital Fund Management Limited, an asset management business; and the LSE-listed investment companies Aberdeen Latin American Income Fund Limited and City Merchants High Yield Trust Limited.

Experienced global chief executive Mark Cutifani joined the Laing O’Rourke Board as Senior Independent Director in September 2022.

Mark was previously chief executive and an executive director of Anglo American plc, leading the global mining giant for nine years.

He is credited with leading the turnaround of Anglo American after joining as chief executive in 2013.

Mark has 45 years’ business experience and leadership credentials, with significant operational and major project knowledge.

Mark also chairs the Sustainability Committee of the Board, demonstrating the business’s ongoing commitment to strengthen its ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) platforms since announcing stretching targets in April 2021.

Sustainability expert, Samantha Hoe-Richardson joined the Laing O’Rourke Board in April 2021 as an advisor on climate change and sustainability.

Samantha was Head of Environment & Sustainable Development at Network Rail until 2017 and prior to that was Head of Environment at Anglo American plc. With over 10 years’ experience of environmental and sustainability matters, Samantha’s knowledge will strengthen the company’s stretching ESG targets.

Samantha advises the company’s environmental and technical leaders and challenges the Board and group executive on progress towards Laing O’Rourke’s ESG targets.

Samantha previously worked in investment banking and audit, and she holds a master’s degree in nuclear and electrical engineering.