Group Chairman's Statement

One of the pleasures and privileges of stepping into the role of Laing O’Rourke Chairman has been the daily experience of inspiration when I see our people applying our values and purpose to every level of operations. To witness their intuitive care, integrity, and courage to push the boundaries of what is possible in service of humanity is also to share an understanding with them that we have a vision for our industry’s future that comes from the right place and will be shaped the right way, for the right reasons. If I feel renewed in my new role, the credit goes to the purpose-led culture of Laing O’Rourke and the people who consistently bring it to life.

The trust I have in them is based on a shared understanding of our purpose to push the boundaries of what is possible in service of humanity. The transition has been smooth for me, and for that I owe a debt to my predecessor, Sir John Parker, whose trusted counsel continues to be a source of personal strength and resolve. I first met Sir John in 2008 when, as then Chairman of Anglo American, he invited me to join the Board, affording me a first-hand perspective on how a large PLC can be effectively chaired. When the opportunity arose to bring his talents to Laing O’Rourke, I didn’t think twice.

He modelled for me what good looks like: rigour in guiding plans, equal rigour in supporting the delivery of them, and to personify the resilience we try to instil within the company as a whole.

A chairman is only ever as effective as his board, and in the past year we have refreshed the Board with significant additions. Helen Ruelle joined the Board from 1 April 2026 as Group Company Secretary and as a director. We are delighted to retain the experience of our long-serving Company Secretary Jim Edmondson as he moves to a non-executive director position, with our gratitude for his service to date. Jim serves on both the Sustainability and Safety Committees. Mark Foy CBE joined the Board in November 2025 as a non-executive director. Formerly the Chief Executive and Chief Inspector of the Office of Nuclear Regulation, we welcome his expertise in regulatory excellence and nuclear safety and security. Mark chairs our Safety Committee and is a member of the Remuneration Committee. Heather MacCallum, who first joined the Board in 2022, and whose rigour we have appreciated, has taken on the new position of Senior Independent Director. Heather chairs the Audit and Risk Committee and is a member of the Nomination and Remuneration Committees. 

I would also like to add my congratulations to Dame Hayaatun Sillem who received the Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the King’s Birthday Honours in June 2026. This recognition is a fitting tribute to her exceptional contribution and distinguished service across industry and academia in the UK. Earlier in the year, Dame Hayaatun agreed to assume the role of Chair of our Sustainability Committee. She is also a member of our Nomination and Audit and Risk Committees.  

Our Group Executive Committee (GEC) has been strengthened with the addition of our Chief People Officer Wayne Davies. With an eye on the future of all our people, and our intention to meet the challenges and opportunities of a changing landscape of work, Wayne’s appointment in the newly created role is a signal of intent and policy. We will continue to innovate technically on the foundational principle that it is to liberate the skill and potential of our greatest resource, our people. 

We have always encouraged our people to innovate and problem-solve. The resilience of operational discipline we have required when the market has been historically tight has always been matched by our team’s resolve to do more than survive, but instead to thrive. The betterment of humanity that we work for starts with a commitment to the health and safety of our employees and sustainability commitments for the environments they work in and define. As we turn towards the next strategic cycle, ensuring the attraction, retention, working longevity, and fullest potential of our people is at the heart of our thinking.

Our commitment to these principles is rooted not only in our values, especially ‘Care’ for all of our people, but also in our reading of the market. We have held a longstanding view that demographic pressures on the industry, historically unprecedented needs for key infrastructure, and traditional methodologies’ inability to meet demand, would eventually produce a reckoning for the industry. We wanted to be ready for that moment and considered investment in our people, and a belief in what they could achieve if empowered by the right technology and training, to be the key to that.

We are now operating in a market that has begun to recognise the value we bring and particularly the delivery certainty, and safe and sustainable methodology we offer. At a historical moment where there is greater uncertainty, the relevance of a robust, purpose-led company, designed to flex to meet challenges with curiosity and ingenuity, is all too apparent. The evidence is in our recently announced partnership to deliver the infrastructure programme for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics or to bring our advanced manufacturing-led methodology to the Sizewell C reactor project. Both speak to the market moving towards us with confidence that we will deliver.

The opportunity before us is to bring these clients and other partners with us as we redefine what is possible for our industry. We will always be judged, and will judge ourselves, on the fundamental certainties of delivery that our clients need. In shaping ourselves to meet those needs, we have created blueprints for new paradigms of delivery and work that can set new standards for our industry for years to come. It is inspirational to be surrounded by the talented people driving this forward. So, as I conclude my first year as Group Chairman, it is gratifying to note that my enthusiasm to improve our industry remains as vivid as the day the company started.