After five decades at the helm of Laing O’Rourke’s global operations, our founder and Group Chief Executive Officer Ray O’Rourke KBE has informed the Board of Directors of his decision to step down from his position lay.
Ray, who founded the company in 1977 as a regionally based formwork and concrete specialist, has been at the forefront of driving a more innovative, productive and resilient sector since its inception.
He is a passionate advocate for the construction industry and has led a continued investment in digital and manufacturing technologies to deliver projects faster, greener, safer and to a higher standard.
With a passion for developing and promoting talented engineers and project delivery specialists, he is also a champion for the people who come to work in our industry every day.
Ray will continue to act as deputy chairman of the Group Council, together with his brother and partner Des. He will chair the Board’s Nomination Committee, drive innovation in construction methods and be available to the Group CEO to meet key customers and stakeholders and provide mentorship and advice.
This is an important transition milestone for Laing O’Rourke as the company moves from a founder-led organization to the next generation of leadership for the Group.
The Board, aware of the significance of this moment for the company, has carefully considered the leadership decision. As a result, the Board unanimously approved the appointment of Cathal O’Rourke as the new Group Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2024.
A civil engineering graduate, Cathal has held various operational and leadership roles across both of the organisation’s operations centres, including Managing Director in Australia and most recently Group Chief Operating Officer.
He is a respected industry leader who has led industry change, as Chairman of the Australian Constructors’ Association (ACA), and has been at the forefront of the industry’s transition to more collaborative contracting.
He also played a key role in both the Construction Industry Leadership Forum and the Construction Industry Culture Taskforce, which brought together government and industry to improve the procurement and delivery of infrastructure programs and industry culture.
Commenting on his appointment, Cathal said:
“I am truly honored to be entrusted with the leadership of our company and our people, and I am committed to continuing to work with our customers, delivery partners and all other stakeholders to lead positive change.
“Together we can continue our mission to transform our sector into a more sustainable and productive industry, embracing new and innovative ways of doing things, while providing our people with secure, challenging and rewarding careers.”
Commenting on his decision to hand over the role of CEO and take up a new position on the Group Board, Ray said:
“I am pleased to hand over the CEO leadership to my son and our Group COO, Cathal O’Rourke.
“I am incredibly proud of our people and what we have achieved as a company.
“We have remained committed to transforming our industry, and our people are recognized for their ability to execute complex engineering projects using cutting-edge and cutting-edge techniques around the world.
“Cathal has had a successful career in our family business, spanning a quarter of a century, and I am confident that he will continue to lead our people well into the future, upholding the values and guiding principles that underpin shapes our success. ”
Commenting on the change in leadership at Laing O’Rourke, Sir John Parker GBE FREng said:
“At this time of major change in the Group’s leadership, we are fortunate to have such a well-qualified and talented successor to Ray in Cathal.
“The Board of Directors has every confidence in Cathal’s leadership qualities, accumulated experience, his commitment to modernizing the industry and his alignment with Laing O’Rourke’s values of care, integrity and courage.
“We applaud the unique creativity of Ray’s leadership in building the Group and the culture we have today. We are fortunate that he will continue to serve and provide ongoing guidance and mentorship.”