New leadership team to tackle construction’s biggest priorities

The Construction Leadership Council has welcomed the arrival of four senior leaders from across the sector, who have agreed to drive industry transformation to address the sector’s biggest challenges.

Last autumn, the CLC confirmed that it would focus on four long-term priorities to boost productivity, growth and improve resilience: Building Safety; People and Skills; Net Zero and Bio-Diversity; and Next Generation Delivery.

Now the CLC has announced the appointment of: four Industry Sponsors who have agreed to lead the delivery of these priorities; five Young Ambassadors to ensure the voice of young professionals is at the heart of the CLC’s work; and four Industry Chairs who will lead our sector workstreams. The Industry Sponsors will join a refreshed CLC Board, within a new CLC governance structure.

The new Industry Sponsors are:

• Building Safety- Karl Whiteman, Divisional Managing Director, Berkeley Group
• People and Skills- Nick Roberts, CEO, Travis Perkins Plc
• Net Zero and Bio-Diversity- Matt Palmer, Executive Director, Lower Thames Crossing, National Highways
• Next Generation Delivery- Isabel Coman, Director, Engineering and Asset Strategy, Transport for London.

CLC Co-Chair and Minister for Business and Trade Nusrat Ghani MP said: “Today’s announcement is a key step forward in helping the Council's priorities to boost productivity, growth and improve resilience.

"The Construction Leadership Council will continue to work in partnership with Government and industry, intensifying its efforts as we drive change on the biggest challenges facing the sector.”

CLC Co-Chair and Mace Group Chairman and CEO Mark Reynolds and CLC Deputy Co-Chair CEO, Atkins UK and Europe Richard Robinson said: “Having set out a clear vision for the CLC, our focus now is to deliver visible action against our four priorities for the benefit of the whole construction sector.

“As such, these appointments represent a significant milestone as we look to accelerate the change needed to address the building safety changes, help deliver a green economy, drive productivity, and enhance our skills to achieve growth across UK construction.

“We welcome our Industry Chairs and Young Ambassadors, and now look forward to working with our Industry Sponsors - Karl, Nick, Matt and Isabel - whose experience and expertise will be invaluable to the CLC and its wider network.”

The Industry Chairs will act as advocates for the CLC, overseeing the delivery of the sector workstreams.

The new Industry Chairs are:

• Infrastructure: Mark Thurston, CEO, High Speed 2 Ltd
• Domestic RMI: Anna Scothern, CEO, National Home Improvement Council
• Housing: Mike Woolliscroft, Vistry
• Buildings and Places: Helen Hare, Director of Projects, Great Portland Estates Plc

The five young professionals will act as ambassadors for the CLC, working with the Industry Sponsors on each priority.

The new Young Ambassadors are:

• Building Safety: Madeleine Coman, Strategy and Transformation, Laing O’Rourke
• People and Skills: Lydia McGuiness, Site Manager, Wates
• Net Zero and Bio-Diversity: Micheala Chan, Engineer, Arcadis
• Next Generation Delivery: Mila Duncheva Business Development Manager of UK & Ireland, Stora Enso Wood Products, and Hollie Rowland, Construction Products Group Manager, BSI Group.