Andrew Wolstenholme
The chair of the Construction Leadership Council, Andrew Wolstenholme, has set out plans to reboot the cross-industry group aimed at improving the performance of construction.
Wolstenholme, CEO of Crossrail, will set out his streamlined priorities to a group of 50 leaders next week in a bid to increase transparency of the workings of the group and get wider buy-in and support for its goals.
Speaking at a briefing to the media, Wolstenholme said the other industry leadership councils had been successful by focussing on a few key themes. He said the 13-strong group, which is co-chaired by construction minister Jesse Norman, would therefore focus on three key themes.
These are:
- Delivering better, more certain outcomes by focusing on digital using BIM-enabled ways of working.
- Improving productivity by increasing the use of offsite manufacture and in doing so improving quality and safety.
- Whole-life performance – getting more out of new and existing assets through the use of smart technologies.
He said that the current six working groups – which honour the 2015 strategy – would each feed into these key areas. The working groups are:
- Innovation in Buildings: Led by Mike Chaldecott, general delegate and regional CEO, Saint-Gobain UK and Ireland
- Skills: led by Leo Quinn, group chief executive, Balfour Beatty
- Supply chain and business models: led by Ann Bentley, chairman, Rider Levett Bucknall
- Green Construction Board: led by Mike Putnam, president and CEO, Skanska UK
- Exports and Trade: led by David Cash, chairman, BDP
- Smart Technology: led by Isabel Dedring, global transport leader, Arup
- Strategy and communications: led by Simon Rawlinson, partner and head of strategic research and insight team, Arcadis
Wolstenholme said that there was a great opportunity to work with government in drawing up an industrial strategy post Brexit.
The CLC was set up during the coalition and co-chaired by Vince Cable and David Higgins, but has been criticised for its secrecy and distinct lack of achieving any concrete outcomes.
