Murray Rowden of Turner & Townsend, who takes up the role of chairman at the construction industry best practice organisation Constructing Excellence on 1 January, has told Construction Manager that his goal for the first half of the year is to produce a new industry-backed report on how the industry can evolve to meet the goals in Construction 2025 and the National Infrastructure Plan.
He said that Constructing Excellence aimed to publish a report about how the industry can meet the demands of “intelligent clients” in the infrastructure sector, authored by a group of key industry figures.
Rowden, who is head of infrastructure at the global programme management and construction consultancy, will succeed Ian Reeves CBE as chairman, while Reeves will take on responsibility for developing the organisation’s overseas reach as chair of CE International.
Making the announcement at Constructing Excellence’s Annual Reception at the House of Commons last week, Reeves said: “I am delighted that Murray has accepted the offer of the Board to take over. He led our strategic review last year, and the resulting vision places the government’s Construction 2025 strategy at the heart of our work. He and his firm have been the strongest supporters of our work over many years and he will be an excellent chairman.”
"There are European players that have a fundamentally different relationship with their supply chain, and a non-revenue based commercial relationship with the client. They’re all asking questions of our industry."
Murray Rowden
Rowden told CM that the UK industry faced the challenge of delivering affordable energy, transport and housing infrastrucutre based on taxpayers’ and consumers’ “willingness to pay” – a factor that also has a political dimension.
In addition, the opportunities offered by the UK market are proving attractive to overseas groups that could offer an integrated finance, construction and operation model, while the UK players were still characterised by lack of integration, and revenue-based contracting and consulting.
“These models need to change to take the next step towards exceptional performance. Regulated industries [in energy and water] will look to the industry to be far more efficient in terms of delivery.
“There are market entrants to the UK that can offer a funding, build, technology and operating solution – the Chinese and Japanese are looking at that. And there are European players that have a fundamentally different relationship with their supply chain, and a non-revenue based commercial relationship with the client. They’re all asking questions of our industry.”
Rowden also argued that the industry needed to find a way of capturing the value of R&D investment across thousand of different firms, by ensuring that companies were all operating to consistent international standards. “We need a common language and way of doing things, on data, BIM and processes, so that there is consistency across the industry. We wouldn’t be having as many conversations about Intellectual Property Rights, because we’d get beyond that, and we’d have a more sustainable model.”
In a press statement accompanying the news of his new role, Rowden commented: “Now is a once-in-a-decade opportunity for the construction industry. The economy has created a perfect storm and a fundamental challenge to the way we do business.
“The sector’s major players must respond radically to ensure future prosperity, and Constructing Excellence is perfectly placed to support and accelerate the changes required. My goal is to help Constructing Excellence – and the industry as a whole – move beyond incremental efficiency to achieve its vision of genuinely exceptional performance.”
Constructing Excellence has also confirmed that Ian Reeves will take over the role of chairman of CE International, its global arm that comprises an international alliance of similar organisations around the world.
Don Ward, chief executive of Constructing Excellence, said: “We put on record our deep gratitude to Ian Reeves for his amazing commitment, leadership and support over his four-and-a-half years as chairman. He has worked tirelessly to further our aims and has succeeded in revitalising the organisation through his leadership.”
