Chris Chivers, the new CIOB president, has highlighted professionalism, gaining greater recognition for construction managers and helping non-chartered members upgrade as his key aims for the year in his inaugural speech.
Speaking at the Presidential dinner to mark the culmination of this year’s Members’ Forum, Chivers said: “Professionals in the global construction sector don’t get the credit they deserve, their daily work in a civilised society consistently impacts on the lives of people who use their finished constructions and with whom they will never make contact.
“We need to build on the work we have done in benchmarking our qualifications to an international standard by influencing employers and clients in the markets our members work.
"There are plenty of managers in construction, and those on their way to a management career in construction, that could become a chartered construction manager or chartered builder. We need to ensure that there is as much accessibility to a chartered career as possible."
Chris Chivers, CIOB President
“In my term the CIOB is setting its corporate direction which will take us up to 2020. Our strategy to expand the Institute’s recognition on a global scale will begin, but crucially without losing sight of developing our engagement at a local level.
“We recognise there are plenty of managers in construction, and those on their way to a management career in construction, that could become a chartered construction manager or chartered builder. Because of that we need to ensure that there is as much accessibility to a chartered career as possible.”
Chivers, who takes over the CIOB Presidency from Professor Ghassan Aouad, is the 112th president in the CIOB’s history. He is a director of Greylough and was formerly the chief executive of Killby & Gayford Group where he oversaw the refurbishment of Buckingham Palace, 10 Downing Street and St Paul’s Cathedral.
He continued: “I never started my career with this goal in mind so it is a great surprise to reach the top of your chosen profession and becoming President is an honour that I am incredibly proud to accept. The CIOB Presidency is not only a leadership role but one of stewardship too. I know that I can continue to carry the torch and responsibility of the work that has been started on a number of fronts for the Institute.”
The Presidential dinner marks the end of the 2015 Members’ forum, which took place in Cambridge this week. The event was attended by 80 members from around the world and included the CIOB’s AGM site visits to Trinity College and the development of north-west Cambridge, along with a workshop to investigate how the CIOB can become the leading voice in construction.
What a shame that the grades have been restructured taking out a membership route for so many experienced construction managers. Not everyone wants to be Chartered but would like to belong to a professional body.