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Balfour Beatty creates chief technology officer role

13 Dec 19 Balfour Beatty has given its director of IT and procurement an additional job title – chief technology officer.

Chris Johnson, Balfour Beatty’s chief information officer, group procurement director and now also chief technology officer
Chris Johnson, Balfour Beatty’s chief information officer, group procurement director and now also chief technology officer

Chris Johnson is already on Balfour Beatty’s executive committee, as chief information officer and group procurement director. In addition to these roles, he is now also chief technology offer (CTO), a newly created role.

The company said that the appointment was “to support its growing focus on technology and innovation as a strategic imperative for the infrastructure and construction industry”.

Chris Johnson has been with Balfour Beatty since 2015 and has been instrumental in reforming back office systems and processes as part the company’s return to profit under chief executive Leo Quinn and his ‘build to last’ programme.

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Leo Quinn said: “Our industry is probably a generation behind manufacturing in deploying technology to drive efficiency and innovation – as well as historically resistant to learning and applying lessons from other sectors. As a market leader, Balfour Beatty must lead this change to drive continuous improvement across our business and ensure we are the best positioned to deliver for our clients, despite skills shortages in all aspects of construction and engineering. Combining this with our ongoing procurement cost management underpins our vision of profitable managed growth.”

Chris Johnson said: “With enhanced BIM modelling, virtual reality, drones and laser scanning to name but a few, new technologies and data, when adopted, embedded and utilised effectively, have the power to transform the infrastructure and construction industry through lowering cost, improving quality and transparency and enhancing safety.

“Across Balfour Beatty, there are unrivalled opportunities for real step changes that will help drive improvements and innovation for the infrastructure and construction industry as a whole.”

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