Cliff Smith takes on the role that was held by the late Tom Barton since the (GIRI) was set up in 2017. Tom Barton, another former McAlpine man, died in October 2020.
Cliff Smith is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and was with Sir Robert McAlpine for 38 years until 2017, latterly as regional manager for Wales & the west. He has been a director of GIRI since its formation.
"I am honoured to take on the responsibility of this vital role at a time when quality, safety and competency in the construction industry are in the spotlight like never before,” he said. “Tom's legacy has created a solid foundation on which the board and GIRI's 59 member companies can continue to build, in pursuit of our common goal to eliminate avoidable error.
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"A principal GIRI theme for 2021 is that errors result in wasted time and resources; hence eliminating error can contribute significantly to minimising construction's carbon footprint. In this way, GIRI’s strategic aims relate directly to the industry’s commitment to reduce carbon and improve sustainability.
"As well as supporting the roll-out of GIRI's industry-backed training courses, which our team has adapted so that they can be delivered remotely under the current restrictions, we will continue to host our programme of online forums and guest presentations to deliver our message to as wide an audience as possible.
"Tom's passion for improving the productivity and the reputation of construction was inspirational to many people. We at GIRI remain committed to making available the tools and knowledge that will help our sector to achieve the strategic goals [to which] we all aspire."
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