The appointment formalises a previously looser relationship that the former Crossrail boss has had with the company.
Andrew Wolstenholme has been working with Laing O’Rourke in an advisory capacity, assisting with the technical complexities of major projects, since leaving arms manufacturer BAE Systems two years ago.
He takes over as technical director in May, replacing Damien Buie, who has held the job since September 2019. The job includes responsibility for the delivery of technical excellence for clients, enhancing the company’s digital capability and health & safety.
He will report to group chief executive Ray O’Rourke and be on the company’s group executive committee (GEC).
Andrew Wolstenholme came to prominence within the construction industry as construction director for the Heathrow Express Rail Link and programme director on Terminal 5 (built by Laing O’Rourke), then as BAA’s director of capital projects running a £10bn development programme across 10 airports. He was chief executive of Crossrail from 2011 to 2018 before joining BAE Systems as managing director, but stayed there only a year. He has also served as a non-executive director at HS2.
He is a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, a a former chair of the Construction Leadership Council and has been a vice president at the Institution of Civil Engineers.
Ray O’Rourke said: “I’m delighted Andrew has agreed to join us. He has known our business as a customer and an advisor. His knowledge of our sector will ensure our engineering and innovation are seamlessly integrated with operational discipline and client connectivity.
“He understands the power of our experience in technical excellence and disruptive thinking, and he believes in our ambitious plans to enable sustainable high performance across our directly employed workforce and to deliver certainty for clients.”
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