Firm rejigs team with host of new arrivals

Balfour Beatty has recruited Kier’s head of sustainability to become its new UK director of sustainability.

Jo Gilroy started work at the country’s biggest contractor this morning and will be in charge of making sure the UK business hits it green targets as well as reporting on the group’s performance against wider targets set out in its Building New Futures strategy launched at the end of 2020.

Speaking about the move, Balfour chief executive Leo Quinn said: “Whilst sustainability has long been at the heart of what we do, we must not rest on our laurels. We must continue to invest in and drive forward the sustainable solutions that will enable us to deliver the infrastructure required for a net zero industry.”

Balfour Beatty

Balfour has set out a series of sustainability targets in its Building New Futures strategy

Gilroy started at Kier in April 2019, the same month chief executive Andrew Davies arrived, having spent five years as head of sustainability at logistics group Bunzl.

Balfour has been beefing up its sustainability team in recent weeks with the arrival of Brian Handock from collapsed civils firm Roadbridge as its head of environment and sustainability for its UK construction business.

Others to join include Michael Shanks from East West railway as head of environment and sustainability at Balfour’s UK rail and utilities operations.

And Adam Newsome has joined as head of environmental compliance in the UK from civils firm Bam Nuttall, where he was head of environment for its Silvertown Tunnel scheme in east London. Jonathan Turner has also been promoted to UK head of environment and sustainability and will report directly into Gilroy.

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