Pringle to chair Construction Industry Council

Pringle succeeds Gordon Masterton, vice-president of Jacobs Engineering Group, in the role for a two-year term, starting with immediate effect.

Masterton now becomes deputy chairman for a year,

Pringle is the first past president of the Royal Institute of British Architects to become chairman of the CIC, although he is the third architect, following Robin Nicholson and Keith Clarke.

Pringle is the managing director of Pringle Brandon Perkins+Will and has been a deputy-chairman of CIC for the past two years. Before that, he was a vice-chairman of CIC for a year.

Pringle said: “This is a pivotal time to be taking the chair. Over the next few years we need to turn construction from being a high cost, fragmented, low-tech sector to being a joined-up, hi-tech,efficient industry. What that looks like, we don’t yet know. It’s our job to find out and make it happen.”

CIC chief executive Graham Watts said : “We are so pleased to have Jack’s significant experience engaged in piloting CIC through these next two years, which are bound to be interesting times as the industry adjusts to new technologies and processes in a difficult economic climate.

“Change is always easier to achieve in the face of adversity and not in times of continued growth and regular profit margins, where there is no incentive to alter the way we do things.”

The CIC also appointed Stan Hornagold, director of Marstan Group, as a new vice-chairman, joining Ann Heywood, the Principal of the College of Estate Management, and Ann Skippers, a former President of the RTPI in this role.

Pringle’s appointment came as the merger between London-based Pringle Brandon and international practice Perkins+Will was concluded.

The London and Dubai offices of Pringle Brandon are now known as Pringle Brandon Perkins+Will and Pringle Brandon Drew also operates as Pringle Brandon Perkins+Will.

The partners, Jack Pringle, Chris Brandon, William Poole-Wilson, Fiona Ballance and Linzi Cassels continue to lead the combined businesses with John Drew at the helm of what was formerly Pringle Brandon Drew.

The management team also continue to oversee the Dubai office, supported by managing director of Dubai, Steven Charlton, and design director, Diane Thorsen.

Pringle, joint founder of Pringle Brandon said: “We will now move forward together, offering clients more services in more locations, and ensuring they benefit from the combined experience that now sits in the new firm.”