Swift adaptation to change in the infrastructure sector is more important than ever, Aurecon chief executive Giam Swiegers has said.
Swiegers, whose contract has just been renewed through to 2019, says the key focus for his business is to understand how fast the world is changing.
“Smart businesses in the energy, property and infrastructure sectors understand our world is changing and with it, the need to change leadership priorities, capabilities and work practices,” he said this week.
“For Aurecon, this has meant focusing our workforce on quickly adapting and using smart technology or ‘infra tech’, exploring new ways of delivering mega projects, better managing the life cycle of existing major assets and of course upskilling our leadership and our talent across the globe as we prepare for a very different future.”
Swiegers says the “velocity of disruption” facing engineering, property, construction and infrastructure organisations is only increasing.
Aurecon’s investment focus is therefore on leadership, innovation and change.
“Aurecon will continue to invest in strong leaders who provide not only eminence in their space, but have the leadership style, global mind-set and courage to lead amidst ongoing disruption,” he said.
“These experts bring subject matter expertise and advisory capability to major growth markets for Aurecon and play an important role in developing our global teams to meet clients’ most significant and changing challenges.”
Swiegers spoke about the recent appointment of Dr Alex Wonhas as Aurecon’s new managing director of Energy & Resources, as well as the hiring of Dr Abe Nezamian, the firm’s new global leader in Asset Management.
Aurecon describes Nezamian as “a globally recognized authority on infrastructure rehabilitation, asset integrity management and asset management in the mining, infrastructure and transport industries”.
“The current wave of disruption is either a catalyst for a company’s downfall, or a clear call to harness its greatest brains to solve some of the biggest problems the world has ever seen,” Swiegers continued.
“In future, those able to mobilise the creativity of a cross-disciplinary and cross-culturally diverse workforce in order to deliver competitive advantage will succeed in building globally successful and sustainable businesses.”