Turner & Townsend director Andy Outram (pictured) has become the new chairperson of the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC).
Outram succeeds the Forster Group’s John Forster and will oversee a new era at CSIC as it looks to drive the construction sector’s role in delivering a green recovery from covid-19, supported by digital transformation, cultural change, sustainable building, and advanced manufacturing techniques.
Outram is lead director for real estate in Scotland for T&T and has worked in construction for 35 years, working on such projects as the 2014 Commonwealth Games Athlete’s Village, the SSE Hydro Arena, and the Event Centre Aberdeen.
He said: “I have actively supported CSIC since it was launched in 2014 and, having worked on some of the early strategies, it has been great to see it become an ever more integral part of Scotland’s construction sector.
“Our industry has been placed front and centre of the covid-19 recovery. As we face this challenge, and even bigger threats such as the climate emergency, we need to accelerate our transformation. Crucial to this is embracing new technology and innovation that can enhance performance and productivity, but we also need the capacity and diversity of talent to help drive this forward. I wholeheartedly share CSIC’s commitment to bringing on the next generation of construction leaders.”
Stephen Good, CEO of CSIC, added: “We need to make meaningful change and, with his wide-ranging experience in the sector over the last three or so decades, Andy will be an invaluable addition to our leadership team as we seek to develop our role in supporting the sector’s transition towards a more sustainable, diverse, and innovative future.
“There has been great progress over the last decade in driving collaboration, sustainability, and digital transformation across the industry, but we still have much further to go. John Forster’s passion, commitment, and support were a critical part of helping us drive that change in his time as chair.”
Forster said: “The construction industry has gone through significant changes in my nearly seven years at CSIC – three of which as chair – and the innovation centre has been at the vanguard of that process in Scotland. With his broad range of experience, Andy is a great appointment to help lead CSIC into the post-covid-19 world.”
