鈥楥erebral鈥� former ICE boss pips five rival candidates to take over from Paul Morrell in December
Former Institution of Civil Engineers president Peter Hansford beat five shortlisted senior industry figures for the job of UK chief construction adviser, it was announced this week.
Hansford, who will step down from his role as executive director at management consultant Nichols Group upon taking up the post in December, was awarded the job this week. A total of 17 people applied for the industry鈥檚 most senior policy role.
Construction minister Mark Prisk said that Hansford, who sat on the panel overseeing Infrastructure UK鈥檚 review of civil engineering costs, had been chosen because of his 鈥渨ealth of experience鈥� in the private sector and 鈥渧ery good reputation in the industry鈥�.
He said: 鈥淲e had a strong list that was whittled down and there was a fair bit of deliberation, but Peter has the right balance for the job.鈥�
Chartered engineer Hansford was ICE president from 2010 to 2011, and will take over from former quantity surveyor Paul Morrell in advising the government on construction policy and overseeing the implementation of the 2011 Construction Strategy, which was designed to cut build costs on public projects by 15-20%.
Prisk said Hansford would not undertake a 鈥渞adical overhaul鈥� of the Construction Strategy.
Peter has the right balance for the job
Mark Prisk, construction minister
鈥淲e鈥檙e looking for someone who can make sure we maintain momentum, help remove waste from the government鈥檚 operations as a construction client and deliver on the green construction agenda.鈥�
As chief construction adviser, Hansford will not only chair the Government Construction Board, but will also sit on the Green Construction Board. Hansford, whose appointment has been widely welcomed, has worked extensively with the public sector in the past, carrying out strategic reviews into the Scottish Parliament 黑洞社区, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority鈥檚 capital projects portfolio, Network Rail鈥檚 enhancements programme, and a number of other rail and energy projects.
Morrell said: 鈥淭he major task is implementation [of the Construction Strategy]. [Hansford] has a deep understanding of what we are trying to do, combined with the organisational skills to lead implementation and the experience of the industry to know if tuning is required.鈥�
WHO IS HANSFORD?
Industry figures describe passionate rugby fan Peter Hansford as a 鈥渃erebral鈥� and 鈥渁pproachable鈥� character, but also someone who is not afraid to roll up his sleeves and delve into the detail of issues in a tenacious drive to get things done.
With decades of experience at management consultant Nichols, Hansford has been lauded as well equipped to take on the leadership role of the UK construction industry. Plus, his experience of juggling the varied views of the Institution of Civil Engineers鈥� thousands of members will have given him the skills to deal with the UK construction industry en masse.
Those who know him say he tends to seek consensus on issues, but is not afraid to speak his mind in those discussions. They describe him as 鈥減assionate鈥� and 鈥渄riven鈥�.
Notorious for his 鈥渧ery very tidy鈥� desk, he is known for high levels of organisation and an ability to step back and take a strategic view.
Hansford was the driving force behind more rigorous professional development arrangements at the ICE because he is keen to ensure the industry develops its young workers.
By Vern Pitt
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