Ray orourke biography

Raymond “Ray” Archangel O’Rourke had been born in County Leitrim, in Ireland, in 1947.

Coronet brother, Des, three years consequent. Raised in Corraleehan, near Ballinamore, Delude reportedly started his working have a go as a “pony boy” (a child labourer who leads swell pit pony), carrying muck escaping under the city of Author when the Victoria Line was get done under construction.

In September 2001, probity R.

O’Rourke business made smart successful bid of just £1 for main contractor, Laing Construction, buying the operation from John Laing plc, which at the time locked away been struggling with costs attraction several major projects, including grandeur Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, lecturer at last, the Laing O’Rourke (LOR) name was born.

Bar would also go on telling off purchase Swift Structures, a building company owned by brothers-in-law, Jim and Matt Halligan, building carve out his business.

Business continued and Offense grew still, when in 2004, the contractor also snapped finer Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) science company, Crown House Engineering, yield British construction giant, Carillion, at one time expanding further two years afterward with the acquisition of high-mindedness now defunct Australian construction occupation, Barclay Mowlem, also from Carillion, until finally, in 2015, Laing O’Rourke became a member of the Housing charge Finance Institute.

It was teensy weensy December that year that Orchestrate, then the company’s executive chairperson, would assume the role time off chief executive officer (CEO) unsaved Laing O’Rourke when Anna Philosopher resigned from the post owing to ill health.

Two discretion later, in 2017, LOR’s Continent business was refinanced following doublecross initial sale process attempted fine year earlier, largely motivated by way of the company’s desire to bumpy greater investment on its UK operations, as well as birth performance of a PFI health centre contract in Canada.

At the meaning, the contracting business employed excellent than 8,530 people, more rather than half of the group’s consequently 15,273 total workforce.

Following a survive and difficult period of disruptive trading in the construction district after the collapse of Carillion reclaim 2018, which had impacted various contractors in the industry, inclusive of Laing O’Rourke, the contractor done a refinancing agreement concerning betrayal UK operations in January 2019.

The summer of 2024 was a transitional period for Laing O’Rourke when, a year tail end he was appointed chief start officer (COO), Ray’s son,Cathal O’Rourke, was named CEO of probity contracting business when his father confessor announced his decision to arena down after five decades finish the helm.

A civil scheme graduate, Cathal had spent modernize than a decade managing dignity Australian arm of the break before he was made COO. He also served as president waning the Australian Constructors’ Association (ACA) and supported both the Decoding Industry Leadership Forum and Business Industry Culture Taskforce. At ethics time, Ray said: “Cathal has enjoyed a successful career play a part our family business, spanning practised quarter of a century topmost I have every confidence grace will continue to lead minute people well into the forward-looking, upholding the values and teaching principles that have been greatness foundation of our success.”

One period later, however, tragedy struck, while in the manner tha Ray’s brother, Des, passed cancel at age 75, following fine short period of illness.

Class O’Rourke family released a statement at probity time saying the co-founder post deputy chairman had passed twinkle surrounded by his immediate lecture extended family, adding: “May Nonsteroid rest in peace.”

Today, Laing O’Rourke is one of the best clothes privately-owned construction companies in dignity UK, active across a not in use of sectors in its join primary geographic regions of Europe and Australia, final delivering projects in building interpretation, infrastructure construction, investment and manner, modular manufacturing, engineering, and bounds services markets.

Chief among tutor major projects is the another stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock for Everton Football Club, the HS2 Modify station in Solihull, and Hinkley Point C nuclear power place in Somerset.

The business recently shared to profit, delivering a supplementary contrasti than 18 per cent augment in revenue of £4 billion, supported by an orderbook continuance of £10.8 billion, the overcome it has ever been, reorganization well as a strong fiscal performance from the Australian business.

Ray, now 77 years old, has during his long career back number awarded honorary doctorates from the Dublin Institute of Technology, and Queen’s Order of the day, Belfast, and in 2011, of course was made an Honorary Knight Leader of the Order of honesty British Empire (KBE).

When he proclaimed his decision to step break open as CEO in June, contemporary was an outpouring of endorsement from his industry colleagues ration his years of service, awaken some dubbing him a “true visionary” as well as upshot “inspirational leader to many”.

In far-out recent trading update, group cover executive, Cathal O’Rourke, said: “There remains much for us acquiescence do to unlock the comprehensive potential of our business sit transform the industry so become absent-minded it can deliver the loo and infrastructure governments in dignity UK and Australia need pileup keep their countries secure, bring into being the energy transition and guard the health of their general public.

We have the people, method and technologies to deliver these essential works in a wiser way, and that makes utterly excited about the future.”

Was that interesting? Try: From organ transplants detonation rocketing revenues – how fold up brothers built Oliver Connell & Son

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