Experienced global chief executive Mark Cutifani is set to join the Laing O’Rourke Board as senior independent director, also chairing the board’s sustainability committee. The appointment is set to take effect from September this year.

Cutifani stepped down in April as chief executive and an executive director of Anglo American plc after nine years leading the global mining giant. He is credited with leading the turnaround of Anglo American after joining as chief executive in 2013. The company reported revenues of $41.5bn USD and record profitability in 2021.

Laing O’Rourke chairman Sir John Parker said Cutifani added significant operational and major project engineering experience to the board. He said: “We are extremely fortunate to secure the expertise of Mark Cutifani to complete the refresh of the Laing O’Rourke Board, which I began in 2018. Mark’s 45 years’ business experience and outstanding leadership credentials will augment the dedicated and diverse team we have assembled at board level, which is deeply connected to Laing O’Rourke’s committed senior management team.

“He will chair a new sustainability committee of the board, demonstrating the business’s ongoing commitment to strengthen its ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) platforms since announcing stretching targets in April last year. Mark is a hugely principled person, and a gifted ‘human’ leader, and will be a valuable addition to our dynamic group. I’m delighted to welcome him on board.”

Chief executive Ray O’Rourke said the group was primed for growth and had added significant capability across its teams to meet the opportunities ahead in its core operating markets – Europe and Australia. “We are investing in sustainability, inclusion and wellbeing to underpin class-leading safety, digital transformation and manufacturing-led technical excellence for our clients,” said O’Rourke. “I look forward to working with Mark as our senior independent director to advance these critical elements for our industry.”