New chief executive at Balfour Beatty

Leo Quinn has been announced as the new chief executive officer of Balfour Beatty.

Quinn (pictured), who has spent the last five years as group chief executive of QinetiQ, will take up his new position on 1 January 2015 and will receive a basic annual salary of £800,000.

Prior to his position at QinetiQ he was CEO of banknote printer De La Rue between 2004 and 2008.

Educated at Imperial College, London and Portsmouth University, Quinn holds an MSc in Management Science and a BSc in Civil Engineering. He began his career at Balfour Beatty in 1979 as a civil engineer in the UK construction services business.

Executive chairman Steve Marshall said: “I am delighted to welcome Leo to Balfour Beatty. Leo is an outstanding individual with an excellent track record in improving the performance of major international businesses. He has the depth and breadth of experience and the drive to lead our company through the next stage of its development.   I am confident that Balfour Beatty will thrive under Leo’s leadership.”

Quinn said: “Balfour Beatty is a world-leading brand with world-leading talent. Having started my career there, I am very proud to be rejoining a company so ingrained in British engineering, and am resolute in my ambition to realise its enormous potential for customers, employees and investors. The building blocks are there to give Balfour Beatty’s people the success they deserve and I am keen to work with them to create something significant and lasting.”