Constructing Excellence North East has announced Andy Ray, group operations director at Applebridge Family, as the new chair of its Innovation Group.
Andy is supported in his role by vice-chair, Simon Rennison-Rae, partner at GSS Architecture.
The group, which includes believe housing, Castle, Low Carbon Materials, NavVis, Northumbria University, Northumbrian Water and Sir Robert McAlpine, brings together representatives to promote, showcase and support the development and implementation of innovative ways of working across the construction sector.
Key focus areas include digital technology, sustainable construction and modern construction processes.
Innovation is one of four sector theme groups within Constructing Excellence North East. The other three groups are Climate Action, People and Value and they are designed to showcase good practice across the region and beyond.
By harnessing the wealth of knowledge and experience of its industry members and partners, the groups identify opportunities for the region’s development, building on existing good practice to deliver a more productive sector, delivering long-term value and sustainability for society.
Andy Ray, said: “I have been a member of the Innovation Group since it was established in 2021, working alongside a very ambitious and supportive group of professionals.
“I would like to thank my predecessor, Mark Gardham, regional director at Sir Robert McAlpine, for his leadership of the group and I am looking forward to building on his strong foundations.
“We have a busy year ahead and our aim is to raise the profile of the group, highlighting innovative products and processes being developed and used by organisations, not just within our region but nationally and internationally.
“An example of this was Smart Construction 2024, led by our Innovation Group. The conference and exhibition raised awareness of best practice of innovation in products, processes and digital tools and attracted exhibitors from across Europe.
“Embracing innovation is critical for the construction industry to meet the myriad of challenges it faces and we look forward to hosting Smart Construction 2025 later this year. Organisations can learn, share best practice and, for those exhibiting, there is the opportunity to highlight leading technologies which will make them best-in-class.
“As we move through the year, we will be partnering with Northumbria University on a number of events, as well as hosting webinars, in-person multi-speaker seminars, panel discussions, collaborative workshops, site visits and engagement with research and funding bodies.”
Catriona Lingwood, chief executive at Constructing Excellence North East, said: “Andy has been a valued member of the Innovation Group for four years and is a natural fit for the role of chair having previously held the position of vice-chair.
“His passion for driving innovation within the construction sector, combined with his extensive experience and collaborative approach, makes him the perfect leader to steer the group forward. We are confident that under Andy’s leadership, the Innovation Group will continue to make a meaningful impact, fostering an environment where new ideas can thrive, and where businesses can embrace the latest technologies and practices to drive efficiency and sustainability.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Mark Gardham for his excellent leadership as the previous chair, which has laid a strong foundation for the group’s continued success.
“We look forward to working alongside Andy and team as they as help to ensure that our sector remains competitive, forward-thinking and resilient.”