VolkerWessels UK has appointed former Atkins Director, Simon White, as its Chief Digital Officer.

Having previously worked as Digital Director at Atkins Infrastructure UK, Mr White will help VolkerWessels to accelerate its digital transformation programme through exploration of the opportunities offered by emerging technology to deliver safer, faster, and more cost effective solutions to its clients.

Alan Robertson, Chief Executive Officer at VolkerWessels UK, said: "We believe that we must act now and lead our industry into a new digital revolution that will fundamentally alter and improve the way we work. By harnessing the power of data and technology, and combining this with our own skills as a leading contractor, we can take advantage of unlimited possibilities for new ways of connecting our people and our clients, and sharing knowledge.

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"VolkerWessels UK is a company built around people, and we believe that digital is more about people than technology – so it's our employees who will drive our digital transformation, and their ideas and innovation have an essential part to play in this process . To address this, we'll also be delivering a programme to help our teams adjust to new ways of thinking.

"In short, we aim to take a lead in digital construction, powered of course by data and emerging technologies, but driven by our people."

Mr White added: "The construction sector has typically not taken advantage of emerging technologies and access to real time information that is now readily available. It's clear that embracing digital has the potential to add real value for companies, clients, and communities impacted by construction, but yet our industry is one of the least progressed in terms of R&D and digital transformation. The cycle of our sector being a follower has to change and we have an oportunity to make a real difference to our clients, end users and society in general.

"Technologies ranging from automated plant and machinery, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things, through to next level BIM systems, reality capturing, data visualisation, and virtual and augmented reality all have applications which can help move our industry to the next level, and at VolkerWessels UK we intend to merge our digital, innovation and construction expertise to benefit our business and our clients."

(LM)