Construction giant Balfour Beatty has announced the appointment of a new Chief Executive, following the failed merger and later takeover by rival construction firm Carillion.

 

Leon Quinn is due to start with Balfour Beatty in January 2015, having spent the last 5 years as the Group Chief Executive of defence research company QinetiQ, having previously being the boss of banknote printer De La Rue.

 

Current Executive Chairman Steve Marshall will be replaced by Quinn, who will start with a basic salary of £800,000.

 

Quinn’s appointment at Balfour Beatty represents a return to the company for the executive, who started his career at the construction firm in 1979 as a civil engineer.

 

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.”