Aurecon’s Global CEO, Giam Swiegers, has warned that as the speed of change accelerates, the “sheer velocity of disruption facing engineering, property, construction and infrastructure organisations is only increasing”.
The global engineering and infrastructure advisory firm, which has almost doubled the Port of Umm Sa’id’s capacity to support the Qatari FIFA 2022 World Cup, has warned that “smart businesses” in the energy, property and infrastructure sectors need to change leadership priorities, capabilities and work practices.
This has seen Aurecon focus its workforce on adapting and using smart technology or 'infra tech' to better deliver mega projects and manage the life cycle of existing major assets.
The FIFA World Cup project has seen Aurecon use its bulk ports experience and modelling technology to boost Qutar’s building materials supply chain, providing design, delivery, advisory and asset management services to design solutions that ensure the Qatari construction industry receives a steady and reliable supply of gabbro, a construction material for concrete and asphalt.
Sweiger (pictured) added that the company has had to upskill its global leadership and talent to “prepare for a very different future”.
CEO of Transas, Frank Coles, has also expressed his views on how vital technology is to the maritime sector in a recent Tweet:
Technology is becoming the lifeblood of economical shipping and shipping needs modern seafarers to handle this technology -says @TransasCEO
— Transas (@Transas_Marine) 16 February 2017
Sweiger added: “The current wave of disruption is either a catalyst for a company’s downfall, or a clear call to harness its greatest brains to solve some of the biggest problems the world has ever seen.
“In future, those able to mobilise the creativity of a cross-disciplinary and cross-culturally diverse workforce in order to deliver competitive advantage will succeed in building globally successful and sustainable businesses.”
Sweiger’s comments echo a recent whitepaper ‘Antwerp: Specialist Dry Bulk Hotspot’ by Wim Dillen of Antwerp Port Authority, which stated that to stand out from the competition in the world market, “companies must be able to call upon a sustainable, flexible, efficient and innovative supply chain in which all links play an effective role”.
