How Balfour Beatty Has Restructured Its Leadership Team

Construction giant Balfour Beatty has completed a number of changes to its leadership team and UK portfolio, first publicly announced in June 2026.

The changes were designed to help the company:

• strengthen customer focus
• improve project performance
• drive greater efficiencies
• combine the Group’s capabilities across UK transport, energy and defence-enabling faster
• achieve more joined-up delivery of major infrastructure programmes
• deliver closer alignment with critical national infrastructure priorities

“These changes sharpen our focus on our customers and our core growth markets,” says Philip Hoare, Balfour Beatty Group CEO. 

To complete the remodelling of its leadership team, the company has filled the position of Chief Strategy Office (CSO), one of two newly created roles.

Emma Loxton is Balfour Beatty’s new CSO

As Balfour Beatty works on strengthening its Group Executive Committee, it is ushering in Emma Loxton as Chief Strategy Officer, who will lead the strategy function from October 2026.

The company says it created the CSO role and a Group Services Business Director position to enhance strategic focus, productivity and value creation. 

Emma is moving from management consultancy firm McKinsey & Company, where she was a partner and advised established industrial and infrastructure companies on strategy, growth and transformation for more than 10 years.

Prior, she served as a Senior Policy Advisor in the UK Government’s Prime MInister’s Strategy Unit.

“Emma is a proven strategy and transformation leader with a strong track record of helping complex organisations sharpen performance, strengthen competitiveness and deliver lasting change,” says Philip. “Her insight, energy and commercial focus will be invaluable as we continue to execute our strategy, progress Evolve, Energise, Explore and capture the opportunities created by strong demand for complex, critical infrastructure across our chosen markets. I am delighted to welcome her to Balfour Beatty.” 

“Balfour Beatty is an industry leader with exceptional people, distinctive capabilities and a vital role delivering the infrastructure we all depend on,” says Emma.

“The Group is well positioned for its next phase of profitable growth, with strong positions in attractive markets and a clear ambition for the future. 

“I am excited to join Philip and the leadership team, and to work with colleagues across Balfour Beatty to help deliver this next chapter.” 

A new Group Business Services Director 

Six years into his tenure at Balfour Beatty, Lee Hewitt has moved from Group Health, Safety and Wellbeing Director into the new Group Business Services Director role.

He first joined the company as Programme Director for Balfour Beatty VINCI, the joint venture that is helping to deliver the high-speed railway HS2.

Previously, he served as Head of Procurement for the National Grid and held senior roles with Thames Water and Gatwick Airport.

His new position involves directing the team that deliver group-wide services such as health, safety and wellbeing, quality, asset and technology solutions as well as sustainability and innovation.

He first joined the company as Programme Director for Balfour Beatty VINCI, the joint venture that is helping to deliver the high-speed railway HS2.

Previously, he served as Head of Procurement for the National Grid and held senior roles with Thames Water and Gatwick Airport.

His new role involves directing the team that deliver group-wide services such as health, safety and wellbeing, quality, asset and technology solutions as well as sustainability and innovation.

Lee and Emma will both report directly to Philip.

UK portfolio shake-up

To top off the transformations taking place within the company, Balfour Beatty has reconfigured its UK portfolio.

Previously:

• Nick Crossfield was Group Sector Lead for UK Defence, while continuing to lead Regional Scotland, Regional Buildings, Regional Civils, Balfour Beatty Living Places, Balfour Beatty Homes and Asset & Technology Solutions as Divisional CEO
• Phil Clifton was Group Sector Lead for UK Transport (excluding HS2), while serving as Divisional CEO of Major Projects, Highways and Ground Engineering
• Steve Tarr led UK Energy, plus Power Transmission & Distribution, Rail and Balfour Beatty Kilpatrick as divisional CEO, alongside the Gammon JV

Since June 2026:

• Crossfield's portfolio is now UK Defence, Power & Regional Infrastructure, combining UK regional civils, the Scottish construction business, UK buildings and the UK power transmission & Distribution business. Power T&D has moved into his remit from Tarr's.
• Clifton's portfolio is now UK Energy & Major Projects, bringing together large, complex infrastructure delivery with major energy programmes including Hinkley Point C and Net Zero Teesside. This is a shift from his prior transport focus to energy. 
• UK Transport is now its own standalone portfolio, combining UK Rail, UK Highways and Balfour Beatty Living Places into a single connected business, with recruitment underway for a Divisional CEO. Previously these functions were split across Clifton's and Crossfield's remits.
• Tarr's remit narrowed to just the major alliances/JVs (HS2, Sizewell C, Gammon), separate from these three UK portfolios.

“By bringing our capabilities together in this way, we are building a more connected, agile business - better placed to deliver critical infrastructure and consistent value for our customers, partners and shareholders,” says Philip.

“At the same time, we are creating clearer opportunities for our 26,000 colleagues to grow and play their part in shaping our future.” 

Balfour Beatty’s key partners:

VINCI 

French construction and concessions giant, and Balfour Beatty's longest-standing partner, dating back over 30 years to the Channel Tunnel. Their 50:50 joint venture, Balfour Beatty VINCI, delivers HS2's Area North civils package, including major viaducts, and previously worked on Crossrail and UK Smart Motorways programmes.

Jardine Matheson 

Hong Kong-based conglomerate that co-owns Gammon, Balfour Beatty's 50:50 joint venture and a leading Hong Kong contractor. Gammon works across civil infrastructure and buildings, with a growing share of its order book tied to the Northern Metropolis development, and recently completed Terminal 2 at Hong Kong International Airport.

Laing O'Rourke 

UK construction firm and fellow member of the Sizewell C Civil Works Alliance, alongside Balfour Beatty and Bouygues. All three previously worked together at Hinkley Point C, and now jointly deliver enabling works, marine operations, tunnelling and main civils for the new Suffolk nuclear plant.

Bouygues Travaux Publics 

French infrastructure specialist and the third member of the Sizewell C alliance. Bouygues and Laing O'Rourke also jointly form the Bylor JV handling above-ground works at Hinkley Point C, while Balfour Beatty separately delivers that project's marine works.

SYSTRA 

French engineering and rail specialist that joins Balfour Beatty and VINCI on HS2's Old Oak Common station, contributing expertise in rail systems design, integration and project management alongside the two main contractors' construction capabilities.