New role at Balfour Beatty Engineering Services

Uma Shanker has joined UK-based Balfour Beatty Engineering Services (BBES) as COO – a new role.

He is joining BBES from Network Rail, where he held a number of senior leadership roles, most recently as a project director in the infrastructure projects team.

He previously led M&E (mechanical and electrical) transformational projects including the introduction of high-speed factory track construction trains, modular switches and the electrification upgrade of the West Coast Mainline.

BBES said that Shanker would focus on broadening its portfolio of projects, and the development of its Modular Systems+ mechanical and electrical modular construction business. He will also be looking at improving BBES’ operational and design capabilities, ensuring that it is incorporating industry leading Building Information Modelling (BIM) techniques on all future schemes and delivering the needs of its diverse customer base.

Shanker will report directly to managing director Phil McGuire.

BBES had a turnover in 2013 of £260 million and an employee base of 1,200 comprising of 500 office-based staff and 700 operatives and operates across most sectors including commercial, retail, education, defence, custodial, residential, power and transport.