Two senior appointments at Aurecon

Aurecon has made two key appointments, that of Dr Kourosh Kayvani (Global Director, Excellence and Expertise) and John McGuire (Chief Innovation Officer). Both will report directly to CEO, Giam Swiegers, While both have global roles they will be based in Australia.

Dr Kayvani will play a pivotal role in mobilising Aurecon’s global pool of leading experts to focus their cultivated skills, deep insight and professional passion squarely towards solving the critical and complex problems the clients need solved. 

Giam Swiegers said that fundamental changes are occurring in business today as a result of globalisation and digital disruption and to remain relevant and thrive in the future, organisations need to develop highly distinctive value propositions.

“Dr Kayvani’s strategic appointment supports Aurecon’s strong client focus and will see him working with teams across the business to unlock new value for our clients in our four key markets — built environment, infrastructure, energy and resources, and advisory and asset management.”   

John McGuire will drive the change to embed a global culture of innovation within Aurecon. He will also lead the organisation to achieve its goal of partnering with clients to design their future, determine their reactions to a variety of different competitive situations, and discover innovate pathways to thrive in the age of digital transformation.

“Digital is challenging many businesses to think differently. It is challenging how businesses connect and service existing customers. It is raising the possibility that if organisations do not adapt and change, then their market could be disrupted by others more agile and adept. Design thinking is a way of dealing with these possibilities by reimagining new models of business and new models of service and working with clients to co-design what these look like.

 “Most organisations now realise they do not have all the answers and are increasingly seeking partners, such as Aurecon, who can bring the ideas and knowledge they don’t have and then innovate together to find new solutions.

“The sources of innovation will often come from outside of your own industry or your own sphere of knowledge. Bringing diverse expertise bases and different experiences and different points of view is increasingly being used as a method for innovating,” Giam Swiegers said.

About Dr Ko​urosh Kayvani

With a career spanning over 25 years, Dr Kayvani has played key roles in the design and delivery of many innovative, complex and award winning projects across the globe.  His project portfolio includes Wembley Stadium in London, Sydney Olympics Hockey Stadium in Sydney, and Liberty Place tower in Sydney, to name a few among many.

Dr Kayvani is a Laureate of the IABSE Prize awarded by the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering for his contribution to design of long span structures worldwide. Kayvani is a Fellow of Institution of Engineers, Australia, an Honorary Professor at the University of Sydney, a Visiting Professorial Fellow at UNSW, and a Director of Australian Steel Institute.

Dr Kayvani was named one of the Top 100 most influential engineers by Engineers Australia in 2009.

About John McGuire

McGuire is an experienced business leader, offering over 25 years of experience in consulting and contracting in Australia, the Middle East and the United Kingdom. He has been involved in a wide range of projects, specifically in health care, forensic and specialist containment laboratories. 

As a mechanical engineer McGuire is well known for his creative approaches to design innovation and sustainability. He is a guest lecturer to the architecture schools at the University of Western Australia and Curtin University as well as an international judge and faculty member for the International Academy of Design and Health. Most recently he has been working with the Design Innovation Research Centre at the University of Technology Sydney looking at how Design Led Innovation can be applied in Aurecon.

Notable projects with which McGuire has been involved include the AUD 1.78 billion Fiona Stanley Hospital in Western Australia, the AUD 450 million Austin Repat Mercy Redevelopment in Victoria, and the Auckland City Hospital in New Zealand.