On Monday, Alan Baker replaced Mark Beattie in the role of managing director, following Beattie’s decision to retire from the industry.

Baker assumes the post fresh from Moscow where he served as the regional director for AECOM’s program cost consultancy business in the former Soviet Union and Central and Eastern Europe.

AECOM Australia New Zealand chief executive Michael Batchelor said Baker was a valuable addition to the executive team in the ANZ region.

“Alan has been very successful in introducing and driving project and cost management solutions for AECOM clients in Europe,” Batchelor said.

“His experience will bring new and expanded approaches to the development and delivery of projects in our region.”

According to Batchelor, Baker has been involved in major projects including the redevelopment of the 78,000-seat Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow – Russia’s largest stadium and host to the World Cup finals in 2018.

Baker also worked on the 400-hectare Skolkovo Innovation Centre – dubbed as Moscow’s Silicone Valley – and the $US2.2 billion Bio City, Turkey’s first biomedical science park.

Beattie spent 40 years with the company and began his career at Davis Langdon.

He also played a critical role in guiding the business through its transition to AECOM over the past two years.

This article first appeared in ILN's sister publication ConstructionIndustryNews.net.