Brian Bruce to Retire

Brian Bruce will be retiring as the Chief Executive Officer of Murray & Roberts at the end of June 2011 after a career span of 44 years with the group.

In an interview with the Financial Mail he said, "I was one of the 100000 South Africans who went to see Neil Diamond ," says Bruce. " I thought: 'Why is a 70-year-old still doing world tours?' Because he's passionate about what he does - music.

"I am not dissimilar: engineering and construction are my 'music' and I'll also continue for as long as possible to 'play' in SA and around the world."

"I am retiring from M&R, not from life," he is quick to say.

He aims to help the SA Government develop a better approach for its engineering and construction process but would be preferred not to be labelled as "a consultant". This will obviously harmonise with the important work he started during 1996 when he was appointed to lead a task team appointed by the Government to advance the transformation of the construction sector resulting in the enactment of the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) during 2000. He was appointed the first Chairman of the CIDB Board and served in that capacity until 2007.

The former Durban Master Builders Association was established on 1 February 1901 and celebrated its centenary as the KwaZulu-Natal Master Builders and Allied Industries Association at a banquet held on 15 June 2001, when Brian Bruce was invited to propose a toast to the Association in his capacity as the Chairman of the CIDB.

Some of his notable achievements include;

• As a 29 year old he was in charge of the construction of the Bloukrans Bridge in the Southern Cape. Completed during 1984 it was the highest arched concrete bridge in the world.
• Recipient of an Honorary Doctorate in Engineering, from the University of Stellenbosch in 2004.
• Council member of the South African Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors (SAFCEC)
• Recipient of the Presidential Medal of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), during 2007, for his contribution to the development of the construction industry.
• Construction of the giant Gautrain project.

During his 10 year tenure as CEO of M & R, he engineered a radical turnabout by changing the group from an unwieldy industrial conglomerate to a focused global engineering and construction group. Roger Reese, the CFO of M & R, and Gwen Lilleike, PA for 24 years of Brian Bruce will also be retiring at the end of June 2011.

The Association wishes this formidable team all the best for the future!

Photo courtesy http://www.businessday.co.za/ 

Pieter Rautenbach