Chris Gower needs his transition to CEO to be like The Who’s lyricism — “meet the brand new boss, similar because the previous boss.”
Gower, who assumed the helm of Edmonton, Alberta-based builder PCL Development on Nov. 1, needs the corporate to remain the course and control its core strengths. He takes over following Donald Trump’s election victory amid questions round how the incoming administration’s financial insurance policies will have an effect on the constructing trade.
PCL, which has its U.S. headquarters in Denver, will proceed to look to infrastructure tasks as a key a part of its constructing portfolio.
Right here, Gower talks about his imaginative and prescient for the corporate, his outlook on a number of the agency’s key constructing sectors, and his response to Trump’s victory.
How has the transition been into your new function as CEO?
It is like turning a dimmer change up slowly over the past 12 months. The lights flip brighter and brighter and brighter, and the day that I took over November 1, they simply needed to go up slightly bit extra.
I take advantage of that phrase to explain it as a result of our succession may be very sturdy, very considerate.
Chris Gower
Permission granted by PCL Development
Dave Filipchuk, the previous CEO, now chair of our board, and I’ve partnered collectively in my deputy function for the final 12 months. I will again up and say even earlier than that, we have been within the workplace of CEO for 9 years collectively, and on the board that lengthy as effectively.
I hope that no one appears like there’s an enormous change taking place. The truth is, I might argue it is kind of like steering an enormous ship. There needs to be no waves.
I confirmed up, I obtained a brand new workplace and a brand new parking spot. Past that, every little thing else is identical.
Donald Trump will return to the White Home. What’s your preliminary response?
Individuals speak about tariffs. Right here’s PCL’s perspective.
We have a look at this on two fronts. One, the election goes to affect the U.S. economic system. And we now have a really massive enterprise within the U.S. The energy of the U.S. economic system is necessary to us on that entrance.
Then we now have a big enterprise in Canada, and the affect of the U.S. on Canada is clear.
The issues that Trump will do and has promised to do can harm us and assist us. I’m unsure at the moment, with out realizing how these plans are going to unfold, if it’s impartial, or if it’s constructive or detrimental. We’re taking a look at it from quite a lot of fronts and we’re monitoring the way it’s going to affect us in additional element.
In mild of the election, what does PCL take into consideration the way forward for infrastructure funding?
I personally consider infrastructure usually will proceed to have to be funded.
If you consider water shortage and or adjustments of the water high quality within the numerous locations and the demand for water, constructing water wastewater therapy services isn’t going away.
I do not suppose that is going to vary underneath both administration.
The CHIPS Act or the Inflation Discount Act may change, and we will not management that, however what we are able to management is how nimble and versatile we’re in adapting to varied new alternatives.
I might say one of the simplest ways to do this for any firm is to be very diversified, mixed with being resilient and agile sufficient to vary and transfer into markets like manufacturing or knowledge facilities, as we now have previously. We’re a big developer of photo voltaic as a result of the chance exists at the moment. If it adjustments we are going to adapt.
However usually, I do not suppose there shall be a serious pullback in infrastructure spend. I believe that market will proceed to stay sturdy within the U.S.
PCL has been zeroing in on stadium tasks. What are your predictions for the market going ahead?
Many of those services, some are new, some are ageing and have to be changed, and we do not see that altering.
Sports activities services within the U.S., specifically with school sports activities and the demand within the U.S. for correct services, alongside distinctive occasions just like the Olympics, these occasions drive demand.
We see the sports activities and leisure sector as repeatedly needing to evolve and alter because the wants of the purchasers change. It isn’t a one and carried out.
What different sectors does PCL have its eye on going ahead?
Power transition within the heavy industrial state of affairs the place we see fairly a little bit of development with hydrogen and even small modular reactors.
There are a whole lot of wants throughout North America and Australia, to not point out photo voltaic. That is the place we do work in Australia, with photo voltaic, I might say that a whole lot of these markets are going to develop.
Parts like power are within the transition, and merchandise that associate with that transition are in additional demand, and that is not going to vary.
And clearly we will not management how a few of these issues unfold, so we favor to be on the aspect of adapting to it because it adjustments.
Actually, we might wish to affect it, and we do, to some extent, but it surely’s extra of us reacting to markets and positioning ourselves to offer that service to our prospects in the appropriate place.
