Ray O'Rourke (businessman)

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Ray O'Rourke
Born
Raymond Gabriel O'Rourke

January 1947 (age 77)
County Leitrim, Ireland
NationalityIrish
OccupationBusinessman
Known forFounder and 55% owner of Laing O'Rourke
TitleChairman and CEO, Laing O'Rourke

Raymond Gabriel O'Rourke (born January 1947) [1] is an Irish businessman, the chairman and CEO of the construction multinational Laing O'Rourke. [2]

O'Rourke was born in January 1947. [3] A native of County Leitrim, Ireland, [2] [4] he was raised in Corraleehan, near Ballinamore. [5] He runs the privately owned Laing O'Rourke with his brother Des (born 1950), and owns 55% of the company. [4] O'Rourke "started as a 'pony boy' carrying muck out from under London as the Victoria Line was being constructed." His estimated net worth was €800 million as of 2015. [2]

O'Rourke purchased the construction company Swift Structures, owned by his brothers-in-law, Jim and Matt Halligan from County Mayo. He then called in the receivers. [6] [4]

His son, Cathal, works for Laing O'Rourke, [2] and in March 2023 was appointed the company's chief operating officer. [7] In June 2024, it was announced that Cathal would succeed his father as Laing O'Rourke CEO from the beginning of July 2024. [8] [9]

Honours

O'Rourke has honorary doctorates from the Dublin Institute of Technology, and Queen's University, Belfast. [1]

In 2011, he was made a Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE). [10]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Ray G. O'Rourke: Executive Profile & Biography – Bloomberg". bloomberg.com. Archived from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Ray and Des O'Rourke". Irish Independent . 8 March 2015. Archived from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  3. "Raymond Gabriel O'ROURKE – Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House)". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 "The man and the Parliament millions". The Scotsman . 26 September 2003. Archived from the original on 9 October 2017.
  5. "Leitrim brothers rise to 25th spot on Irish Rich List". Leitrim Observer . 24 January 2019. Archived from the original on 2 September 2019. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  6. Cronin, Sean (17 February 2000). "Builder O'Rourke buys out firm of family rivals". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  7. Morby, Aaron (7 March 2023). "Cathal O'Rourke takes new COO role at Laing O'Rourke". Construction Enquirer. Archived from the original on 9 March 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  8. Marrs, Colin (24 June 2024). "Ray O'Rourke to hand chief executive reins to son Cathal". Construction News. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  9. Morby, Aaron (24 June 2024). "Ray O'Rourke steps down as chief executive". Construction Enquirer. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  10. "Honorary awards" (PDF). gov.uk. 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2021.