Ray O'Rourke (businessman)

Ray O'Rourke
Born
Raymond Gabriel O'Rourke

January 1947 (age 77–78)
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]

References

  1. ^ a b "Ray G. O'Rourke: Executive Profile & Biography – Bloomberg". bloomberg.com. Archived from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d "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. ^ a b c "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.


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