Now in its second century of business, employee-owned company and global engineering and construction leader Black & Veatch is driving change in what it has termed “critical human infrastructure.” As the world wrestles with megatrends including climate change, decarbonization, water scarcity, and an energy transition all with overarching goals of sustainability and resiliency, the company believes that one can either be disrupted or become the disruptor.
At the helm of the 10,000 plus employee-owners is Chairman and CEO, Mario Azar, only the eighth senior leader in the company’s history. Sitting down with TBD Media for “A Moment With…” Azar shares his views as a visionary leader who believes that innovation and the strength that comes from diverse minds working together will help solve the world’s most pressing infrastructure problems. With unwavering determination and commitment to making a difference in the world, Azar is driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, along with a devotion to the company’s culture, people and clients.
Azar’s story and his path to leadership is not a typical journey. Immigrating to the United States at age 17 to attend college, he faced many obstacles, both cultural and financial. Inspired by the entrepreneurship of his mother in his native Syria, one of the few women in the country to own a business at the time, he embarked on a journey that led him from a curiosity in how things work, to electrical engineering, and eventually to executive leadership in the engineering and construction industry. Today, Black & Veatch works on diverse projects around the world and continues to evolve as it delivers sustainable infrastructure solutions including renewable energy, grid modernization, clean transportation, digital connectivity, hydrogen, water resilience, and much more. By leveraging innovation and the diverse talents and perspectives of professionals from more than 100 offices around the world, Azar and his team are shaping a global movement towards a sustainable future for generations to come.
Editor’s Notes:
- Watch the full interview here.
About Black & Veatch
Black & Veatch is a 100-percent employee-owned global engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company with a more than 100-year track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people around the world by addressing the resilience and reliability of our most important infrastructure assets. Our revenues in 2022 were US$4.3 billion. Follow us on www.bv.com and on social media.