Jim Cohen

Jim had a successful executive career at board level, covering engineering, contracting and private finance for large infrastructure projects. He also now has wide non-executive experience internationally.

Career details and achievements

Currently:

• Senior Independent Director – office2office plc
• Board member – Implenia AG
• Chairman – Empower Advisors Limited
• Member Investment Committee – DIF II

Formerly:

• Group Managing Director and Board member – Balfour Beatty plc
• Executive positions – GTE of the USA and GEC plc
• Civil servant – Board of Trade and Department of Energy

Skill detail, track record and services provided

Jim was one of the executive team that took Balfour Beatty plc from a large subsidiary to a plc on the edge of the FTSE 100, with sustained growth in revenue, profits and cash from the mid-1990s to the present time. He retired in 2007. His particular responsibilities were growing the railway business from under £100m to some £800m worldwide, with profits close to £40m, and development of a new equity and financing business in response to the UK Government’s Private Finance Initiative, which is now the leading contracting promoter of infrastructure projects.

Jim is now a non-executive director and consultant with public and private companies in the UK, Switzerland and the Netherlands. He also has current experience of a number of African markets.

Both at Balfour Beatty and since Jim has had experience of mentoring senior executives taking on new challenges.

He has a particular interest in safety.