Linesight names John Butler as chief executive officer

Linesight has appointed John Butler as Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Paul Boylan, who will remain Group Chief Executive Officer of parent company IPS.

The move comes as Linesight continues its international expansion, with 44 offices in 30 countries.

Butler will take up the role at the start of 2027 after 25 years at the construction consultancy, where he has held senior positions in the UK, EMEA and APAC. Most recently, he led the APAC and Middle East business, growing it from a small team into a regional operation with more than 600 staff across ten offices and eight markets.

Boylan, who led Linesight through a period of rapid growth, will continue to oversee the wider IPS group, which includes IPS, Linesight and Springtide. The group employs more than 4,500 people, operates in 40 countries and generates about USD $2 billion in net revenue.

At Linesight, Boylan oversaw a sharp increase in scale. Since 2021, the business has grown from 20 offices and 700 people to 44 offices and more than 2,500 employees. During that period, annual revenue growth ranged from 15% to 24%.

The company advises clients on cost, project controls, programme management and project management across the data centre, life sciences, high-tech industrial and commercial sectors. Butler has worked with many of its largest global customers and helped expand its presence in international markets.

Regional shift

The management reshuffle also includes a new regional leadership appointment. Scott Halyday will become Managing Director, APAC and the GCC, and join Linesight's global executive team.

Based in Singapore, Halyday joined the company in 2018 and has more than 20 years of experience leading major programmes and client relationships across APAC and international markets. He will oversee a region spanning eight markets and a client base across data centres, life sciences, high-tech industrial and commercial work.

The APAC and Middle East business has become an important part of Linesight's global operations. The region now supports some of the company's largest clients, including four of the top ten technology companies in the Fortune Global 500, and has delivered more than 200 data centre projects across 15 countries.

That exposure to large technology and infrastructure clients is likely to be central to Butler's move into the top role, as demand for complex capital projects continues across digital infrastructure and regulated industries. Linesight expects continued double-digit growth over the next three years.

Boylan outlined the rationale for the appointment in a statement on the leadership change.

"I'd like to congratulate John on his appointment as CEO of Linesight. John is an exceptional leader with a deep understanding of our business, our people and our clients. He has worked with many of our largest global clients and played a significant role in scaling Linesight across international markets. That depth of knowledge, experience and perspective positions him strongly to lead the business as Linesight enters its next phase. I'm delighted to see him step into the role and look forward to working with him as Group CEO," Boylan said.

Internal succession

Butler began his career at Linesight as a graduate, making the appointment an internal succession choice at a time when many professional services and consultancy groups are placing greater emphasis on continuity in client relationships. His career has spanned several of the company's key geographies as the business expanded beyond its traditional base.

In his statement, Butler acknowledged Boylan's role in growing the firm and pointed to the next stage of expansion.

"I am incredibly proud to be appointed CEO of Linesight. I started my career here as a graduate, and over the years I have seen first-hand the strength of our people, the trust our clients place in us and how far we have come as a global business. I would like to thank Paul for his leadership and the significant contribution he has made to Linesight, and I look forward to continuing to work closely with him as Group CEO.

"Linesight has built a strong reputation through deep expertise and a genuine understanding of our clients' businesses, and those qualities will continue to define us. As we enter our next phase, we have a significant opportunity to build on what we have achieved, strengthen our capabilities, continue to build high-performing and diverse teams, and extend our reach in the markets where our clients are investing and growing," Butler said.

Linesight has operated for more than 50 years and focuses on construction consultancy services for complex projects. Within the IPS group structure, it sits alongside IPS, which works on integrated project delivery in regulated industries, and Springtide, which focuses on project delivery services for data centre and advanced technology environments.

The leadership changes at Linesight and in its APAC and GCC business will take effect at the start of 2027.