Sterling appoints Alistair Kirk as Non-executive Adviser

Sterling has appointed Alistair Kirk as a non-executive adviser, adding a former executive from HS2, Network Rail, Arcadis and BAE Systems to the software company's leadership circle.

Kirk will work with Sterling's executive team on strategy, governance and industry advice as the business expands across construction, infrastructure, defence, energy and the public sector.

The appointment comes as the UK software developer seeks to strengthen its position in cost and carbon estimating, an area drawing more attention as project owners and contractors face tighter demands on budgeting, reporting and environmental performance.

Sterling develops a cloud-based platform that combines cost planning, resource-based cost estimating, embodied carbon estimating, digital take-off, forecasting, lifecycle management and reporting. It aims to bring together processes often handled through separate systems and manual workflows.

Kirk joins after more than three decades in infrastructure, transport and defence programmes. His previous senior roles included positions at HS2, Arcadis, Network Rail and BAE Systems, where he worked on programme strategy, governance, commercial leadership and organisational change.

That background is likely to be relevant as Sterling targets organisations involved in major capital projects in Britain and overseas. The business is increasingly supporting programmes in defence, nuclear, transport and energy, where buyers often place greater weight on security, governance and domestic technology supply.

Growth plans

The business has been investing in product development, artificial intelligence, integrations with other construction software and secure cloud deployment. It argues that clients want a single source of information covering cost and embodied carbon rather than separate tools for estimating, planning and reporting.

For contractors, consultants and asset owners, that approach is intended to improve co-ordination between estimating, procurement, planning and project controls teams. The aim is to give users visibility of both commercial and sustainability data from the same resource-based information.

Kirk set out his view of the company's position in a statement accompanying the appointment.

"I am delighted to be joining Sterling at such an exciting stage in the company's journey. The construction industry is evolving rapidly and organisations are looking for better ways to connect cost, carbon and project data to make faster and more informed decisions. Sterling has developed a modern platform that genuinely addresses these challenges. The combination of innovation, technical capability and a clear long-term vision gives the business an excellent foundation for continued growth. I look forward to supporting the leadership team as they continue to establish Sterling as one of the leading solutions for cost and carbon estimating," said Kirk.

The company's growth strategy is centred on sectors where project complexity, compliance demands and data assurance are becoming increasingly important. In those markets, software providers face scrutiny not only over functionality but also over hosting arrangements, governance standards and the handling of sensitive project information.

Secure sectors

Sterling's software is designed and developed in the United Kingdom and can be deployed through UK-hosted cloud environments. Secure deployment options are also available for highly regulated organisations, particularly those involved in strategically significant infrastructure.

The platform has been developed with security-by-design principles, reflecting the needs of customers working with commercially sensitive information and critical national infrastructure data. That positioning may help Sterling as digital systems become more embedded in public-sector and regulated procurement.

Industry pressure has also shifted towards earlier-stage project decisions, where assumptions about cost, materials and design choices can affect both budgets and carbon outcomes. Software groups in this segment are trying to show that integrating those datasets can reduce duplicated work and support more consistent decision-making.

Sterling says its system allows estimating teams to produce estimates more quickly and consistently while also showing the embodied carbon implications of design alternatives. It says this can help users assess trade-offs without creating separate carbon workflows.

Steve Brunning, chief executive officer of Sterling, linked Kirk's appointment to the company's wider ambitions in the market.

"Our ambition is to build the construction industry's leading platform for integrated cost and carbon estimating. Organisations are looking for better ways to improve certainty, reduce risk and meet increasingly demanding sustainability targets, and Sterling is uniquely positioned to help them achieve that. Bringing someone of Alistair's calibre to Sterling reflects both our ambition and our commitment to supporting customers delivering some of the most complex infrastructure programmes in the UK and internationally. His strategic insight and programme leadership will be invaluable as we continue to grow," said Brunning.

The hire also points to a broader trend in construction technology, with software companies bringing in senior figures from infrastructure and engineering backgrounds as they try to win larger clients and move deeper into regulated markets. Kirk's experience across transport, defence and major programme governance gives Sterling someone with direct knowledge of how those clients assess risk, control and delivery.