McConnell Dowell is building its digital foundations with the same intent as its physical ones, using data, AI and disciplined strategy.
Digital capability now threads through the company’s operations, shaping how projects are controlled, risks are assessed and decisions are made. The goal is to create the conditions for sharper visibility, faster responses and a shared operating picture across teams and geographies.
Guiding this shift is Heinrich Kukkuk, group executive of information technology, who is leading a rethinking of how McConnell Dowell gathers, structures and applies its information. Business intelligence (BI), the development of a centralised construction management platform (CMP) and targeted applications of artificial intelligence (AI) form the backbone of this effort.
“We have seen a considerable evolution in the adoption of digital technology over the past five to ten years,” says Kukkuk. “There is much broader uptake now, particularly in Australia, where I believe we are being seen as thought leaders in how we apply technology in meaningful ways.”
Several forces are speeding adoption, pushing McConnell Dowell to rethink how its digital backbone supports delivery. Digital platforms have matured and become more accessible, lowering barriers to entry. The rise of generative AI has added urgency, even among companies not yet deploying it, prompting moves to tighten data structures, instil process discipline and strengthen cyber security.
A cornerstone of McConnell Dowell’s digital transformation strategy is the CMP – a single platform designed to replace a patchwork of legacy systems and overlapping tools. With embedded analytics and consistent data architecture, it is intended to enable decisions at speed and with confidence.
Even before the CMP goes live, the company has moved toward data-led operations. Over the past five years, a centralised data warehouse has replaced static reports and spreadsheets with live BI dashboards. These dashboards are fixtures in team meetings, tender reviews and corporate strategy sessions.
When a business unit managing director questions a project team using the same live reports, it reinforces alignment and process integrity. Data is no longer a by-product of delivery; it is an enabler of it. The goal is to shift from hindsight to foresight.
“We do not always get it right,” says Kukkuk. “But what we are seeing is a clear reduction in the number of projects experiencing cost blowouts and delays.”
The same principle applies to safety. When lead or lag indicators begin to drift, the safety team intervenes.
“On some projects, we have recorded millions of hours without any lost time injuries,” says Kukkuk. “That comes down to staying ahead of both the leading indicators and the lagging ones. Data is helping us manage risk more proactively across the board.”
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This predictive mindset is gaining ground in commercial functions too. A generative AI tool supports tender responses, drawing on past bids, current projects and McConnell Dowell’s own policies, operating standards and procedures. It frees bid teams to focus on strategy instead of compliance. As the CMP matures, this predictive base will strengthen, lifting both the quality and consistency of insights.
But Kukkuk is quick to point out that AI is not the solution to everything. Sometimes, a well-designed business rule or simple automation is more effective. The key is matching solution to task.
For McConnell Dowell, technology must fit the job. Not everyone sits behind a desk. Not every task needs complexity.
“It is about striking the right balance,” says Kukkuk. “We need to make sure the tools are fit for purpose, especially for the people on the ground who may not work on a computer all day or see technology as a core part of their role.”
The CMP reflects this thinking. On-site staff see only what they need to act, while those with more complex roles can access deeper functionality and broader system visibility. The platform adapts to the user, not the other way around.
At McConnell Dowell, every tool must prove its worth before it earns a place in the company’s toolkit.
“We have always had a culture where we only pursue something if there is a clear use case, a clear return and strong business support,” says Kukkuk. “We do not go off as an IT function and implement things in isolation. The business needs to be right there with us.”
Early AI experiments focused on personal productivity, but the company first built governance, updated policies and ran awareness campaigns before expanding into targeted applications in HR, finance, IT and business development. Security, compliance and data sovereignty are fixed requirements.
Technology is also tested against McConnell Dowell’s values before financial metrics are considered. Safety and care, honesty and integrity, customer focus, working together, and performance excellence form the first assessment. Longevity comes next.
“We build assets that are designed to last 50 years or more,” says Kukkuk. “Our grandchildren will use the bridges and dams we construct. Every input that goes into those assets needs to meet that same level of scrutiny.”
In the near term, he sees the greatest opportunity in reducing the industry’s ever-present uncertainty. Each project generates thousands of data points, providing fuel for AI to spot patterns, streamline supply chains and free staff for the work they were trained to do.
Further out, he foresees robotics taking on repetitive, labour-intensive or high-risk tasks.
“There will be a point where we have semi-autonomous or autonomous humanoid robots on our construction sites,” he says. “That will be a major shift for the industry, and I think it will happen within the next 20 years. It may not be next year, but it is coming faster than many expect.”
He cautions that regulation may slow adoption more than cost or technology readiness. Some jurisdictions will move faster, others slower, creating global pressure for policy to keep pace.
Kukkuk also sees explainability as the next AI frontier: “You only need to use your AI agent of choice to see that it can often be confidently wrong. There needs to be a clear, interpretable process so that users can judge for themselves whether the result is accurate or relevant.”
In construction, where output must stand up to engineering standards, public scrutiny and decades of use, transparency will be as important as capability.
For Kukkuk, it is a rare and exciting moment to be leading digital change. The scale and pace of transformation is unprecedented, and what makes it even more compelling is the level of public curiosity.
“What excites me most about the role of technology at McConnell Dowell is how well it aligns with who we are as a business,” he says. “We have a culture of curiosity. We are always looking for ways to push the boundaries and demonstrate that we are a ‘Creative Construction’ company. That is not just a phrase, it is how we operate.”
That interest runs from the top of the business through to site teams. Everyone is thinking about how technology can deliver better outcomes and help people get home safely at the end of the day.
But curiosity is matched by rigour. Healthy internal tension is part of the culture.
“We have a lot of pragmatists asking tough questions, challenging assumptions and keeping us honest,” says Kukkuk. “That internal tension is healthy. It helps refine our thinking and strengthens our strategic direction as an executive team.”
McConnell Dowell has set its digital course. The real test is whether the rest of the industry will match that pace, before the next wave arrives at their own worksites, ready or not.