The Australian Constructors Association (ACA) has announced that Chief Executive Officer Jon Davies will step down from his position at the end of June 2026 after six years at the helm.
Davies’ departure marks the end of a transformative era for the organisation, during which the ACA has strengthened its role as a leading industry advocate for cultural, commercial, and sustainability reforms across Australia’s construction sector.
ACA President Annabel Crookes praised Davies for his leadership during an especially turbulent time for the industry.
“Jon has been instrumental in positioning the ACA as a leading voice for change in the construction industry,” Crookes said.
“We thank him for his efforts over the last six years as we have tackled important issues with our stakeholders and put in place key initiatives to improve the sustainability of our industry.”
During Davies’ tenure, the ACA guided its members through multiple crises — including the COVID-19 pandemic, severe supply chain disruptions, and steep price escalations that reshaped project delivery models and strained contractor margins.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, building construction costs rose by over 26 per cent between 2020 and 2023 due to material shortages and global logistics pressures.
Under his leadership, the association played a central role in coordinating responses to these challenges while promoting fairer risk allocation, cultural reform, and sustainable growth across the sector.
One of Davies’ hallmark achievements has been ACA’s contribution to the National Construction Strategy, which provides a collective roadmap to improve productivity, skills development, and industry resilience.
The strategy complements the association’s Industry Blueprint, a long-term vision to foster stronger collaboration between government, contractors, and the supply chain in delivering national infrastructure priorities.
Davies also championed a significant cultural transformation agenda through ACA’s sponsorship of the Construction Industry Culture Taskforce (CICT).
Funded and supported by the ACA, the taskforce developed the Culture Standard, a pioneering framework that sets out practical measures to address issues such as worker wellbeing, diversity, and excessive working hours — factors long identified as root causes of poor retention in the industry.
The ACA has since successfully advocated for government adoption of the Culture Standard, with several public infrastructure agencies now embedding its principles in procurement and project design.
The initiative aligns with national efforts to improve gender equality and inclusivity in construction — a sector where women currently represent only about 13 per cent of the workforce.
Building on that momentum, the ACA made a landmark pledge to transform its own governance culture, requiring that 50 per cent of newly appointed board directors be women.
The policy underscores the organisation’s focus on creating a more balanced and representative leadership structure.
Reflecting on his time in the role, Davies said serving as ACA’s CEO has been a “privilege” during an era of significant transformation.
“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together, particularly in building strong, trusted partnerships between government and industry to deliver better outcomes for everyone,” said Mr Davies.
“Whilst I step down as ACA CEO, I remain committed to the industry and look forward to continuing to collaborate with the ACA and its members to drive positive change across the construction sector.”
The ACA Board has begun the process of selecting a new CEO to continue leading the association’s reform agenda.
The transition comes as Australia enters a period of record infrastructure investment — forecast to exceed $120 billion annually by 2028, according to Infrastructure Partnerships Australia.
As the search for new leadership begins, the ACA remains focused on driving long-term solutions to address productivity, workforce wellbeing, and sustainability across one of the nation’s most critical industries.
