Ray O'Rourke (businessman) facts for kids

Raymond Gabriel O'Rourke (born in January 1947) is a very successful Irish businessman. He is famous for being the leader of a huge construction company called Laing O'Rourke. This company works all over the world.

Who is Ray O'Rourke?

Raymond Gabriel O'Rourke was born in January 1947 in County Leitrim, Ireland. He grew up in a place called Corraleehan, near Ballinamore. He started working in construction when he was young. He even helped build the Victoria Line of the London Underground, carrying materials.

Building a Big Business

Ray O'Rourke runs the company Laing O'Rourke with his brother, Des. Ray owns more than half of the company, about 55%. Laing O'Rourke is a very large company that builds many different things, like buildings and roads. In 2015, it was estimated that Ray O'Rourke had a lot of money, around €800 million.

Ray O'Rourke once bought a construction company called Swift Structures. This company was owned by his brothers-in-law, Jim and Matt Halligan.

Family in the Business

Ray's son, Cathal, also works for Laing O'Rourke. In March 2023, Cathal became the chief operating officer of the company. This means he helped manage how the company worked every day. In June 2024, it was announced that Cathal would take over from his father. Cathal became the CEO of Laing O'Rourke in July 2024.

Awards and Recognition

Ray O'Rourke has received special honors for his work. He has honorary doctorates from two universities: the Dublin Institute of Technology and Queen's University, Belfast. An honorary doctorate is a special degree given to someone who has achieved great things, even if they didn't study at that university.

In 2011, he was given a very important award. He was made an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE). This is a high honor given by the British Queen or King for special achievements.