URS young executive and innovator named one of Australia’s best

URS Australia Regional Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Lead Dr Catherine Ball has been recognised as one of the country’s most influential young business leaders.

Dr Ball was named one of six winners in The Financial Review BOSS Magazine Young Executive of the Year Awards and the only winner from the professional technical services field.

As a global pioneer in the use of UAS technologies to collect and analyse environmental and engineering data for sectors including oil & gas, mining and infrastructure, Dr Ball’s leadership style, innovative thinking and ability to work efficiently under pressure impressed the judging panel.

“I’d describe my leadership style as inclusive, open, honest and approachable and I pride myself on being a social architect, connecting people across diverse business lines and management structures,” Dr Ball said.

“I firmly believe it’s the responsibility of business leaders to foster positive relationships in the workplace, particularly in a field which is constantly evolving and involves high-pressure work.

“I also think flexibility is essential for any leader, so that differing project, client and staff needs can be addressed quickly and effectively.”

URS Australia Managing Director Bob McGowan congratulated Dr Ball on the award and her contribution to URS and the broader business community.

“Dr Ball was instrumental in establishing URS’s UAS service capability in Australia and has demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities,” Mr McGowan said.

“The pioneering work she is doing to help Australian organisations realise the data quality, safety, time and cost benefits of using UAS technologies is truly commendable,” Mr McGowan said.

Judge andBusiness Benefits International Managing Director Bonnie Boezeman told The Australian Financial Review BOSS Magazine this year’s winners are different to previous years.

“Some of the early winners were myopic and narrowly focused on their careers,” Ms Boezeman said.

“There’s a heightened awareness of where we sit in the global community. You not only have to educate yourself to run whatever you’re going to run, but you have to be aware how it all fits into the global community.”

The 2015 Young Executive of the Year Awards attracted 100 entrants, with the winners also including individuals from the retail trade, superannuation, service and gaming sectors.

About URS

URS is a leading provider of engineering, construction, and technical services for public agencies and private sector companies in Australia and around the world. URS offers a full range of program management; planning, design and engineering; systems engineering and technical assistance; construction and construction management; operations and maintenance; management and operations; information technology; and decommissioning and closure services. URS provides services for government, oil and gas, infrastructure, power, and industrial projects and programs.