Stephen Capper

An industry recognized business leader, Stephen is commercially and technically experienced, with a proven track record of managing technology and data change in large organizations such as Arup, Skanska, Aecom and Royal BAM Group.

Stephen is currently Group IT Director at SNC Lavalin, leading a global team of more than 800 IT professionals. He is responsible for overall IT strategy and planning, cyber security and major infrastructure changes – such as the ongoing integration of SNC Lavalin and WS Atkins.

Some of Stephen’s key skills are in his ability to take responsibility for complex IT operations; coordinates external MSPs affecting people, processes and technology; and protection of essential customer-facing services.

How do you ensure that diversity is considered in your IT recruitment?

We have a very robust global ED&I program here at SNC-Lavalin, which holds me accountable for weaving ED&I into everything we do in IT – ensuring we have fully inclusive recruitment processes, removing gender language, from our role profiles, reasonable adjustments for candidates where necessary and we have set global gender targets that as leaders we are responsible for delivering. In addition to this, our global work naturally helps us attract talent from all backgrounds. The 800+ employees on my team are a true testament to how diversity and inclusion are key to building a winning team.

What technology are you most excited about right now?

I don’t have one particular technology, I love technology – period.

What do you want to dissolve?

I love golf… Often when playing in weather most normal people would stay indoors.

If you were an animal (other than a human), which animal would you be and why?

Bear – I can appear friendly and nice, but when I want something, I’m forced to get it.

What makes you laugh?

My children when they impersonate me.

How did you get into IT?

In my early career I worked in CAD. Since I used a computer, I was obviously an expert at fixing IT problems when the IT guys were on vacation. I slowly migrated from CAD to IT, fixed a few issues for the CEO of the company I was working for, and the rest is history. IT gave me the chance to live and work all over the world, all the way from a mining village!