BWS Consulting changes name to Driver Consult

BWS Consulting has been renamed Driver Consult and will be headed by Stephen Driver, who has been managing director for the past five years."We are a commercial and dispute resolution specialist," said Driver. "The new name avoids the confusion that was in the market."The company was founded 25 years ago as Baker Wilkins Smith and some traditional project quantity surveyors still use that name. "But we have grown apart, having split years ago. Hence the need for the name change," said Driver. "Our business is as a construction disputes specialist."It has 120 employees and its annual turnover of £13m divides equally between the UK and overseas. "That 50:50 ratio is where I want to be," said Driver. "We've focused on working for the bigger players in civil engineering, building, power and oil/gas."Driver Consult's overseas presence will soon be boosted by new offices in Dublin, the US and Belgium.Ten of Driver Consult's directors own 82% of the company's shares, with the remaining 18% owned by employees. There is little appetite for going public. "One of the things our clients like is that they get the owners in to help resolve their problems," said Driver. The construction industry's total bill for litigation has fallen from about 100m a year to 80m, largely because of the advent of the adjudication option that offers low-cost dispute resolution."Adjudication was a very good move," said Driver. "It has changed the balance of power in cases between clients and main contractors and those involving main contractors and subcontractors. Previously the financially stronger party would hold on to cash knowing that as time went on, the other party would cave in. Today most people settle out of court, with adjudication being especially favoured."