buildingSMART International Announces Interim CEO Appointment
London, February 25, 2025 – The Board of buildingSMART International (bSI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Jaan Saar as Interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective immediately. Jaan will be responsible for supporting the leadership team in optimizing resources, adapting processes, and improving efficiency while driving the development of a robust 2025 business plan.
With over 17 years of experience in the construction industry and a strong focus on digital transformation and open standards, Jaan brings extensive expertise to this role. As a bSI Board member since June 2020 and Chair of the EU BIM Task Group, he has worked closely with governments, industry stakeholders, and technology providers to drive the adoption of open standards across Europe. His proven ability to manage complex organizational change and his experience in digitizing construction processes at a national level in Estonia make him well-qualified to lead bSI through this transition period.
Board Adjustments to Ensure Compliance and Continuity
Jaan’s appointment as Interim CEO necessitates his temporary resignation from the Board, reducing the number of Board members to six—below the minimum of seven required by bSI byelaws. To ensure compliance, the Board has appointed Birgitta Schock, Chair of the Nominations Committee, to serve as a Board member until the next International Council meeting on June 17, 2025.
Additionally, Jaan previously held the roles of Treasurer, Vice Chair, and Compensation Committee member. Eduard Dischke has agreed to assume these responsibilities until the next election cycle, when the Nominations Committee will propose a new slate of appointments for approval by the International Council.
Recognizing the need to strengthen its leadership, the Board is working with the Nominations Committee to expand the candidate pool for future Board elections. As part of this effort, eligibility criteria will be broadened to include representatives from all bSI member organizations.
Recruitment of a Full-Time CEO
Jaan’s mandate as Interim CEO is to support the leadership team in executing key priorities while overseeing necessary changes to enhance bSI’s role as a technical organization. In parallel, the Board will develop and publish an updated job specification to recruit a permanent CEO. Once key transition objectives are achieved, the Board, in collaboration with the Nominations Committee, will evaluate both internal and external candidates for the role.
Strengthening Leadership and Organizational Capacity
bSI is fortunate to have a strong and dedicated leadership team, which, under Jaan’s guidance, will continue to drive the organization forward. The existing leadership includes:
- Aidan Mercer – Marketing, Business Development, and Chapter Liaison
- Leon Van Berlo – Technical Strategy
- Celine Bent – Compliance (including PCert) and Sustainability
- Richard Kelly – Operations
Recognizing the increasing demands of servicing a growing membership, expanding global reach across 37 Chapters, and supporting industry adoption of open standards, the Board is committed to addressing resource constraints. To scale organizational capabilities, the Board acknowledges the need to evolve beyond a membership fee-based business model. The challenge for 2026 is to develop a sustainable, scalable, and resilient business framework that generates additional revenue streams while delivering value to members and industry users.
Looking Ahead
To enhance transparency and communication, Jaan will provide further insights into his mandate, strategic priorities, and planned organizational changes in an upcoming update. The Board is confident that these leadership adjustments will position bSI for continued success in delivering interoperable solutions for the industry.
The Board appreciates the ongoing support and engagement of the bSI community as the organization embarks on this next phase of growth.
About buildingSMART International
buildingSMART International is a vendor-neutral, not-for-profit industry body leading the development of open standards that facilitate seamless digital information exchange throughout the built asset industry. Its mission is proactively engaging industry stakeholders in developing open standards for the planning, design, procurement, construction, and operation of buildings and infrastructure worldwide. By offering an international network alongside technical and process support, buildingSMART fosters collaboration to create consensus-based open standards. Its diverse membership spans the entire built environment, working together under the organization's leadership. buildingSMART also collaborates with other international standards bodies such as ISO, the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN), and the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). Its core Industry Foundation Class (IFC) standard achieved ISO approval in 2012.
Media contacts:
Aidan Mercer, Marketing Director
buildingSMART International
+44 7181-304-3435
aidan.mercer@buildingsmart.org