After years of leading Skanska USA's DC development, including the current construction of spec office buildings in Capitol Riverfront and the West End, Rob Ward is moving up.

Ward has been promoted to COO of Skanska USA Commercial Development, the Swedish construction giant announced yesterday. That's a newly created position within the seven-year-old division. Ward had been EVP of DC operations and interim EVP of Skanska's Houston development office. He'll still be based in Skanska's Arlington office at 1776 Wilson Blvd, a building whose spec development Ward led.

Moving into Ward's chair will be Mark Carroll, whose worked on most of Skanska's major developments in DC. Skanska's three active projects are 2112 Pennsylvania Ave NW, which started on spec but signed Clearly Gottlieb as an anchor this year; 99 M St SE, a spec project that's still searching for an office tenant; and RESA at 22 M St NE, Skanska's first DC multifamily building, in NoMa.