He will succeed Breedon's CEO Simon Vivian, who having led the company since its creation, has decided to step down to a non-executive role.
Mr Ward is currently CEO of AI Europe, which is part of the newly-merged materials company LafargeHolcim group.
He has over 30 years' experience in the aggregates and construction industries within the UK, US and Middle East.
Having held a variety of roles with ARC/Hanson, he joined AI in 1995.
In 1999, he moved to Denver as Vice President of AI US's West Central Region, later becoming Senior Vice President of that region, which in 2007 expanded to become the Western and Mid-Atlantic Region.
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He was appointed CEO of AI in April 2014.
Peter Tom, Breedon's Executive Chairman, said: "We're fortunate to have persuaded one of the most successful and experienced executives in our industry to lead our business through the next phase of its growth.
"I've known Pat for more than 20 years and it's rare to find someone with his combination of deep industry knowledge and outstanding leadership skills. It's a measure of our achievement over the last five years that such a highly-respected figure within one of the world's biggest building materials groups should decide to join the Breedon team."
Pat Ward added: "I'm delighted to be joining the UK's largest independent aggregates business, having watched with interest the great progress made by Breedon since 2010. It's clear to me that it has been able to flourish through a combination of the commitment and dedication of its employees and the strong leadership of Peter and Simon."
Mr Ward is expected to join Breedon early next year once the terms of his departure from AI have been agreed.
(LM)
