Seven Group chief executive Ryan Stokes, who became the new chairman of Boral on Friday after his company raced to almost 70 per cent of the building products group, is eyeing the substantial pipeline of infrastructure and construction projects in the eastern states as a major driver of returns.

Mr Stokes is backing Boral chief executive Zlatko Todorcevski to further overhaul the company and lift its profit margins higher on a consistent basis towards those of its better-performing US and European peers.