CTS, the leading provider of construction materials testing, and surveying and monitoring services across the UK, has appointed Matthew Johanson as Managing Director. He will work alongside Phenna Groups, Divisional Managing Director Stuart Abbs, and the CTS management team to lead the business. With an impressive background across a diverse
Top 10 UK homebuilder, Keepmoat, has announced the appointment of Ben Leather as Regional Managing Director, to head up the West Midlands and South West regions. In his role as Regional Managing Director, Ben will focus on implementing new strategies for the region, supporting the land acquisition strategy and driving
The Sheffield Property Association (S-PA), a dynamic group of businesses dedicated to enhancing Sheffield’s built environment, announces an exciting opportunity for an individual to become the organisation’s next chair. Since its inception in 2017, the S-PA has driven investment, opportunity, and prosperity, transforming Sheffield into a vibrant place for everyone
One of Scotland’s pioneering suppliers of EV infrastructure, FOR EV, has further expanded its team with the appointment of Graham Neill as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Supporting businesses in their transition to electric fleets through its bespoke ‘FOR Fleets’ proposition, FOR EV is paving the way for sustainable change
FM service provider Macro has announced the promotion of three new directors from its executive team. The newly appointed directors, all women, are Adelaide Forbes, Group People Director; Janyne Gan, Group Commercial Director; and Parris Ullrich, Regional Director of MENA & APAC. Adelaide Forbes Adelaide Forbes has been with the
E3P, a leading multidisciplinary environmental consultancy supporting the built environment, has opened its second UK office in Birmingham. The new site, located on Lifford Lane in Stirchley, is the first regional office for the Manchester-headquartered firm and offers an array of services. The Midlands office will house a new team
Beard, an award-winning contractor in the south of England, has announced the promotion of Paula Baleson to social value manager. In the newly-created position, Paula will take the lead in defining a new company-wide strategy and provide support to a team of social value coordinators, ensuring Beard’s work and actions
A Warwickshire manufacturer of solar-powered lighting that does not need to be connected to the grid is hoping to grow its team following advice from a business support programme. Ryton-based Solar Vision Lighting Technologies (SVLT) designs green street lighting and CCTV solutions for main roads, residential developments, industrial sites, and
Savills has expanded its Technical Due Diligence (TDD) team, part of building & project consultancy (BPC), with the appointment of Paul Harper who joins as a director based at the firm’s Margaret Street head office in London. Paul has over 25 years’ experience specialising in providing technical due diligence and
Global engineering, design and sustainability consultancy Ramboll announces a change to its UK leadership, with Managing Director Philippa Spence to take over the leadership of its Environment & Health (E&H) Division from 1 August. Neil Sansbury, current Finance and Executive Director will take on the role of acting Managing Director
CTS, the leading provider of construction materials testing, and surveying and monitoring services across the UK, has appointed Matthew Johanson as Managing Director. He will work alongside Phenna Groups, Divisional Managing Director Stuart Abbs, and the CTS management team to lead the business. With an impressive background across a diverse range of industry sectors, Matt has served 20+years in the Heavy Building Materials sector, working at a senior level with multi-product experience across Asphalt, Ready-Mix Concrete, Quarrying and Recycling, notably for Aggregate Industries Brett Group and GRS Group. Additionally, he has a vast amount of senior level experience for multiple Blue-chip companies, in sectors like international Supply Chain & Logistics, Automotive, Manufacturing and TIC, working for companies such as XPO Logistics, KONE and Element. Stuart Abbs commented: “It’s fantastic to have Matt join as the Managing Director for CTS. His strong operational background, business acumen, and customer-centric approach will bring great strength to CTS. Matt will oversee CTS’s overarching business strategy and work alongside me to drive business growth.” Matt said of his appointment: “I am delighted to be joining a company with such a great reputation in its field of expertise. What I am particularly excited about is the drive and initiative to embed a high performance culture, underpinned by the fundamentals of operational excellence. This will place the customer right at the heart of everything we do and allow us to innovate and develop the best services and solutions for our customers.” Stuart added: “Matt’s appointment supports our aspirational growth strategies in the Infrastructure Division. He appreciates what we are trying to achieve within the Phenna Group, and I’m confident that he will be a fantastic asset as we continue to develop and grow our businesses.” With a proven track record of driving business top-line and bottom-line growth through effective operational excellence, robust commercial and entrepreneurial strategies. Matt has strong experience in delivering business transformation, through formulating and implementing initiatives to improve organisational performance, raise operating efficiencies and increase shareholder value. Matt holds a Masters in Management Studies from Kingston University and is a strong advocate of professional and personal development, having also undertaken advanced development programs at both Cranfield Business School and London Business School. He is married with three children and has a passion for personal fitness and cooking. With headquarters in Leicester and a nationwide network of laboratories and offices offering a wide range of Construction Materials Testing, and Surveying and Monitoring services, CTS is the go-to partner of choice. It supports all sectors of the construction market, including residential, commercial, rail, road, airports, tunnelling, mining, utilities, and brownfield regeneration. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Top 10 UK homebuilder, Keepmoat, has announced the appointment of Ben Leather as Regional Managing Director, to head up the West Midlands and South West regions. In his role as Regional Managing Director, Ben will focus on implementing new strategies for the region, supporting the land acquisition strategy and driving growth in key areas to deliver quality new homes for local people, regenerate disused and abandoned brownfield land and create affordable housing options. With a wealth of experience within the sector, Ben most recently worked as Managing Director at Spitfire. He brings more than 20 years’ industry experience to the role with extensive knowledge of growing and scaling business operations, securing land and building partnerships. Commenting on his appointment, Ben said: “I am thrilled to have been appointed by such a well-established, national homebuilder. Over the past few years the West Midlands and South West has seen significant successes and has grown to become one of Keepmoat’s flagship regions. I have a strong track record sourcing and securing new land opportunities and I look forward to bringing my expertise from previous roles as both Land Director and Managing Director. “Keepmoat’s vision is to build communities and transform lives, and its sustainability activity contributes towards the delivery of this ambition. I strive towards achieving the company’s goal of improving the quality of new homes and creating communities that leave a lasting legacy for future generations.” Keepmoat West Midlands and South West has multiple live developments operating from Birmingham down to Bristol. Flagship partnerships are ongoing with Homes England, North Somerset Council, and local housing associations. Charlotte Goode, Divisional Chair at Keepmoat, added: “I’m really pleased that Ben has joined the team and I look forward to working with him to further strengthen our land pipeline and support the growth of our business. “Our West Midlands and South West team is currently delivering across five operational sites and has completed 240 new homes in the last year. We specialise in developing brownfield land and we are committed to building 4,000 future homes with net carbon zero emissions – namely on our Winterstoke Gate development in Weston-super-Mare. I’m excited to see Ben push forward our goal to regenerate areas through our partnership model and drive relationships with landowners to create thriving, sustainable communities.” To find out more about Keepmoat, please visit: www.keepmoat.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Sheffield Property Association (S-PA), a dynamic group of businesses dedicated to enhancing Sheffield’s built environment, announces an exciting opportunity for an individual to become the organisation’s next chair. Since its inception in 2017, the S-PA has driven investment, opportunity, and prosperity, transforming Sheffield into a vibrant place for everyone who lives, works, and socialises in the city. Their core mission focuses on supporting, celebrating, and promoting Sheffield, strengthening the city’s communities through continuous collaboration with land-owning and development businesses. The new chair will lead the board through its next phase of growth and development, building networks and partnerships for the directors, Priority Groups and S-PA members. As a key ambassador for the S-PA, the individual must be a strong communicator and have a talent for discovering projects and initiatives at local, regional, and national levels. The S-PA has already brought together over 80 companies in the Sheffield region as part of their membership. Everyone involved shares a vision to improve Sheffield’s built environment, drive investment and prosperity, build strong relationships with stakeholders and partners, and inspire young people about career opportunities in the city. Tim Bottrill, director of the Sheffield Property Association, said: “It’s wonderful to see all that we have accomplished so far at the Sheffield Property Association, particularly our events that unite our members to celebrate and discuss the work we are doing. “Our outgoing chair, Martin McKervey, has been exceptional in his role and has served as the board’s central point of contact for official communication with us and the Priority Groups. “We look forward to welcoming our next chair to continue this dedication, as they will play an important role in leading our board meetings, encouraging all members to continue their participation and support our vision, as well as championing the S-PA across a diverse stakeholder group.” This voluntary role requires one to two days of commitment per month for a term of three years, with the option to stay on for a further three years and is open to all interested parties. For the full job description or to express your interest, please contact info@sheffieldpropertyassociation.com. Deadline for applications is September 13 2024.
One of Scotland’s pioneering suppliers of EV infrastructure, FOR EV, has further expanded its team with the appointment of Graham Neill as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Supporting businesses in their transition to electric fleets through its bespoke ‘FOR Fleets’ proposition, FOR EV is paving the way for sustainable change across the country. In addition to its innovative fleet solution, the company is soon to launch its 30th public charging hub in Scotland, supporting both Government’s net zero ambitions and the drive to shift the UK to electric vehicles as standard. Graham joins FOR EV from his previous role as Investment Director at N4 Partners. With a background in professional services, debt finance and private equity, Graham has exceptional expertise across strategy and finance, having worked with several global businesses spanning sectors including oil and gas, renewables and financial services. His appointment marks another step in FOR EV’s successful journey, three years on from the Scottish National Investment Bank’s initial equity investment in 2021. The Bank has since provided additional funding to FOR EV, with the latest £10m investment announced in June. The funding supercharges the company’s plans to scale up its fleet offering and further grow its network of accessible charging destinations across the UK. To boost its ambitions to bring reliable, high-quality EV charge points to even more locations, the company plans to go to market later this year for its next round of scale-up investment. Discussing his appointment, Graham Neill, CFO at FOR EV said: “Making this move into the EV sector is a very exciting next step in my career. The EV world has grown significantly over the past decade, and this is only set to continue at pace as more fleets and drivers embrace electric vehicles. It’s a fast-moving industry, and one that supports Government ambition both in Scotland and the UK. “As a company that puts all of its effort into positively impacting both people and the planet, FOR EV has established a leading market position within the EV sector and is perfectly positioned to lead the pack. I look forward to contributing to its growth journey.” FOR EV’s CEO, Steve Dunlop, said: “Graham joins our team with fantastic knowledge of the financial landscape. After several years of growth, we’re now at a pivotal point in FOR EV’s success as we venture the wider market for funding to underpin our next growth stage. “Graham will be pivotal to realising our aspirations to help even more businesses in their transition towards sustainable EV fleets.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
FM service provider Macro has announced the promotion of three new directors from its executive team. The newly appointed directors, all women, are Adelaide Forbes, Group People Director; Janyne Gan, Group Commercial Director; and Parris Ullrich, Regional Director of MENA & APAC. Adelaide Forbes Adelaide Forbes has been with the company for 12 years, starting as an HR business partner for the UK and Europe. She commented: “I’ve been enormously energised by the challenge of positioning the people side of our business for Macro’s exciting next chapter. To now be promoted to the Global People Director role is, to me, further evidence of Macro’s commitment to delivering a market-leading people experience.” Janyne Gan Janyne Gan, Global Commercial Director, joined Macro three years ago with responsibilities that include bids, commercial, supply chain, and mobilisation. She said: “It’s such an exciting time to be a part of Macro, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to impact the future of the business in my new leadership role. Specifically, my team is focused on further strengthening and integrating our supply chain and designing client solutions that deliver impact, excellence, and value.” Parris Ullrich Parris Ullrich joined Macro in 2009 as a facilities manager in Dubai and worked her way up to Operations Director for the Middle East. Today, she plays an active role in raising the profile of women in leadership within the Middle East. Parris stated: “I’m honoured to have the trust and confidence from Macro leaders to continue to elevate and strengthen our client-focused service delivery across Asia and the Middle East. I remain focused on unlocking further growth around the world by developing our people, driving operational efficiency for clients, and leveraging technology and innovation.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
E3P, a leading multidisciplinary environmental consultancy supporting the built environment, has opened its second UK office in Birmingham. The new site, located on Lifford Lane in Stirchley, is the first regional office for the Manchester-headquartered firm and offers an array of services. The Midlands office will house a new team of specialist consultants offering several multidisciplinary services including environmental, ecological, acoustics and geotechnical work. Existing company director, Stephanie Cox, has been appointed as Managing Director of the Midlands. She joined E3P more than a decade ago and will oversee the opening of the new site. In her new role, Cox will manage the day-to-day operations of the Birmingham office and will drive new business across the region through new and existing clients. Cox will split her time between the North West and Midlands, remaining a key presence in Manchester through her role as a director. E3P, which currently employs more than 70 people, will use the new base to increase its presence nationally and open up opportunities in the region, as well as in the South of England. The Birmingham-based team will also support the senior management team in Manchester, enabling them to better support existing clients. The additional expertise across the UK will help to ensure a greater depth of knowledge, which can be shared and drawn upon to deliver even the most challenging projects. The expansion is set to create several new jobs in Birmingham and the surrounding areas, with E3P aiming to build a team of 20 in the next two years. Medium to long term ambitions include creating a centre of excellence that will employ between 75 and 100 professionals. The move follows a strong decade of organic growth for E3P, which has gone from strength to strength since its inception, and will enable its team of experts to better serve its growing client base. Stephanie Cox, Director at E3P said: “It’s been an incredible decade for E3P. Expanding our presence to the Midlands and the South with a new office was a natural next step, and I’m thrilled to be at the helm of it. “With such significant regeneration ongoing in the Midlands, as well as strong levels of house building planned, Birmingham was an easy choice for our expansion. I’m confident that, in my new role, I can build strong relationships and a solid foundation for a hugely successful office. “We have an incredibly ambitious and talented team, including 15 chartered professionals, who can draw on expertise nationally to ensure the delivery of all projects to the highest standard. Meanwhile, having a local team in place also enables us to maintain personal client relationships and deliver projects in a sustainable way. The new office is a win-win for our business and our clients.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Beard, an award-winning contractor in the south of England, has announced the promotion of Paula Baleson to social value manager. In the newly-created position, Paula will take the lead in defining a new company-wide strategy and provide support to a team of social value coordinators, ensuring Beard’s work and actions deliver wider social, economic and environmental benefits. One of her first duties has been developing the company’s new social value framework. This will set out social value targets for the business for 2030, and will be rolled out across Beard’s entire team and its five regional offices in the coming months. Paula joined Beard in 2022 as communications manager, having previously spent five years at building firm Midas Group. Having emigrated from South Africa in 2016, Paula joined Midas’s residential division, Mi-space, as business development and office coordinator, before moving into a central role as group marketing executive. She has also spent time as marketing communications manager for water solutions company SDS Limited. Across its 130-plus year history, Beard has been committed to social value through its sustainable construction, its charitable work and good relationships with the local communities in which it works. But social value is becoming both more formalised in the construction sector, and increasingly important from both an ethical and business perspective, with a growing number of tender opportunities, including Government contracts, now having social and environmental requirements. Beard’s social objectives and ambitions align well with the new Government’s agenda of supporting SMEs, increasing their spend with social enterprises and providing best value to customers. Alongside the introduction of the new Procurement Act in October this year – which is designed to make public procurement more accessible, efficient and beneficial for councils and suppliers – the Government has used its first King’s Speech to set out imminent plans to change planning regulations and increase infrastructure delivery. Speaking on her promotion, Paula Baleson said: “I am incredibly proud to be taking this next step in my career with Beard and taking on such an important role. While Beard’s community, environmental and charitable spirit has always been clearly visible, the focus this new role brings enables us to really strengthen our efforts, particularly as social value continues to play an even bigger part in the construction sector in the UK. “I’m hugely passionate about supporting everyone at Beard to create positive social, economic and environmental outcomes for local communities. The development of our social value framework will certainly help to facilitate this and I look forward to sharing this with all our colleagues, partners and customers very soon.” Mike Hedges, company operations director at Beard, added: “As a proud family-run firm, Beard has always been a business with social consciousness. Our ongoing commitment of adding value to the communities in which we work and taking care of the planet, highlights the broader benefits of our projects. Beyond constructing buildings, we focus on ensuring that every project lives on beyond its site boundaries, delivering meaningful value to the entire community. Paula is a fantastic fit to lead this initiative, and along with her talented team, will ensure our work and our actions have a clear social footprint and a lasting legacy.” Beard is a family-owned and run construction company based in Swindon, with a wealth of experience in both public and private sectors, including education, healthcare, sports, leisure and the arts. Alongside its head office in Swindon, Beard has regional offices in Bristol, Oxford, Guildford and Southampton. For more information, please visit www.beardconstruction.co.uk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A Warwickshire manufacturer of solar-powered lighting that does not need to be connected to the grid is hoping to grow its team following advice from a business support programme. Ryton-based Solar Vision Lighting Technologies (SVLT) designs green street lighting and CCTV solutions for main roads, residential developments, industrial sites, and more, which customers can either buy outright or rent as needed. The lighting can be used without a grid connection and is charged by a solar wrap during the day, and the process is much more eco-friendly and simple to use compared to permanent lighting. SVLT is hoping to get equity investment and grow its team from four to eleven in the next 12 to 18 months – following advice on a number of commercial topics from Rod-Roberts Dear at the University of Warwick Science Park’s fully funded business support service Business Ready – saw its order book balloon overnight. Rod worked with Greg to rework the company’s business plan and value proposition to be as attractive as possible to potential investors and then went on to overhaul its website and approach to SEO. Greg Ketteridge, Managing Director of SVLT, said: “Before working with Business Ready, we simply did not realise how many potential customers we were missing out on. I do not have a background in marketing, so working with Rod was a real eye-opener for me and the company. “We weren’t measuring where the money was going and how it was working for us. Rod encouraged us to better track that data, which showed us we ought to be focusing much more on B2B sales, such as housebuilders and local authorities involved in roadworks and open space areas. “Our approach to our website also changed to ensure our SEO ranking enabled us to appear on the first page of Google. “This new strategy has really boosted our sales growth, and it means we can now look at growing our core team of four by hiring some of our contractors full-time – something that was simply impossible before. This will allow us to take on more work and grow even further.” Rod is also hopeful that SVLT’s new business plan and value proposition could take it to greater heights. “SVLT’s original business plan was somewhat loose, which is not what investors are after,” he said. “We worked with Greg to tighten up the plan, and really dig into the data to work out what is worth presenting to possible investors. “In the past the sector has faced some issues of poor product reliability and so we helped them come up with the succinct and slightly challenging tagline ‘off-grid solar products that actually work’. We then helped them to make their website more attractive and streamlined. “It’s great to see the strategy working for SVLT, and I’m confident its new business plan could see even more external investment come its way.” Councillor Martin Watson, portfolio holder for Economy at Warwickshire County Council, said: “We are delighted that the Business Ready programme has supported Solar Vision Lighting Technologies to improve order numbers, their website and approach to SEO, all with the intention to position itself for equity investment which will enable them to create additional job opportunities and grow their team. “Supporting Warwickshire’s businesses is a key priority, and the Business Ready programme can provide businesses in need of support with free, tailored advice, expertise, business workshops and much more to help them grow and develop.” Cllr Louise Robinson, Rugby Borough Council portfolio holder for growth, investment, digital and communications, said: “The expert advice on offer from Business Ready aims to help businesses in the borough develop robust plans for growth, creating new jobs, securing investment and supporting the borough’s economy. “Solar Vision Lighting Technologies has really benefited from the holistic approach taken by Business Ready, from strengthening the company’s business plan and identifying new markets to maximising the opportunities online. It’s delivered immediate results with an influx of new orders and plans to create more full-time roles, putting in place a business strategy which can support SVLT’s growth in the future.” Business Ready forms part of the Business Growth Warwickshire programme. It is delivered by University of Warwick Science Park on behalf of Warwickshire County Council and Warwickshire’s five District and Borough Councils. The support is part funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (via the District and Borough Councils), and Warwickshire County Council. Find out what other support is available to your business by calling Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub on 0300 060 3747 or visit the Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub website. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Savills has expanded its Technical Due Diligence (TDD) team, part of building & project consultancy (BPC), with the appointment of Paul Harper who joins as a director based at the firm’s Margaret Street head office in London. Paul has over 25 years’ experience specialising in providing technical due diligence and development monitoring services for a wide range of clients who provide debt finance or equity funding. This included managing the TDD process for institutional investors on a wide range of projects throughout the UK and mainland Europe. As part of this, he recently monitored several large Build to Rent (BTR) and private for sale residential developments, building up a wealth of knowledge in the living sector. Prior to joining Savills, Paul was a director in the project monitoring team at Colliers and before that at JLL, having also spent six years in central Europe whilst at King Sturge. At Savills, Paul will work as part of the central London development monitoring team, helping to grow this capability on a national and international level. Paul Harper comments: “I am very excited to be joining Savills market leading TDD team. This continues to be an interesting time for the real estate sector, with due diligence now more important to clients than ever as they seek to make sustainable, future proofed investments.” Steve Page, head of the TDD team at Savills, adds: “We are very pleased to welcome Paul to Savills. His skillset and expertise will undoubtedly help to further strengthen the team and ensure we can continue to offer exceptional service to our clients.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Global engineering, design and sustainability consultancy Ramboll announces a change to its UK leadership, with Managing Director Philippa Spence to take over the leadership of its Environment & Health (E&H) Division from 1 August. Neil Sansbury, current Finance and Executive Director will take on the role of acting Managing Director for UK & Ireland. Ramboll has today announced the appointment of Neil Sansbury as Acting Managing Director for UK & Ireland as Philippa Spence steps into a global leadership role in Ramboll’s 3,000-strong global E&H Division after three years in her current role. Neil, who takes the helm for the UK and Ireland, joined Ramboll in 2016 and played a crucial role in navigating the company through the challenges relating to Brexit, Covid and more recently inflation, whilst helping to double revenue and deliver sustainable growth. He will bring his considerable experience and in-depth knowledge of Ramboll’s business in the UK & Ireland to the role. As head of the E&H Division, Philippa will oversee Ramboll’s largest and most profitable market, which holds a top-10 leading position globally among environmental consultancies. Philippa takes on the global role having led the company’s E&H Division in the UK from 2019-2021. An industry leader in sustainability and environmental consultancy, Philippa chairs the Environment Industries Commission (EIC), where she has been a passionate advocate for the environment alongside her role at Ramboll. Commenting on Neil’s new role, Philippa said, “I am delighted that Neil will be taking on the acting MD role, he has been a firm hand on the tiller in our growth journey, helping drive our strategy: ’The Partner for Sustainable Change’. He has worked alongside the UK Executive to empower our people to deliver innovative and leading solutions that support the transition to a more sustainable society, whilst creating a culture in which our people can grow and flourish”. Neil added, ”I’m looking forward to leading the UK and Ireland business. It’s an exciting time for our industry with early promising signals from the new Government on a variety of matters. Bringing stability and confidence to the market with the green energy transition, establishing Great British Energy and the National Wealth Fund, planning reforms. These initiatives and other clear policy signals are essential for the UK’s growth and decarbonisation ambitions. Our significant investments into sustainability means we are well placed to support clients in the green transition, I have no doubt that the next five years will be transformational for our industry”. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
