The Supply Chain Sustainability School, a leading online platform dedicated to promoting sustainable practices within supply chains, is pleased to announce the appointment of Andrew Spencer to its Board of Directors. Andrew Spencer brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the School’s mission of advancing sustainability within the built
Savills has expanded its London office project management team, part of building & project consultancy (BPC), with two new appointments. Rekha Mistry who joins as a director and John Capper joining as an associate director, who will both be based at the firm’s Margaret Street head office in London taking
Hull City Council has appointed Chris Jackson as its new Director of Regeneration. Chris joins the council from NHS England, where he most recently held the role of Director of Capital, with oversight of the NHS’s national capital budget and major capital programmes, such as delivery of new diagnostic centres
Embrace Steel Group (Embrace), a leading UK-based provider of steel frame building solutions, has announced the appointment of Matt Gibson as its new Chief Operating Officer ahead of what is expected to be a significant period of transformational growth for the business. Beginning his career within the banking and wider financial
The new Commercial Director at an ambitious homebuilder is aiming to use his expertise within the industry to develop the skill sets of the company’s commercial team. Brett Lilley will oversee all commercial operations at Genesis Homes in the newly created Director role, using more than 20 years of knowledge
Mark Wild OBE has been appointed as the new Chief Executive of HS2 Ltd to lead the completion of the high-speed railway and help realise its transformational benefits. As one of the most respected figures in the infrastructure industry, Mark brings almost four decades-worth of experience to the role. This
Leading building services engineering practice, Tate Consulting, has promoted Aaron Stevenson to director of its Belfast office. The promotion is in line with the firm’s ongoing expansion programme and numerous high profile contract wins, which will create more jobs in the coming months. Aaron joined Tate Consulting at the end
The UK’s leading social enterprise, Places for People has appointed Darren Dancey as the Development Managing Director for the South West. With over 30 years of experience within the property sector, Darren will prove instrumental in strengthening the region and delivering on key strategic business objectives. With extensive experience and
Caddick Construction has appointed Steve Ford as Regional Managing Director for Yorkshire and the North East, closely following the business’ most successful year-to-date with Caddick Construction Group reporting a turnover of £318m. In his new role, Steve will be responsible for heading up the regional team in the North East
The Sheffield Property Association, which is the City’s collective voice for property, has announced the appointment of a new director, Rebecca Knight, who has joined the board of the organisation. Rebecca, who is managing director at OVO Spaces has 32 years of experience in the property industry. She joins The
The Supply Chain Sustainability School, a leading online platform dedicated to promoting sustainable practices within supply chains, is pleased to announce the appointment of Andrew Spencer to its Board of Directors. Andrew Spencer brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the School’s mission of advancing sustainability within the built environment through collaboration and knowledge sharing. As the Group Supply Chain & Procurement Director at Galliford Try, a prominent UK construction group and key Partner of the School, Spencer operates at the forefront of the industry, overseeing procurement and supply chain professionals across the organisation and shaping strategic approaches to supply chain management. With over 25 years of experience and a distinguished Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (FCIPS), Spencer has led high-profile projects and collaborations with major UK clients, including HS2, National Highways, Crossrail, and National Grid, among others. His leadership has been recognised through multiple awards for his innovative approach to supply chain management. Reflecting on his appointment, Andrew commented, “I am honoured to join the Board of the Supply Chain Sustainability School. Its dedication to promoting sustainable practices resonates strongly with my professional values and how we operate within Galliford Try. I’m eager to apply my experience and network to further the School’s mission of driving positive change within the industry.” The Supply Chain Sustainability School empowers professionals across the built environment sector with the knowledge and tools necessary to build resilient and environmentally responsible supply chains. Andrew Spencer’s appointment to the Board of Directors underscores the School’s dedication to harnessing industry expertise to advance sustainability practices. “We are delighted to welcome Andrew to our Board of Directors.” said Hilary Hurrey, Head of the Supply Chain Sustainability School “His extensive experience and leadership in procurement and supply chain management will be invaluable as we continue to drive forward our mission of promoting sustainability and collaboration within the built environment.” For more information about the Supply Chain Sustainability School, explore the website here Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Savills has expanded its London office project management team, part of building & project consultancy (BPC), with two new appointments. Rekha Mistry who joins as a director and John Capper joining as an associate director, who will both be based at the firm’s Margaret Street head office in London taking the overall team headcount to more than 30. Rekha has over 20 years’ experience in consultancy project management, contract administration and design and architecture. Her specific focus is on leading large scale, complex commercial occupier fit-out projects, having worked with clients such as the Government Property Unit and Transport for London. Rekha joins from Seven Projects where she was head of project management, having previously worked at both T&T and BNP Paribas. She is also a qualified architect and has recently been a Mixology Awards judge and mentor for the Wilmott Dixon Women in Leadership Programme. John has over 11 years’ experience in construction project management, delivering high-end complex Cat-A and CAT-B projects. He specialises in the office sector, primarily delivering refurbishment and alteration schemes for clients including Oval Real Estate, Pontegadea and Savills Investment Management. John joins from his previous role as Operations Manager at Neilcott Construction and prior to this he was a project manager at Overbury. At Savills, Rekha will complement the firm’s capability in the occupier fit-out market, a key growth area for the business. Whilst John’s construction background will bring a wealth of expertise to complex building projects in the expanding refurbishment market. Rekha Mistry comments: “I am very excited to have joined Savills market leading team. Occupiers are continuing on their flight to quality, along with a focus on both attracting and retaining staff. As a result we are seeing a significant increase in the number of businesses seeking to provide the best possible space for their employees. With this in mind, I look forward to working with colleagues from across the business on a wide variety of projects.” Benjamin Cottle, co-head of London office project management, adds: “We are very pleased to welcome both Rekha and John to Savills. This continues our strategic growth in project management with further plans to expand our life science team and develop opportunities in the living market in central London over the course of 2024.” Richard Eyley, co-head of London office project management, says: “The appointments of Rekha and John underscore our ongoing commitment to expanding our team with a diverse range of expertise. Our recruitment targets are robust, positioning our team of project managers strongly within the London market.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Hull City Council has appointed Chris Jackson as its new Director of Regeneration. Chris joins the council from NHS England, where he most recently held the role of Director of Capital, with oversight of the NHS’s national capital budget and major capital programmes, such as delivery of new diagnostic centres and surgical hubs. Before joining the NHS, Chris worked as a senior civil servant in central Government where he held a number of roles, including as Deputy Director in HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office, advising Government ministers on issues such as local government spending and devolution, adult social care, housing policy and private infrastructure financing. Chris, who was born in Hull, said: “Hull’s regeneration story has made national headlines and I’m looking forward to leading the fantastic team that has been instrumental in the transformation of the city. “While much has been achieved in recent years, the city also has massive potential. I am eager to get going and to play a key role in the next exciting phase of Hull’s journey.” Matt Jukes, the council’s chief executive, said: “Chris has a wealth of experience and expertise from an impressive career in the public sector and we’re delighted to welcome him to the council. “The Director of Regeneration role at the council is a hugely important one as the council continues to revitalise and build on our vibrant and burgeoning city, however, it’s one which we’re confident Chris will step into.” Cllr Mike Ross, leader of the council, added: “I look forward to working with Chris as we continue to build on recent successes in our city. “As an administration, we are proud of what we have achieved so far and have no doubt that Chris will help us to continue with that.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Embrace Steel Group (Embrace), a leading UK-based provider of steel frame building solutions, has announced the appointment of Matt Gibson as its new Chief Operating Officer ahead of what is expected to be a significant period of transformational growth for the business. Beginning his career within the banking and wider financial services industry which included partnering with ambitious entrepreneurs and prominent business leaders at Coutts & Co, Matt joined Hambleton Steel, a steel designer and fabricator headquartered in North Yorkshire, in 2017 as its Financial Director. After the business was acquired by Embrace in 2022, Matt was subsequently promoted to Managing Director where he most recently helped to double the business’ revenue to £26.5m (FY23), representing a record annual turnover in the entire business’ history. The news of Matt’s appointment comes hot on the heels of Embrace announcing the milestone acquisition of Shufflebottom last month, a steel fabrication company based in South Wales renowned for its innovative solutions and commitment to quality. This is the second acquisition completed since Embrace acquired Hambleton Steel in 2022 which now contributes to the Group’s current combined revenue of c.£55m. Embrace aims to harness the agility of smaller, innovative operators with the financial and capacity advantages of a larger group, and Matt will play an important role in cementing Embrace’s position as one of the major players in the British steel and wider construction industry with plans to achieve a Group revenue of over £100m within the next two years. On his new appointment as Embrace’s COO, Matt Gibson, commented: “Becoming the COO of the Embrace Steel Group is a great honour for me and I look forward to building the Group to its true potential. We have an incredible hardworking and talented team behind us and our culture of partnership, something I’m deeply passionate about, will enable us to drive significant growth for the business in the years to come.” Dominic Curnock, Co-Founder and Director at Embrace, added: “We have seen first-hand Matt’s dedication to pursue excellence across all aspects of Hambleton Steel which was clearly evident in not only the stellar financial results he produced but the culture he created throughout the business. We’re now looking forward to seeing Matt share his unique expertise across the Group and, in the process, enabling Embrace to become one of the UK’s leading structural steelwork businesses.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The new Commercial Director at an ambitious homebuilder is aiming to use his expertise within the industry to develop the skill sets of the company’s commercial team. Brett Lilley will oversee all commercial operations at Genesis Homes in the newly created Director role, using more than 20 years of knowledge of the industry gained while working at some large housing developers across the North West. Joining from Story Homes where he was Associate Commercial Director for the North West, Brett is looking forward to using his expertise within the construction industry to develop the skills of people learning their trade in Cumbria. Brett said: “I’m very excited to be joining Genesis Homes, which is a homebuilder really going places and making its mark in construction across the North West. “There are certain geographical challenges that working in rural Cumbria brings but Genesis has already proved that there is a great amount of talent on the doorstep, which the company has developed through a programme of support and investment. “Through my role as Commercial Director, I want to build on the great work already ongoing at Genesis Homes to make sure our staff are the best they can be, and putting into place more specialist coaching and mentoring programmes will help us achieve this and bring on the next generation of commercial staff. “I am joining Genesis Homes at a really exciting period of its ambitious growth journey, and by appointing myself and Construction Director David Graziano, the business is investing in experience and expertise to reach these targets.” Brett’s career started as a Trainee Quantity Surveyor at Fairclough Homes, with spells following at Chelford Homes, Countryside Properties and Rowland Homes. It was while working as a Surveyor at Rowland when an opportunity to move into a more senior role presented itself, following a company restructure during the recession of 2008. After working with the company for 12 years, Brett moved to Russell Homes as Head of Commercial before heading on to Story Homes. While looking for a new opportunity, Brett was blown away by the ambitions and proactivity of Genesis Homes. He said: “I had a few interviews with other developers but when I met with Genesis’ Managing Director Nicky Gordon I could immediately see his passion, and it struck me how modern his approach to housebuilding was. “Nicky has a clear mindset of what he wants the business to achieve and how he wants to achieve it, and it was his refreshing honesty and openness to try new procedures which aligned to my values. “The first task is to review the commercial department from top to bottom and identify areas for improvement, but we’re really excited to be working together and pulling in the same direction to keep developing Genesis Homes’ excellent brand and reputation.” Genesis Homes was founded in the Cumbrian town of Penrith in 2017 and builds high specification new homes across Cumbria and Lancashire. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Mark Wild OBE has been appointed as the new Chief Executive of HS2 Ltd to lead the completion of the high-speed railway and help realise its transformational benefits. As one of the most respected figures in the infrastructure industry, Mark brings almost four decades-worth of experience to the role. This includes an outstanding record in the successful delivery of complex railway systems – the alignment of tracks, train, power, signalling and communications – most notably as the CEO of Crossrail. Mark will join HS2 Ltd at a pivotal moment in the programme’s delivery, with civil engineering works along the route from London to the West Midlands reaching their peak and focus shifting to building the infrastructure to operate the railway. This new appointment forms part of a series of reforms across the project aimed at bearing down on costs and safely delivering the scheme on time, in line with recent scope changes announced by the Government. Mark was selected following a rigorous recruitment process overseen by the HS2 Ltd board and led by Sir Jon Thompson, Executive Chair, with backing from Mark Harper, the Secretary of State for Transport. Mark Harper said: “HS2 between Euston and the West Midlands will provide faster connections for millions of passengers, grow the economy, regenerate communities and create tens of thousands of high skilled jobs across the country. “Mark Wild brings a wealth of experience with him, including leading the successful delivery of Crossrail, and I have every confidence he will grip costs and robustly oversee this project to transform rail travel for generations.” Sir Jon Thompson said: “Mark joins HS2 Ltd with unrivalled experience and a track record of successful delivery, giving confidence that he will drive this hugely complex programme to completion – providing more reliable and faster services for rail users, while boosting the economies of the West Midlands and London. It is a mark of the scale and ambition of HS2 that we can attract a leader of his calibre.” Mark’s precise start date is yet to be confirmed. His arrival follows the departure of Mark Thurston who led HS2 Ltd for six-and-a-half years up to the end of September, 2023. Sir Jon will continue in his current position as Executive Chair until Mark’s arrival, when he resumes his previous role as HS2 Ltd Chair. Mark’s extensive experience includes key roles in the transport and utilities industries, most recently as CEO of SGN, the gas distribution network covering Scotland and the south east of England. He was previously CEO of Crossrail for almost four years, leading the project from a crucial juncture in its construction through to successful opening. The scale of Crossrail is eclipsed only by HS2 as the largest wholly new railway in the UK. Now known as the Elizabeth Line, Crossrail has been a staggering success since its launch, clocking up more than 300 million passenger journeys since opening in May 2022. Prior to Crossrail, Mark was Managing Director of the London Underground and was previously Chief Executive of Public Transport Victoria, the integrated transport authority based in Melbourne, Australia. Mark Wild OBE said: “I look forward to leading HS2 as it progresses from major construction works to its rail systems phase and beyond to the first passenger services. The scale and ambition of HS2 is phenomenal and will deliver wide-reaching benefits for the UK through more jobs, economic growth and better journeys.” Once complete, HS2 will provide significantly faster and more reliable journeys between London and the West Midlands, with trains running to destinations further north via existing lines. It will double rail capacity between Britain’s two biggest cities and provide relief to the most congested southern section of the West Coast Main Line – creating more space for local and freight services. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leading building services engineering practice, Tate Consulting, has promoted Aaron Stevenson to director of its Belfast office. The promotion is in line with the firm’s ongoing expansion programme and numerous high profile contract wins, which will create more jobs in the coming months. Aaron joined Tate Consulting at the end of 2021, which coincided with the Yorkshire headquartered company’s expansion into Belfast. Since then, Aaron has worked alongside fellow Tate Consulting director, Jim Lee, to grow the office organically and it now employs a 10-strong team close to Belfast City Airport in the Belmont Office Park on Belmont Road. Prior to joining Tate Consulting, Aaron spent 25 years working for several other well-known engineering firms in Northern Ireland. In his new role, as well as overseeing the delivery of projects and leading the team, Aaron is responsible for managing the office’s finances, policies and recruitment, with plans already in place to appoint several new people, including associates and senior associates. Tate Consulting provides a full range of commercial engineering solutions from mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) concept design to project handover and post-occupancy evaluation, as well as building physics, fire engineering services, sustainability and building performance assessments and master planning. In recent months, the company has won several major projects including large-scale residential schemes in central London, Brentford, Southampton, Manchester, Leeds and York, which combined will consist of more than 3000 homes. Aaron said: “Our growth to date in Belfast has outstripped all our expectations and we’ve already completed a wide range of significant projects throughout the UK and Ireland, as well as building a solid and professional team. In recent months we’ve been appointed on another tranche of projects, particularly in the residential market, where developers want our expertise of working on high-rise and very energy efficient schemes with high quality amenities. “As a result of these latest wins, we’re now ready to expand our team further with ambitious and experienced people who aspire to work on career defining projects. All this makes it a very exciting time to step up to director level and I’m looking forward to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.” Shane Tate, managing director at Tate Consulting added: “Aaron has been instrumental in us quickly establishing a strong foothold in Belfast and he thoroughly deserves this promotion. In the past two and half years, the Belfast team have completed projects across the residential, retail, industrial and leisure sectors, and further enhanced Tate Consulting’s reputation for adding significant value to projects and we’re now ready to embark on our next phase of growth.” Projects that Tate Consulting’s Belfast team have recently completed work on several new stores for high street giant, The Range, and several projects in and around the Dublin area, including a substantial 450,000 sq ft. state of the art distribution centre for Primark. In London the Belfast team have worked on a stunning new 30-storey apartment development at West India Dock Road at Canary Wharf, known as Vetro, and provided full mechanical and electrical services in new fitness suites created at The Clubhouse, which is an exclusive gym within Royal Wharf. The company has also worked on the sensitive renovation of a Grade II-listed neo-classical United Reformed Church, which sits at the heart of Leamington Spa’s Creative Quarter masterplan. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The UK’s leading social enterprise, Places for People has appointed Darren Dancey as the Development Managing Director for the South West. With over 30 years of experience within the property sector, Darren will prove instrumental in strengthening the region and delivering on key strategic business objectives. With extensive experience and excellent knowledge of the South West, Darren started his career at Crest Nicholson in an entry level position and progressed up the career ladder to Managing Director of the South West and Midlands regions, with six years working with the Exec Team and on the main board. He then joined Countryside for three years as Managing Director of the South West, where he successfully started and developed a new region. As one of the UK’s leading placemakers, Places for People is committed to investing in places, creating opportunities, and building thriving communities. In order to ensure that the Social Enterprise can continue to deliver new sustainable communities that address the needs of current and future customers, Places for People is committed to increasing the percentage of projects that it self-builds. In the South West, where only 20% of Places for People homes are currently built by the developer, an ambitious five-year plan is underway to transition to a point where around 70% of new homes will be self-built. In order to achieve this new strategic vision, Darren will be instrumental in growing the region. This expansion will see Places for People generate new jobs for local people across the South West, covering both office-based and on-site roles, including technical, commercial, build, sales, and marketing. Jon Cook, CEO Developments for Places for People comments:“As we seek to strengthen our offering for the communities we serve, our regions will be essential in ensuring we can achieve our target of delivering up to 5,000 homes per year within the next five years. Darren’s expertise operating at the highest level in this region will transform the operating of the region. Darren will prove to be a great asset and we are excited to see how the region continues to develop under his leadership.” Throughout 2024, Darren and his team will see work start on site at five new developments in Gillingham, Swindon, Exeter, Poundbury and Havant, providing a combined total of over 900 new homes for the region. The region is also continuing with its ongoing delivery of schemes in Bordon, Hampshire and at Poundbury in Dorset. Darren Dancey comments: “Having seen some of Places for People’s latest work through my network on LinkedIn, I was interested to discover more about the social enterprise. The group’s ethos and value is particularly inspiring and I am excited to help shape the next chapter of the South West region as we look to deliver more high-quality, affordable homes.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Caddick Construction has appointed Steve Ford as Regional Managing Director for Yorkshire and the North East, closely following the business’ most successful year-to-date with Caddick Construction Group reporting a turnover of £318m. In his new role, Steve will be responsible for heading up the regional team in the North East and Yorkshire, building on Caddick’s 40-year legacy across Yorkshire and the North West, and its recent expansion into Midlands. Steve joins the business from Marrico Asset Management where he held the position of Development Director for over eight years. With wider industry experience spanning two decades, Steve’s background offers a unique perspective from both the contractor and development side. His expertise spans the retail, commercial, education, industrial and manufacturing sectors, as well as residential and heritage buildings. Notable previous projects include: Leeds Hyatt Hotel, Central Square Office development, Leeds Trinity Shopping Centre, Heathrow Terminal 2a, HSBC Northern Data Centre, Barnsley BSF Programme, and the refurbishment of Meadowhall Shopping Centre. Steve’s appointment follows a period of sustained growth for Caddick Construction as it sets out to broaden its delivery of projects across its core sectors, including manufacturing, industrial, commercial, health, residential and education. Caddick Construction Group has this month announced a record financial year ending August 2023, with a turnover of £318m, 38% up on the previous year. Profit sits at £7.4m with the company’s forward order book up 12% to £740m. Speaking of his appointment, Steve comments: “Joining such an established company with an excellent reputation and legacy is something I’m very proud of. Caddick is well-known for delivering high-quality projects, and as the business grows so does its expertise. With a varied portfolio of project work in my career to-date, I look forward to steering the business’ continued growth while retaining everything that makes Caddck such a success.” Paul Dodsworth, Group Managing Director at Caddick Construction Group, comments: “Steve has an excellent track record for managing and delivering exceptional developments and I’m very pleased to be welcoming him to the business. We are excited about the future in our Yorkshire and Northeast business. Caddick Construction has had a fantastic year across the board, and we as a collective are determined to continue to grow in a sustainable, controlled and profitable way building on our team’s passion to deliver safely for clients and customers across the regions.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Sheffield Property Association, which is the City’s collective voice for property, has announced the appointment of a new director, Rebecca Knight, who has joined the board of the organisation. Rebecca, who is managing director at OVO Spaces has 32 years of experience in the property industry. She joins The Sheffield Property Association’s (S-PA) passionate and committed team of four directors who all share a vision of improving Sheffield’s built environment, driving investment, and fostering strong relationships with stakeholders and partners. Having grown up locally and now living within the city region, Rebecca presents a passion for all aspects of property, having worked in residential, commercial, leisure, and industry sectors. Rebecca said: “I am looking forward to bringing something a little bit different to the S-PA. This is a new challenge for me, and I’m excited to add value where I can utilise my industry experience. “Working in Sheffield is so different to other cities. People are the heart of everything we do, and the shared collaborative spirit is what makes us unique. I believe the city is in the early beginnings of something bigger, and I want to be part of this resurgence. “My goal is to help make Sheffield an even better place and to bring a different energy to the role. I am particularly excited to get involved with all of the priority groups and help them work more cohesively within the S-PA.” Rob Darrington, director of the S-PA said: “Since we established the Sheffield Property Association in 2017, it has been extremely rewarding to watch the growth of our board and member network. “We are delighted to welcome Rebecca to our team. Her experience will be invaluable as we continue to ensure sustainable development in Sheffield, further driving our plans, member leadership, and city representation.” The Sheffield Property Association (S-PA) is an active group of businesses dedicated to revitalising Sheffield’s built environment. Since 2017, they have been actively investing, generating opportunities, and promoting prosperity in the city. Through research and collaborative efforts, they influence decision-making processes to benefit local communities while fostering strong relationships between land-owning and development businesses, stakeholders, and partners. For more information about the Sheffield Property Association, please visit www.sheffieldpropertyassociation.com. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals