Property and construction consultancy Ridge and Partners LLP (Ridge) has appointed Phil Kelly as Partner to head up its Net Zero Carbon and Circularity (NZ+C) expertise. A sustainability leader, Phil brings over 15 years of experience in building services and sustainability and is recognised internationally as a thought leader in
Leicester architectural firm promotes both Joe Travers and Jack Mellor. IMA Architects (IMA), an award-winning architectural firm based on Lutterworth Road in Blaby, Leicester, is pleased to announce two promotions. Joe Travers has been promoted to Associate Director and Jack Mellor has been promoted to Associate. Joe and Jack have
Nottingham-based civil and structural engineering firm Howard Ward Associates (HWA) has bolstered its team with the hire of two new engineers. Claudia Henry joins as a structural engineer and Rob Morley as a principal engineer, increasing the company’s team to 16. The new recruits come following a sustained period of
In a move to further John F Hunt’s ambition to grow market share in London’s commercial sector, the firm has confirmed Simon Wilkinson will be joining their senior team from the beginning of April. The appointment follows a string of recent acquisitions including the company’s strategic acquisition last month of
National law firm Irwin Mitchell is expanding its Construction & Engineering Team with the recruitment of a new partner, Robert Tunningley, who will be based in the firm’s Gatwick office. The appointment takes the specialist construction team to thirteen, with three partners and two trainees. The team is led by
Bellway North East’s new finance director plans to help the division go from strength to strength as it builds new homes across the region. Based at the housebuilder’s regional head office in Gateshead, Joward Martin has been appointed to manage the financial decisions of the division as it seeks to
Calztec is pleased to announce Lucy Marshall has been appointed as a contracts manager. The new addition reflects the company’s exciting future growth plans. Lucy has over 30 years of site experience within the construction industry managing a range of projects up to the value of £4million. She is a
McCarthy Stone, the UK’s leading developer and manager of retirement communities, has appointed Shane Paull as its new Chief Operating Officer. Shane brings a wealth of experience to the role having worked at the business for the past 23 years. He joined McCarthy Stone in 2000 and progressed quickly, becoming
The National Federation of Demolition Contractors [NFDC] has today announced a change in officers at its Annual General Meeting [AGM], having appointed a new CEO, President, and 2nd Vice President. Established in 1941, the NFDC is the driving force behind the evolution of the demolition sector, uniting over 130 contractors
Five partners with over a century of combined experience in the international construction industry have decided to join forces to form Inframara, an advisory firm for the global construction sector. Inframara aims to help by sharing first-hand experience and best practice with clients to avoid the classic pitfalls of complex
Property and construction consultancy Ridge and Partners LLP (Ridge) has appointed Phil Kelly as Partner to head up its Net Zero Carbon and Circularity (NZ+C) expertise. A sustainability leader, Phil brings over 15 years of experience in building services and sustainability and is recognised internationally as a thought leader in sustainable design and strategies. Phil has led the energy and sustainability strategies for some of the most innovative and complex projects across UK commercial, education, science, and healthcare sectors. He has also led international research projects on decarbonisation and the circular economy. Based in Birmingham, Phil will deliver a cross-discipline, cross-market NZ+C offer for clients, working closely with design and engineering disciplines, sustainability teams, and social value specialists to maximise sustainable outcomes on projects. Speaking of his appointment, Phil said: “Ridge delivers market-leading sustainability strategies that touch every stage of a building’s design and operation. I’m excited to be working across the organisation to share knowledge, boost collaboration, and build a national team that will help clients meet present – and future – climate and legislative challenges. Graham Blackburn, Partner at Ridge, said: “Further strengthening our world-class expertise in sustainability and social value, we welcome Phil, another highly regarded industry professional who joins us from senior positions in Ramboll and Hoare Lea. “Phil will lead integration with our multidisciplinary professionals so we can show the way to a holistic approach that delivers sustainable growth for our clients.” Phil joins Ridge from Ramboll, where he launched its Sustainable Solutions department in 2020.
Leicester architectural firm promotes both Joe Travers and Jack Mellor. IMA Architects (IMA), an award-winning architectural firm based on Lutterworth Road in Blaby, Leicester, is pleased to announce two promotions. Joe Travers has been promoted to Associate Director and Jack Mellor has been promoted to Associate. Joe and Jack have both been with IMA since 2011 and have amassed considerable experience across a range of UK wide construction projects during this time. Joe has increasingly specialised within the commercial and industrial sectors and has worked on a number of high-profile projects including the Marks and Spencer Distribution Centre in Castle Donnington, the Co-op Distribution centre in Sutton and Ashfield and the Redrow Homes East Midlands Office, also in Castle Donnington. In 2015, he achieved Chartered Membership status with the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists and was promoted to Associate in 2017. Working on projects for companies including Clowes Developments, Jessup Partnerships, Vaillant UK, Modus Partnerships, Avant Homes and Venture Properties amongst others, Jack has worked on schemes across the residential, commercial and industrial sectors in the Midlands. He achieved associate status with the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists in 2016. Commenting on the promotions Anthony Day, IMA Managing Director said: “Both Jack and Joe have demonstrated continued excellence across our client projects in the 12 years they have been with IMA. They have both more than earned their promotions. They have built excellent working relationships with our clients which leads to the successful delivery of schemes, and this had led to the continued growth of our business over recent years.” Joe Travers comments: “It is an exciting time for IMA and I am looking forward to working with Jack and us both playing an important role in the future development of the company.” Jack Mellor comments: “I am delighted to have been promoted and that both Joe and I have the continued support of the IMA directors who have all been instrumental in our career development over the past 12 years. I am looking forward to getting started in my new role.” IMA is an award-winning firm of architects based in Blaby, Leicestershire. The firm has grown from a two-person team to now employ 20 members of staff and work with a range of FTSE 100 companies, such as Marks and Spencer, and global brands including an international discount retailer. The company is a proud Community Partner of Leicester City Football Club and a sponsorship partner of both Leicester Tigers RFC and Leicestershire County Cricket Club. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Nottingham-based civil and structural engineering firm Howard Ward Associates (HWA) has bolstered its team with the hire of two new engineers. Claudia Henry joins as a structural engineer and Rob Morley as a principal engineer, increasing the company’s team to 16. The new recruits come following a sustained period of growth in 2022, with growing workstreams from Midlands contractors under major construction frameworks, and a surge in housing and renewable energy projects. HWA has secured a pipeline of work for 2023 with a Gross Development Value of over £400m in the East Midlands and nationally and is continuing to expand its team this year to facilitate its growing portfolio. HWA director, Dan Bailey, said: “Our strategy over the last 12 months has been to diversify our client base and the sectors we operate in and our efforts in delivering that strategy have really started to come to fruition. HWA is experiencing a welcome time of significant growth and innovation which is great following a challenging time for the industry. “We are working with incredible clients, old and new, on really impressive, innovative schemes and the growing demand for our services has led to us expanding the team at all levels. “Rob and Claudia join us at an exciting time and their passion and expertise is a real asset to our team and will enable us to expand our offer and portfolio further. “Likewise, we feel it is just as important to invest in the next generation of engineers and our year out student, Jakub, has gained valuable experience over his time with us which we are sure will benefit his studies. “We’re a close-knit business with a supportive and progressive culture and myself and the rest of the team are really pleased to be welcoming new people to the company.” Claudia, who studied Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Nottingham and is a graduate member of IStructE, has already become a valuable member of the team delivering building designs for the wider HWA team. Rob has over 25 years of consultancy experience and has worked with some of the HWA team previously. He will add further expertise to the reporting and structural assessment side of the business, whilst carrying a substantial depth of knowledge of building and design projects. The HWA team are currently working on significant student residential projects nationwide, multiple care projects across the North West, Midlands and East Anglia, and a number of public sector and housing projects across the Midlands. The engineer is also a specialist in renewable energy, assisting providers in delivering projects which included 35,000 solar panels in 2022, and in 2023 that number will more than double. HWA specialises in structural and civil engineering, along with a range of complementary services including geotechnical, environmental, flood risk and highways consultancy. It also has particular expertise and experience in undertaking structural investigations. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
In a move to further John F Hunt’s ambition to grow market share in London’s commercial sector, the firm has confirmed Simon Wilkinson will be joining their senior team from the beginning of April. The appointment follows a string of recent acquisitions including the company’s strategic acquisition last month of RKD, a highly respected engineering consultancy that has an impressive track record in some of London’s most recent high-profile projects. John Hall, Chairman of the Group, commented, “We are seeing a growing demand for specialist contractors, not only to advise and engage in the repurposing of existing buildings but to take on far more substantial and complex packages, ranging from demolition up to and including the entire concrete frame & core. We are growing a highly experienced team to meet that demand and Simon’s depth of knowledge fits perfectly with the Group’s ambitions”. Simon Wilkinson started his career as a surveyor in the late 70’s for John Laing Construction on the final phase of the Barbican Arts Centre. A mid-career change saw him take on a more front-end role with engineering consultants Oscar Faber a few years before their acquisition by AECOM. Wates Construction then came knocking where he was tasked by the then COO, Dave Smith, to help shift the balance away from the company’s reliance on the public sector. Wilkinson confirmed he will continue to support the Claritas Group in a reduced role to further develop their brand in construction management and traditional contracting. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
National law firm Irwin Mitchell is expanding its Construction & Engineering Team with the recruitment of a new partner, Robert Tunningley, who will be based in the firm’s Gatwick office. The appointment takes the specialist construction team to thirteen, with three partners and two trainees. The team is led by Mark Clinton and sits within Irwin Mitchell’s Property Division which will now number 27 partners and over 150 qualified lawyers. Robert joins Irwin Mitchell from Teacher Stern LLP where he was a non-contentious construction partner. Prior to joining Teacher Stern, Robert was a Managing Associate at Linklaters LLP. Robert regularly acts for employers, developers, contractors, funders and consultants and advises clients on numerous construction contracts, drafting and negotiating bespoke amendments to industry standard forms, and advising on all associated documentation such as appointments, collateral warranties, bonds and guarantees. He has acted on a number of high profile developments including the development of new office headquarters, high-end residential conversions, student accommodation, private rented sector (PRS) schemes and mixed-use redevelopment projects. Robert also has experience in advising on engineering projects both in the UK and internationally. Key examples of recent work include: Mark Clinton, Head of Construction at Irwin Mitchell said, “Robert’s arrival will be a real boost to our national construction practice, particularly for our Southern region and in London. He will strengthen our development practice and our push into housing and BTR.” “We are now looking to boost the contentious side of our construction practice, following the fall out from the Building Safety Act, where we believe clients will need expert construction advice.” Irwin Mitchell has continued to invest heavily in its team focused on the corporate, property and institutions audience. Earlier this year it announced the arrival of banking partner Jeremy Ladyman who was soon followed by the arrival of two corporate/property tax partners, Kate Featherstone and Jennie Newton. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Bellway North East’s new finance director plans to help the division go from strength to strength as it builds new homes across the region. Based at the housebuilder’s regional head office in Gateshead, Joward Martin has been appointed to manage the financial decisions of the division as it seeks to expand its portfolio of new housing developments across Tyne and Wear and Northumberland. The 43-year-old father-of-two, who lives in Newcastle, started as finance director for the North East division in October in 2022 after eight years with Bellway Group. He said: “I will be responsible for managing the finances of the division which involves ensuring compliance with accounting standards and internal policies, cash management and the creation of a three-year business plan to help take us forward on a sound financial footing. “It is a very challenging role but it is one that I am delighted to be able to take on to allow Bellway North East to expand its portfolio in the region and to continue building top quality homes.” Joward, who hails from Leeds, has a degree in accountancy from Northumbria University in Newcastle and, after a number of accountancy roles, joined Bellway in 2014. “I originally joined the company, based at its headquarters in Newcastle, in a brand new role as a Financial Planning and Analyst Accountant,” he said. “My job was to analyse data, both internal and external, and to report on trends and identify what the company was doing well and what it could be doing better. “By the time I applied for my new role, I was leading a team of three senior accountants who worked closely with senior management across the business. It was a job I thoroughly enjoyed but when I was given the chance to take this promotion to the role of finance director at Bellway North East, it was an offer I could not refuse.” Emma Chesterton, Sales Director at Bellway North East, said: “It is great to be able to welcome Joward on board with the team here at Gateshead. It is always gratifying to see an internal promotion such as this because it illustrates the career progression that is open to employees at Bellway and is just reward for Joward’s sterling work with the company so far. “We anticipate that Joward’s years as an accountant with the company will enable him to bring that experience to bear in his new role, to ensure that Bellway North East remains on stable financial foundations and will make the right decisions to deliver greater success in the future.” Bellway North East is currently building new homes across Northumberland and Tyne and Wear. For more information, visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/north-east. Details about careers at Bellway can be found at https://www.bellwaycareers.co.uk/. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Calztec is pleased to announce Lucy Marshall has been appointed as a contracts manager. The new addition reflects the company’s exciting future growth plans. Lucy has over 30 years of site experience within the construction industry managing a range of projects up to the value of £4million. She is a fully qualified Construction Site and Project Manager and holds and values her professional memberships with: IOSH, CIBSE and CIOB. Before joining Calztec, Lucy was a visiting lecturer within the faculty of computing, engineering and the built environment at Birmingham City University, teaching and supporting the next generation to achieve their aspirations within the construction industry. Speaking about the appointment, James Haslam, Calztec C.E.O, said: “I am delighted to welcome Lucy to the Project Management team. Her knowledge and experience, along with her background in accountancy, will be extremely valuable to our clients and supply chain. I am more than confident Lucy will help improve our project delivery across all our exciting, upcoming projects.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
McCarthy Stone, the UK’s leading developer and manager of retirement communities, has appointed Shane Paull as its new Chief Operating Officer. Shane brings a wealth of experience to the role having worked at the business for the past 23 years. He joined McCarthy Stone in 2000 and progressed quickly, becoming land director in its Southern division in 2006 and then Divisional Managing Director (DMD) for Southern in 2012, a position he has held for the last 11 years. Shane has been responsible for the development of more than 100 retirement communities during his time as DMD. Shane will take on his new role from 3 April 2023 and will be responsible for McCarthy Stone’s strategic development functions, including land, planning, build, construction and health & safety, as well as group sales & marketing. He will report to the Group’s Chief Executive, John Tonkiss and will continue as a member of McCarthy Stone’s Executive Committee, supporting the company’s four DMDs. Shane’s replacement in Southern will be confirmed shortly. Commenting on the appointment, John Tonkiss, McCarthy Stone’s Chief Executive, said: “I am delighted that Shane will become our Chief Operating Officer as he knows our business inside out. He is hugely respected across the organisation and the sector, and his experience of developing high-quality retirement communities is second to none. Shane will play a key role in driving growth in the business to move us back to building and completing 2,000 units a year.” Shane added: “I am a passionate believer in the ability of retirement communities to improve the lives of older people, having seen this first hand for the past 23 years. I will use my experience at McCarthy Stone to continue to develop our product and its quality so it can support many more people in the future. My focus will be on helping us to innovate, drive consistency, control build costs, and develop our brand and proposition.” Shane will also be responsible for McCarthy Stone’s multi tenure strategy, following the launch of its rental offering in 2019, as well as delivering its strategy for Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). McCarthy Stone is the only national housebuilder to have committed to building 50% of its future developments in full using MMC. McCarthy Stone is currently selling across c.100 developments in England and Wales. It completed 1,210 new units in FY22. Across the last decade it has been responsible for more than half of all retirement communities opened in the UK, and the company is known for its quality and high levels of customer service – it is the only housebuilder to have received the HBF Five Star award for customer service every year it has been run. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The National Federation of Demolition Contractors [NFDC] has today announced a change in officers at its Annual General Meeting [AGM], having appointed a new CEO, President, and 2nd Vice President. Established in 1941, the NFDC is the driving force behind the evolution of the demolition sector, uniting over 130 contractors to raise industry standards, ensure maximum safety on sites and promote peer to peer learning and engagement. Having led the federation for nearly 20 years, Howard Button will be officially stepping down as CEO of the NFDC from June 2023. During his impressive tenure, Howard has played an integral role for the progression of the Federation, where he has leveraged his own extensive onsite demolition career to spearhead multiple initiatives for the benefit of the entire industry. In stepping down as CEO, Howard will be continuing to support the Federation as National Secretary. Taking over Howard’s role as CEO is Duncan Rudall, previous London and Southern Counties Regional Chairman of the NFDC and President of the Institute of Demolition Engineers (IDE). Boasting extensive experience within the demolition sector, Duncan has made significant contributions to building the image of demolition as a highly skilled, specialist trade, which he will continue to build on as new CEO while driving the Federation forwards. Joining Duncan in leading the NFDC will be John Lynch, newly appointed President, Gary Bishop, remaining Vice President, and Simon Barlow, newly appointed 2nd Vice President. With nearly 50 years of experience within the sector, John Lynch has seen the industry evolve significantly. Having already been integral in a number of important projects for the Federation during his time as 2nd Vice-President, John’s key priority for his presidency is to continue to raise the profile of the NFDC and see its membership grow. A proven and trusted business leader with extensive experience in the demolition sector, Simon is the Managing Director of Rye Group, a leading provider of demolition, remediation and ground and enabling works. Previously Chair of the London and Southern Counties region for NFDC, Simon now plans to champion the importance of sustainability in his new position as 2nd Vice President of the organisation, while also bringing to the forefront the talent and skills crisis and other key issues that sit across both the demolition and construction industries. Discussing the new change in officers, incoming President, John Lynch said: “I am honoured to have been appointed President of the NFDC. Having been part of the industry for 50 years, I have seen the Federation evolve significantly during this timeframe and play a vital role in shaping industry standards and ensuring maximum safety on sites throughout the UK. As the sector continues to evolve, respond to new challenges, and move into a new era, I look forward to working closely with Duncan, Gary, Simon, and the rest of the leadership team and in ensuring continued and positive progression for the Federation. Finally, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Howard. His dedication to both the NFDC and demolition industry as a whole is nothing short of impressive and I am grateful that he will continue to support us as National Secretary in the coming years.” The NFDC’s AGM concluded with several important announcements including the donation of £100,000 to charitable causes over the last 12 months, together with an update of activity from the NDTG, which included a record intake of Trailblazer Demolition Apprentices. Held at the Royal Lancaster, the NFDC AGM was extremely well attended by both contractor members and industry service provider [ISP] members and was followed by its annual NFDC awards ceremony. For more information, visit: https://demolition-nfdc.com/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Five partners with over a century of combined experience in the international construction industry have decided to join forces to form Inframara, an advisory firm for the global construction sector. Inframara aims to help by sharing first-hand experience and best practice with clients to avoid the classic pitfalls of complex infrastructure projects and instead deliver them with better results in terms of time, budget and beneficial outcomes. Their recipe is: experience, early involvement, a collaborative attitude in an appropriate contractual environment, risk management, value engineering and sustainability. Improving Outcomes in the Global Construction Sector The global construction sector has long been plagued by disputes, delays, and cost blowouts. The root cause of these problems invariably lies in the early stage of a project. With Inframara’s involvement at an early stage and by providing a single point of contact for clients and acting as their trusted partner, Inframara is able to help select and de-risk the best solution for each project through early collaboration with key parties and stakeholders. “We are excited to launch Inframara, a company that aims to fundamentally change the traditional approach to project procurement in the global construction sector. Our focus on greater collaboration and increased supply chain transparency will bring a fresh perspective to the industry and drive better outcomes for all parties involved” said Kenneth Willems, Managing Director at Vuentica and co-founder of Inframara. Experienced team with international practical know-how The Inframara team consists of five partners, each with extensive experience in the construction industry: Kenneth Willems and Lieven Durt, based in Belgium; David Kinlan, based in Australia; Lukas Goemaere, based in Panama and Jasper Verstreepen, based in Mexico. The team has a wealth of international expertise in project management, tendering, project finance, contract management, sustainability and operational excellence and is ready to share its knowledge with the industry. “At Inframara, our goal is to break the conventional transactional and adversarial approach to construction management, ensuring that all parties involved work collaboratively from the outset and are satisfied with the end result,” said Jasper Verstreepen, co-founder at Inframara. He added “We believe that our approach for project preparation and collaborative contract management in the sector will foster innovation and sustainable solutions. We are confident we will be able to make a real difference in the global sector.” Inframara is committed to bringing a fresh approach to the construction industry, and the company is poised to make a significant impact for its clients in the coming years. With a focus on collaboration and operational excellence, Inframara is ready to tackle the challenges facing the construction sector and deliver better outcomes for all stakeholders. Join Inframara on the journey to transform the construction industry. Contact us today or have a look at our website at www.inframara.com