Executives and managers at some of the biggest industry names are on the move this week, and seven former employees of the collapsed ISG have landed new roles at other firms.
London-listed contractor Morgan Sindall announced that its chair, Michael Findlay, will step down after nine years in post. He has been appointed chair of recruitment firm Hays.
Peter Harrison, former chief executive of asset manager Schroders, was named as his replacement. He will initially join the board of the UK’s second-largest contractor as a non-executive director and chair-designate on 6 May, before Findlay departs in July.
Harrison’s former roles also include chair and CEO of RWC Partners, global chief investment officer at Deutsche Asset Management (now DWS Group), and head of global equities at JP Morgan Asset Management.
Findlay said: “It has been a privilege to lead Morgan Sindall’s board during a period when we have achieved significant growth, continued balance sheet strength and a high-quality order book. I look forward to working with Peter to ensure a smooth transition when he is appointed in May.”
Group revenue rose to £4.1bn in its latest full-year results for 2023, achieving a £143.9m pre-tax profit.
ISG director lands new job
ISG’s former sector director for education and social value, Jane O’Leary, has landed a new post at Tilbury Douglas.
She joins as Tilbury’s sector director for devolved government, a role that the contractor’s strategic director, Andrew Jowett, said would “drive strategic insights, strengthen client relationships and support our mission to further expand in target regions”.
He added that O’Leary would “act as a vital bridge between project delivery teams, clients and internal teams for our key customers”.
O’Leary previously spent 20 years working in devolved and local government roles, including as schools programme manager for Vale of Glamorgan Council.
…and Wates gets half a dozen from ISG
The new fit-out business at Wates has taken on six other former ISG staff, including Scott McCulloch, who spent more than 13 years at ISG, rising to the post of commercial director of ISG International.
McCulloch has started as commercial director for the firm.
The other five and their new roles are: Jason Sharp, divisional director; Ross Ellmore, senior design manager; Sanjay Singh, commercial manager; Oliver Young, senior project manager; and Ian Dickinson, estimating director.
Wates announced the establishment of the new business on 30 October, just over a month after ISG went into administration. It is led by Lee Phillips, who was formerly managing director of ISG Fit Out.
The entity sits within Wates Construction and plans to deliver “high-quality Category A and B fit-outs” in London, and is separate to the contractor’s Smartspace fit-out arm, which is focused on frameworks.
New Skanska global legal chief
Åsa Thunman
Stockholm-listed Skanska Group has announced Åsa Thunman as general counsel and executive vice president.
She will start in the role in July and joins from engineering group Sandvik.
“Åsa Thunman’s broad, multinational legal and governance expertise across various industries along with her strong strategic leadership experience in building and managing efficient business-oriented legal teams will be a great asset to Skanska and our future journey,” said Anders Danielsson, CEO and president of Skanska Group.
Elsewhere, the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) appointed its first chief operating officer, as part of a strategic transformation.
Tony Gilbert, formerly of management consultancy Illumini, joins as the trade body seeks to “refocus [its] products and services” to address skill shortages, difficult trading conditions, decarbonisation and the rapid deployment of digital technology.
Tony Gilbert
Gilbert has already been working at BESA as a consultant since last year.
“Tony brings enormous experience and vision to the association and has already played a key role in our strategic review and reorganisation,” said BESA chief executive David Frise.
Meanwhile, planning and development consultancy Lichfields has promoted Brian O’Connor to the post of senior director.
He has been with the firm for 15 years and specialises in promoting strategic sites through the local planning process, preparing applications for major developments.
