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Kier’s new UK structure consists of four regional construction businesses, the maintenance business and two new divisions – operations, and clients & markets.
Before the restructure there were 11 business units. The Midlands and Eastern regions are now merged, as have Southern, London & Southeast and Strategic Projects; there's a new role for long-serving Louisa Finlay; and newly-arrived former Bouygues UK managing director Chris Stevens becomes operations director.
Kier Constructions’s business units are now:
London, South & Strategic Projects: This business is led by David McKenzie who joined Kier last year as managing director of London & South East. This business will continue to build healthcare and education projects, as well as targeting the commercial sector. Current projects include P2, a 12-storey, commercial 388,000 sq ft building in King’s Cross as well as HMP Five Wells, a new prison made from components precast offsite.
Midlands & Eastern: Eastern region managing director Mark Dady now gets responsibility for the Midlands as well, leading projects such as the eight-storey Perry Barr Residential Scheme and the new ambulatory care and diagnostics centre at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital.
Western & Wales: Anthony Irving remains managing director of Western & Wales and now also gets overall responsibility for safety, health and wellbeing across the business. Within this region, Kier is building the UK’s first Passivhaus standard leisure centre, St Sidwell’s Point.
North & Scotland: Gary Wintersgill continues as managing director for this business, which spans Nottingham to Aberdeen.
Kier Places: Mark Whittaker continues to head the housing maintenance and facilities management business.
The two new functions are:
Clients & Markets: Louisa Finlay, formerly managing director of Kier Regional Building Southern, heads the newly-formed Client & Markets function. She was involved in defining Kier’s sustainability strategy and in this new role will oversee its implementation as well as supporting clients with their net zero ambitions. A Kier employee for more than 30 years now, she will also oversee Kier’s adoption of ‘modern methods’ and digital technology.
Operations: Chris Stevens, who joined Kier in January 2021 as managing director for the Midlands and performance excellence, becomes operations director for the construction business.
Kier carries out utilities work in Northern Ireland but not construction, so is unaffected by this restructure.
Kier Construction group managing director Liam Cummins said: “This new structure underpins the delivery of our strategy for sustainable growth over the next five years. With our four regional businesses and Kier Places, we are focused on continuing to position ourselves for growth in our primary sectors and within key geographical locations, further strengthening our position as the UKs leading regional builder.
“The creation of two new operational and client and markets’ functions allow us to unlock further potential in key markets, as well as providing operational certainty for our clients. This revised structure ensures we continue to offer market-leading solutions for our clients and the communities we serve now and in the future.
“This new operating model and senior leadership team puts us in the strongest position to deliver sustainable growth over the next five years.”
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