Willmott Dixon has strengthened its senior team by promoting its two chief operating officers (COO) onto its parent board.

The move will see John Waterman, COO at Willmott Dixon Construction, and Mike Hart, COO at Willmott Dixon Interiors, join the Willmott Dixon Holdings board from the start of 2019 and adds to the appointments earlier this year of Graham Dundas and Wendy McWilliams.

John and Mike have a combined service at Willmott Dixon of 55 years and their promotion underlines the company’s strategy to focus on its core business of construction and interior fit-out.

John Waterman

Group Chief Executive Rick Willmott explains, “These promotions reflect John and Mike’s exceptional commitment, astute contribution and loyalty to our business over many years, which have resulted in the increasing success and the sustained growth and profile of our Construction and Interiors companies under their leadership.”

Talking about preparing for a post-Brexit market, Rick continues, “Strengthening our most senior team is another prudent step to ensure we are in the best possible shape to adapt to life after Brexit. Our secured order book for 2019 already stands in excess of 80 per cent of next year’s budget and our identified future workload is nearly £2 billion.

Mike Hart

“While our network of customer relationships remains deliberately focused on built environment projects in the public sector, especially those procured through collaborative frameworks, it’s also been encouraging to see many of our private sector customers being sufficiently confident to continue to grow market share ahead of Brexit.

“We have also worked hard to ensure that our banks view us as ‘best in class’ with no bank borrowings or overdrafts; whilst maintaining the best supply chain payment terms and payment record in the industry.”

From the beginning of 2019 the Willmott Dixon Holdings board will be made up of six executive directors; Colin Enticknap, Group Chairman, Rick Willmott, Group Chief Executive, Graham Dundas, Mike Hart, Wendy McWilliams and John Waterman plus two non-executives in Jonathon Porritt and Christopher Sheridan.