People Moves

National Infrastructure Commission boss Sir John Armitt has been appointed to the board of the company that owns Tilbury Douglas, Construction News can reveal. Armitt was appointed a non-executive director of TD Bidco one day after last week's announcement that he had been granted another term as chair of the…

Amey has named former government minister Lord Colin Moynihan as its new chair. Moynihan, formerly a junior minister for energy, has taken over from Ian Tyler, who leaves the position after more than four years. Moynihan was an energy minister under both Margaret Thatcher and John Major. He also served…

Costain has appointed a navy veteran to lead its newly combined defence and nuclear business. Bob Anstey, who had a 36-year career in the Royal Navy, will head up the division. Anstey’s long career in the armed forces led to him being awarded an OBE in 2020. Costain managing director…

Kier Construction has hired John Sisk & Son’s life-sciences manager to its newly created role of science and technology director, as it looks to grow its volume of work in the sector. Lee Sturdy had been sector leader for life sciences and advanced manufacturing at Sisk since May 2021. In…

Caddick executive chairman Andrew Murray has announced his retirement after a 50-year career and more than two decades with the firm, Construction News can reveal. Murray joined the contractor in 1999 before becoming managing director in 2007. He was promoted to executive chairman in 2020. He has spent more than…

The senior commercial director of the government’s new hospitals programme has left her role. Emma-Jane Houghton, who joined the Cabinet Office for the job in December 2020, has taken up a position at government-owned defence company AWE. Responsibilities in her hospital-programme role included briefing construction representatives on procurement plans for…

The government has reappointed Sir John Armitt as chair of the National Infrastructure Commission. The move means Armitt will continue to oversee the body, which advises the government on major infrastructure projects, for a further two years, taking his term to 2025. Armitt has served as chair since 2018. Before…

The group managing director of Jeff Fairburn-backed housebuilder Avant Homes has left the business after nine months. Alan Hopwood, who was appointed as a director last March, left the Chesterfield-based firm on 23 December, according to a Companies House filing.  Before joining Avant, Hopwood spent nearly 12 years at Persimmon,…

Industry stalwart James Wates is to step down as chairman of the Wates Group – to be replaced by his cousin. The firm, which featured in the top 10 of the CN100 with a turnover of £1.5bn in the 12 months to 31 December 2021, has announced that Tim Wates…

The Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) has announced the appointment of a new chief executive following the departure of incumbent Kevin Minton. The trade association for the UK plant-hire sector has over 1,800 members which supply 85 per cent of hired plant to the construction industry. Stu McInroy will join the…