Exclusive: Morgan Sindall’s former chief executive Paul Smith joins Willmott Dixon as the new boss of its support services business

Paul Smith and Chris Durkin

Paul Smith (left) and Chris Durkin

Willmott Dixon has appointed Morgan Sindall’s previous chief executive as the new boss of its support services business.

Willmott Dixon said that Paul Smith would take the role of chief operating officer at its support services division, as part of a planned transition ahead of the retirement of current support services chief executive Chris Durkin at the end of the year.

The firm said Smith will take the role of support services chief executive from 2014, upon Durkin’s retirement, when he will also join the main Willmott Dixon board.

Smith resigned from his role as Morgan Sindall chief executive last November, as part of a management shake-up at the firm following a profit warning that saw the return of executive chairman John Morgan as chief executive.

Smith had been chief executive at Morgan Sindall for nearly ten years.

At the time, John Morgan said Smith’s departure had been amicable.

Willmott Dixon said the appointment of Smith was the culmination of a long-term process to find a successor for Durkin, who has worked for the firm for more than 30 years.

The firm said Durkin would remain with Willmott Dixon as a non-executive director at the support services business.

Willmott Dixon Group chief executive Rick Willmott said: “This is a plan that we have been working towards for some time.

“It’s not an easy task to find the right person to replace Chris, however in Paul we have found an ideal candidate and he’ll work closely with Chris and I as COO this year to ensure a seamless transition to divisional chief executive.”