Winner: Pete Redfern

Taylor Wimpey

For housebuilders, urged on by government to build the homes the country so desperately needs, 2020 has perhaps been their most challenging year to date. Under Pete Redfern’s stewardship Taylor Wimpey has fared better than most. The firm was quick to shut down sites in response to the covid outbreak, both to ensure staff safety and because it did not believe it could guarantee construction in accordance with the government’s social distancing guidelines. During the lockdown Taylor Wimpey introduced a £5m Pay it Forward loan scheme to pay suppliers in advance for future work.

As it began to reopen sites in May the housebuilder introduced new safety protocols, including a fully revised set of working practices and risk assessments, new induction procedures and changes to site format, as well as additional bespoke PPE for two-person tasks, which Taylor Wimpey designed and manufactured in-house. The group cancelled its executive bonus scheme, cut executive pay by 30%, and scrapped a planned executive pay rise. Redfern also oversaw a cash-raising exercise via a share placing which generated more than £500m to buy land, a move that was given the thumbs-up by shareholders and City observers alike.

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