‘You still sparking? Aye…’ SES’s Rob Clifford on his journey from apprentice electrician to running a £550m business

By Dave Rogers2025-09-23T06:00:00

The M&E contractor’s boss tells Dave Rogers about rewiring a house, moving into new sectors and the wonder of Jimmy Glass

“When I go back, they say: ‘You still sparking?’” Rob Clifford’s answer is suitably modest. “Aye,” he replies.

If any of Clifford’s schoolmates are reading this, he’s the bloke in charge of SES, the Wates-owned M&E specialist that under his near four year watch has seen annual income grow nearly four times – from around £150m to an expected £560m this year.

He says he’s not really one to bring up work when he returns to his native Carlisle to catch up with old friends.

“They don’t really know what I do, I don’t really talk about it to be honest.”

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