The managing director of Balfour Beatty’s building division, Paul Lester, has resigned to become chief executive of Vosper Thorneycroft, one of the UK’s largest shipbuilders.
Lester, who leaves at the end of June, has been head of Balfour Beatty’s building management and services operations since he joined the group in 1997. His replacement has not been appointed and finance director Ian Tyler will assume temporary control of the division.

Lester said his experience at Balfour Beatty would be useful for his new role at Vosper. “I could not turn down a chief executive’s post, but it was a difficult decision,” he said.

Southampton-based Vosper Thorneycroft has civil engineering and facilities management businesses. It operates in the UK, Europe, USA and the Middle East.