Private contractor Wates is halfway through speaking to applicants for the post of chief executive
Interviews have been held with up to four candidates, with three or four more still to face the Wates panel. At least two of these additional interviews will take place on Monday.

The headhunter for Wates held preliminary interviews with all the candidates before putting them on the final shortlist.

This personnel adviser is thought to have approached former Mansell managing director Philip Cleaver and former HBG chief executive Brian May. However, neither of these industry figures is believed to be on the shortlist.

A spokesperson for Wates said: “The headhunters were appointed a couple of months ago and we are interviewing shortlisted candidates.”

The spokesperson said that it was not certain when an appointment would be made but it seems unlikely that there will be an announcement this month.

Wates has been without a chief executive since January, when Struan Robertson stepped down after three-and-a-half years. At the time Robertson said that he wanted to spend more time with his family.

Chairman Andrew Wates, has taken on the more powerful role of executive chairman until a chief executive is appointed.

At the time of Robertson’s departure, Wates said that the company had yet to decide whether it would make an external or internal appointment.

  • Support services group Mouchel Parkman has announced that

    non-executive director Jim Harding has stood down. Harding was Mouchel chief executive before last year’s merger with Parkman.

    Mouchel Parkman chairman Rich Benton said: “Jim’s strategic vision helped to change Mouchel from a traditional civil engineering partnership into the successful plc which floated in 2002.”

    Harding is also chairman of private construction firm May Gurney and adviser to the NHS. He took the May Gurney role in September.