Firm rejigs business which will include push into more infrastructure work

Sir Robert McAlpine has completed the rejig of its business which has seen it cut jobs, wave goodbye to two senior directors and switch its focus to sectors rather than regions under a major restructure by chief executive Paul Hamer.

The firm announced the move last month with a consultation period on job losses ending earlier this week.

An initial 60 roles had been expected to be lost but McAlpine said less than 40 had gone which it said “reflected the successful redeployment of a number of roles during the consultation process”.

It added: “None of the roles made redundant are project specific and they do not focus on any specific region, instead being spread across UK operations.”

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McAlpine is now focusing on sectors, such as commercial office schemes, rather than the regions

McAlpine had already announced that it had brought back Grant Findlay as executive managing director of a newly formed Buildings division and who will now sit on a refreshed group board which also includes Tony Gates, executive managing director for infrastructure, and Steven Hudson, executive commercial director.

And today the firm said that Mike O’Donnell, who left McAlpine in 2019 after more than a decade to join Madison Square Garden Company, the US entertainment giant behind the Sphere music venue, has returned to role of commercial managing director.

Findlay has also returned from the Madison Square Garden Company after leaving McAlpine last spring.

Other moves will see Mark Gibson, formerly McAlpine’s managing director for the North and Scotland, handed a new role as managing director of healthcare, with Stuart McArthur given the post of work winning director for the same sector.

Along with healthcare, other sectors it is focussing on include commercial offices, industrial and heritage while it is also targeting growth in the rail, transport and nuclear sectors.

Mark Taylor, who worked on McAlpine’s Battersea Power Station scheme, has been appointed managing director of its major projects arm while Mike Coleman has been made senior director for special projects.

Other appointments include Simon Richards as sustainability director, Nick Leach as digital construction director, Julie Colbert as design management director, Nicola Markall, as technical compliance director and David Bucksley as health, safety and wellbeing director. Lynda Thwaite becomes brand, communications and proposals director.

Hamer said: “It is encouraging that we have been able to enact multiple internal promotions as well as welcome back experienced former team members such as Grant Findlay and Mike O’Donnell. Their return is testament to our strong new vision and enduring positive workplace culture.

“I am confident that this move to a sector-focused model with national centres of excellence sets us up for long term success, giving our people fulfilling and rewarding careers, as we work with our clients to construct a better world for future generations.”

Among the most eye-catching departures announced last month were the firm’s London boss, Alison Cox, a McAlpine board member who had been in the post for just 18 months, and the managing director of its Southern business Ian Cheung who had been with the firm seven years.