20.03.19
Carillion-bound boss appointed to lead Kier
Kier has appointed Andrew Davies as its new chief executive, two months after the building contractor ousted Hayden Mursell on the back of debt issues.
Davies had been appointed to lead the British outsourcing giant Carillion, but it became solvent before he could take up his post and now he joins one of its old rivals.
He will take up his role as chief executive at Kier Group, which has contracts for the HS2 railway line and numerous other construction and transport project, on 15 April.
The interim chief executive Philip Cox will resume his role as non-executive chairman once Davies joins.
In January, Kier announced that its chief executive Mursell would stand down with immediate effect after five years in the role after a poorly received £264m emergency rescue rights issue.
Davies was previously the chief executive of Wates Group, another UK property and construction company, from 2014-2018, and has spent 28 years with BAE Systems in senior operational and corporate roles.
Philip Cox, the executive chairman of Kier, commented: “Andrew has a strong track record of business leadership and his operational experience across a number of sectors, combined with his strategic approach, make him an excellent fit for Kier.
“On behalf of the board, I would like to welcome Andrew to the group and I look forward to working with him.”
Davies said: “I am delighted to be joining Kier as chief executive. Kier has established market-leading positions through developing long-term client relationships and delivering excellent client service.
“I look forward to leading Kier in consolidating those positions and to bringing a renewed focus on simplifying the group, improving cashflow generation, and reducing net debt, whilst maintaining the group’s disciplined approach to risk management.”