We have signed a lease for a new office within the Aeris building at Thorpe Park, Leeds, as we continue to expand our footprint across Yorkshire, the East Midlands and Teesside following our management buyout (MBO) in January.
The business has secured the 2,350 sq ft workspace – due to open in April – strengthening our presence in West Yorkshire and supporting delivery of our growing £100m+ forward order book.
We will continue to be headquartered in Dronfield, Derbyshire, with the Leeds office forming part of our planned regional expansion rather than a relocation. The Leeds hub will also increase accessibility for clients, consultants and supply chain partners across Yorkshire and into the North East of England.
Image: Knight Frank
Formalising the direction set out by our senior leadership team at the start of this year, the lease signing forms a key part of our post MBO sustainable growth strategy. It comes as we confirm a series of senior appointments that further bolster our independent operating model.
L-R: Marie Duncan (Head of HR), Clare Gill (Head of Social Value) and Trevor Foster (Head of IT and Systems)
In recent weeks, the business has welcomed Clare Gill as Head of Social Value. Clare brings nearly two decades of construction sector experience and a track record of delivering impactful social value programmes for Wates, BAM and major public-sector schemes including Kirklees Council’s £51m Cultural Heart, Sheffield Hallam University’s £92m City Campus development, and the £62m St. Leonard’s Catholic School project in Durham.
Marie Duncan has also joined as Head of HR, bringing extensive experience from GMI Construction, Stroma Group, Wincanton and Kitwave.
Trevor Foster has come onboard as Head of IT and Systems following senior digital transformation roles at Claire’s, GMI Construction and JVL.
Meanwhile, Brendon Keown has taken up the role of Head of Health & Safety after 17 years with Henry Boot, ensuring continuity and deep organisational knowledge following the MBO.
We have also bolstered operations with additional new hires in IT, finance and HR, ensuring a robust central structure as we operate independently and away from functions previously provided by Henry Boot.
Alongside these new hires, we are pleased to confirm three internal promotions within our senior management structure. Ian Gresser has become Pre-Construction Director, Sam Cookson has been promoted to Commercial Director, and Mat Clarke has taken up the role of Construction Director. All three – like 42% of our wider workforce – came through the company’s apprenticeship scheme and have a combined service of 85 years.
L-R: Ian Gresser (Pre-Construction Director), Sam Cookson (Commercial Director) and Mat Clarke (Construction Director)
The imminent opening of our Leeds office and the appointment of new senior leaders mark an important step in HBC’s continued momentum. We’re a modern, owner operated contractor, and these developments further enhance our capability and support our commitment to sustainable, well managed growth. Since the MBO, we’ve kept the same people and the same delivery values that clients trust, but now with greater autonomy to diversify and expand our work. With a 14 year average employee tenure and almost half of our colleagues starting out as apprentices, our culture and continuity remain central to who we are. These appointments bring valuable new expertise while building on that continuity – giving us the right blend of long standing knowledge and fresh capability as we continue this next phase for the business.
Lee Powell, Managing DirectorWe’re seeing strong confidence across both public and private sectors. With 11 retained frameworks, a robust order book and an expanding geographical footprint, the new Leeds office will enhance our regional presence and support our continued growth. We’re a modern business that harnesses the extensive experience and expertise across the business so we’re proud to make these new hires and promotions to further strengthen our offer.
Chris Weathers, Group Commercial Director
