People: The latest West Midlands hires
A national fit-out and refurbishment specialist has strengthened its regional leadership team in the Midlands.
Willmott Dixon Interiors has appointed Phil Crowther to the role of regional director, with responsibility for all business activities in the Midlands and appointed Stuart Kerr as operations director.
Crowther’s appointment as regional director comes just two years after being appointed as director to lead Willmott Dixon Interiors’ new office at Two Snowhill in Birmingham.
Since then, the business has won a series of major fit out and refurbishment projects for public and private sector customers in the Midlands, including the complex structural refurbishment of Wolverhampton’s historic Civic Halls and Birmingham’s largest office refurbishment scheme at 10 Brindleyplace.
Kerr joins Willmott Dixon Interiors from sister-company Willmott Dixon Construction, where he was responsible for the operational leadership of the firm’s Nottingham and Rotherham offices. He has more than 20 years’ experience in the construction sector spanning commercial and residential property and was a member of Willmott Dixon’s regional board in the Midlands.
Graham Shaw, managing director for Willmott Dixon Interiors, said: “Our operation in the Midlands has enjoyed controlled and sustainable growth in the last two years, thanks largely to the strong financial standing and support of our Group, and through a policy of hand picking the very best people to take our business forward. Phil has done an exceptional job in leading our regional teams and with the appointment of Stuart to work alongside him, we have every confidence that we have the right senior management team in place to support the delivery of successful customer projects.”
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Alex Bishop, co-head of law firm Shoosmiths in Birmingham, has been appointed as chair of the advisory panel for Colmore Business District’s (Colmore BID) Future Business District Study.
She will be joined on the panel by, among others, leading consumer behaviour expert and advertising sage Rory Sutherland, social entrepreneur Rosie Ginday of Miss Macaroon fame and think tank boss Andrew Carter from Centre for Cities.
Future Business District is Colmore BID’s study to inform its response to long term recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic and to offer policy directions on best practice for central business districts across the UK.
The panel will provide expert input and advice on The Future Business District, supporting Colmore BID’s project leadership and the research team led by City-REDI at the University of Birmingham. Other members include Anita Bhalla, who chairs the organisation behind Symphony Hall and Town Hall, Joe Barratt who sits on the Government’s High Streets Task Force and Nigel Driffield, an expert on international business at Warwick Business School.
Bishop said: “I am thrilled to chair the Advisory Panel. COVID-19 has put rocket boosters under transformational changes that were already happening, from how and where we work to focussing on the wellbeing of employees; from climate considerations to improving work/life balance.
“Now is a great opportunity to look at how the experience of the last year will shape the decisions that businesses, professionals, retailers, residents, restaurateurs, cultural hosts, investors and transport planners will make over the next few years and how the business district needs to prepare the ground.
“I’m really looking forward to working with a fantastic group of people who bring a wide variety of experiences and expertise to the table and will help shape and interpret the work that City-REDI is undertaking for the Future Business District.”
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An aluminium windows manufacturer has made a key appointment as it continues to target rapid growth in the residential and commercial sectors.
Melissa Bates has joined Performance Window Fabrications (PWF) to help deliver its vision for future expansion, which will include the creation of a new customer experience centre.
The company, based in Aston, Birmingham, has created more than a dozen jobs since being taken over last year by entrepreneurs Rebecca and Alex Sutherland.
Operations manager Bates joins from law firm Shoosmiths. She has more than 15 years’ experience as executive and personal assistant at companies including Fieldfisher and Wragge & Co.
Rebecca Sutherland, director of sales and marketing, said: “As 2021 begins we are looking ahead to a period of strong growth in sectors including high-end residential, commercial buildings, fire-rated products and in modular construction.
“The arrival of Mel will add to the momentum we’ve been building over the past year and will help us to achieve rapid growth across the aluminium windows sector. We are delighted to welcome her to the team.”
She added: “These are exciting times for the Performance Window Fabrications group of companies and we have a clear vision for our future growth. Our strategy is to become the supplier of choice for aluminium doors, windows and curtain walling in the whole of the UK.
“Our growth will involve further investment in the latest fenestration technology and in our highly experienced team. We are still actively recruiting and we are keen to offer young people opportunities with our apprenticeship programme.
“The future is bright as we look forward to developments including the forthcoming launch of our new residential division – GlasHaus – and the opening of our fantastic new customer experience centre.”
