Property people: GMI Construction Group and Keyland Developments

GMI Construction Group has appointed Andrew Hurcomb as divisional managing director (DMD) for Yorkshire.

He succeeds Lee Powell, recently promoted to the newly created position of chief executive officer, who is tasked with delivering sustained growth across the company’s four core regions of Yorkshire, the North West, Midlands and North East.

Hurcomb was previously at Willmott Dixon, where he spent five years as operations director. He oversaw the company’s growth across Yorkshire and the North and was responsible for delivering several high-profile projects.

With more than 30 years’ experience within the construction industry, he has gained skills and practical experience at every level.

Originally from Dewsbury, he began his career in 1984 with M Harrison & Co before moving to  Miller Construction in Yorkshire in 1989, gaining experience in a variety of roles from site engineer to senior project manager before progressing to regional technical director for the North of England.

When Galliford Try acquired Miller in 2014, he took up the position of operations director for Yorkshire, before moving to Willmott Dixon in 2017.

Powell said: “Andrew’s knowledge and experience of the Yorkshire construction market is second to none.

“He is highly respected in the region, making him an exceptional appointment and someone who can build upon GMI’s first rate reputation and its success in delivering major developments across three decades.

“He has GMI values at heart and the business acumen to make a real impact by taking our Yorkshire business portfolio to an even greater level.”

Hurcomb added: “I will spearhead GMI Construction Group’s ongoing expansion in Yorkshire as part of its UK strategy to levelling up in key regions. This follows several high-profile projects wins this year and next.

“We are onsite currently with a workbook of 11 live projects across Yorkshire, with a further four projects due to commence in quarter one 2022 with a combined total value of more than £250m, and we’re looking to expand that significantly in the coming 12 months.”

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Chris Johns

Keyland Developments Ltd, the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister-company to Yorkshire Water, has expanded its Board with the appointment of two new directors – Chris Johns and Gaynor Carpenter.

Johns joins the Board alongside his current role as chief financial officer at Yorkshire Water. He arrived at Yorkshire Water in 2021 from his former role as finance director of Northumbrian Water Limited.

Carpenter joins alongside her current role as head of land & property at Yorkshire Water.

Gaynor Carpenter

The pair will sit alongside existing members Liz Barber, who is chair and chief executive of Kelda Group, Peter Garrett, managing director of Keyland and Luke Axe, who took his place on the Board last year following his promotion to land and planning director for Keyland.

Barber said: “Chris and Gaynor both bring a wide amount of experience with them in their roles providing strategic and practical leadership to a number of businesses.

“These latest appointments are designed to strengthen the Keyland Board as we look to expand the business beyond our traditional residential and industrial sectors and build on our Six Capitals approach to development, which now sees us promoting more than 9,000 residential units and 4.5 million sq ft of commercial development.”