Willmott Dixon is bringing all its residential activities in the Group together under a new company brand, Willmott Residential.
The new company will be led by former Berkeley Group main board director Nic Simpkin who joins as chief executive, with Andrew Telfer promoted to deputy chief executive with wider operational responsibility.
The formation of Willmott Residential is the next phase of Willmott Dixon’s strategic ambitions to grow its residential development and contract house building capabilities and will combine its two development brands, Prime Place and Be:here, with its newly branded contract housing arm Willmott Partnership Homes.
Willmott Dixon group chief executive Rick Willmott explains, “The launch of Willmott Residential provides clear differentiation in the way we now present and manage the Group and underlines how serious we are in growing our residential presence. The company will provide an integrated business for our wide ranging residential skill-sets with better internal collaboration and utilisation of synergies.”
In recruiting Nic Simpkin, Rick says, “Nic brings a long track-record of success in housing development during his time at Berkeley and will lead a fine senior leadership team supported by Andrew Telfer who has been pivotal in growing our development capability over the last seven years.”
Willmott Residential already has a significant presence in the market developing homes for sale through Prime Place and private rent through Be:here, with 5,000 units on site or in planning. In addition Willmott Partnership Homes already builds 2,000 homes a year with an expanding geographic presence and strong client base that includes housing associations, developers and local authorities.
Rick continued, “Given the country’s huge long-term demand for new homes, we have a golden opportunity to be one of the UK’s pre-eminent developers and builders of homes, and these plans will ensure we are best placed to realise that. By aligning our residential business within one company and creating a distinct identity, Willmott Residential will ensure we are equipped to realise our ambitions and seize the opportunity for expansion created by the hard work of our teams at Prime Place, Be:here and Willmott Partnership Homes.”
Pictured: Andrew Telfer & Nic Simpkin
