Top Movers and Shakers in UK Housing: This Week's Key Appointments Revealed!

We take our weekly look at appointments and promotions across the housebuilding industry and its supply chain.

Warren Leader, Amara Property

Amara Property has bolstered its in-house team with the appointment of Warren Leader as sales & acquisitions director.

It’s the latest step in a distinguished career spanning over 30 years which includes senior positions at organisations such as Colliers, Stone Real Estate, London & Regional and JLL.

Rutu Buddhdev, MD at Amara Property, commented: "We are thrilled to welcome Warren to the Amara Family. Warren’s arrival adds his extensive knowledge and invaluable experience to the team, and after a record year for the business, I have every confidence he will be instrumental in making the coming years even greater, as we look to add to our development pipeline and deliver even more of our signature home collections."

Leader added: "Amara Property is a fantastic business with a growing presence in the construction and development sector. With an established reputation for quality and excellent track record for delivery, I’m very excited to join the team and bring my own experience to the fore."

Neil Eady, Berkeley Group

Berkeley Group has announced the appointment of Neil Eady to its board as chief financial officer (CFO).

He takes the role having previously been divisional finance director of Berkeley Capital, one of the group’s London divisions. Eady joined Berkeley in July 2013 and has worked in a variety of finance director roles in the group, including as part of the team that established the St William joint venture in 2014.

Prior to joining Berkeley, he was at Land Securities for 10 years performing a number of roles including corporate finance director. Training and qualifying as a chartered accountant at PwC, Eady has some 22 years of experience in the property and development sector.

Rob Perrins, executive chair of Berkeley, said: "In making this appointment, the board considered both internal and external candidates. Neil’s broad experience, both at Berkeley and in his previous career, the relationships he has established and knowledge of our culture and systems make him ideally placed for the role."

Dawn Bennett, Lovell Homes

Lovell Homes has appointed Dawn Bennett as regional sales director for the East Midlands.

She brings to the role more than 20 years of experience in new home sales. Most recently, she was sales and marketing director at Avant Homes for over four years, having worked her way up through the sales team within the business.

Of her new role, Bennett said: "This job is about more than just selling houses – its helping people find their dream homes, but also creating places that people don’t just live, but thrive. Throughout my career, this has been the backbone of my focus and having seen Lovell grow in the region throughout the past few years with this same focus, joining the team was a clear choice for me."

Beth Bundonis, regional MD at Lovell, said: "Dawn’s extensive experience and knowledge is an invaluable addition to our growing team and it’s an exciting time for us as she drives the continued growth of our sales function and strategy."

Scott Orr, Untold Living

Untold Living has appointed Scott Orr as its new chief executive officer, replacing Russell Jewell, who transitions to the role of senior advisor as part of a planned leadership succession.

Orr has been with Untold Living since its inception in 2022, serving as investment director. He has over 20 years’ experience in real estate investment and operations, including leadership roles in UK care home corporate development.

Orr said: "Russell’s leadership has been instrumental in building Untold Living’s foundations, and I’m proud to continue that work as CEO. As we advance our developments across the UK, our focus remains on creating high-quality communities that meet the evolving needs of older people and offer an alternative to traditional later-life living."

Jewell added: "Since 2022, the team has made significant progress in shaping Untold Living’s strategy and delivering on our vision. Scott has played a central role in that journey, and his deep sector knowledge makes him ideally placed to lead the business going forward."

Lisa Fantom, Premier Estates

As founder and chairman of Premier Estates, Ben Jordan, steps away from the company after 27 years at the helm, MD Lisa Fantom, who has worked alongside him since 2007, will now lead the company.

A qualified accountant, Fantom joined the business as finance director before stepping into the MD role in 2018, overseeing substantial growth and a widening geographical spread across the UK.

She commented: "Ben was a big reason I joined Premier Estates – his passion and integrity have always been inspiring. He cares deeply about people, both the residents we serve and the team who deliver for them every day and that ethos remains at the heart of our business."

Jordan said: "Starting Premier Estates was a career defining moment for me and watching it grow into a company that now looks after tens of thousands of homes has been incredibly rewarding. The time now feels right to move on and take some space to explore new opportunities."

Guy Summerill, Persimmon Homes

Guy Summerill has been named as a new deputy managing at Persimmon Homes Midlands, to support the MD with the overseeing of the company’s regional operations throughout Northamptonshire.

He has worked at Persimmon Homes for 18 years, starting his career in the accounts department as a purchase ledger assistant before moving on to commercial buying then surveying.

Commenting on his appointment, Summerill said: "I am delighted to be joining the Midlands business and helping to deliver our five-year strategic growth plan."

Regional managing director, Zac Hurst said: "Guy is known and well-respected in the company and we are delighted he is joining the Midlands business at an exciting time of growth."

Paul Smith, Owl Homes

Owl Homes has welcomed Paul Smith to its leadership team as technical director.

Smith brings with him more than 30 years of experience in the housing industry, including nearly two decades at Barratt David Wilson, where he led on the technical aspects of delivering more than 10,000 new homes.

Since joining the company, he has already overseen the start of three new developments, the submission of numerous planning applications, the acquisition of new land and the "refinement of the Owl Homes product".

Commenting on his move, Smith said: "The opportunity to join a growing business with a reputation for quality development really interested me. Owl has the agility to grow the business which sets us apart from a lot of the market, and having the ability to contribute and influence that is exciting. Owl Homes is a great business, with a great culture and full of potential. Here’s to a bright future."

Claire Poole, STIEBEL ELTRON

STIEBEL ELTRON UK has strengthened its South West operations with the appointment of Claire Poole as regional specification manager.

She brings 19 years of sales experience, including 15 years in the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) industry, and has extensive knowledge of working with a wide array of contractors, consultants, and developers on both residential and commercial projects.

John Felgate, MD of STIEBEL ELTRON UK, said: "Claire brings with her a wealth of industry knowledge and practical experience, which will be invaluable as we continue to expand our presence in the South West. The region is a vital market for renewable energy, with consumers looking for the most environmentally friendly options to heat their homes. Claire’s role will ensure we provide even greater support to our partners and customers as they embrace the transition to sustainable heating."

Poole added: "I’m thrilled to be joining STIEBEL ELTRON, which is leading from the front when it comes to renewable heating technologies."

Ian Scott, Ocasa Homes

PRS asset management business Ocasa Homes has appointed a new CEO.

Ian Scott (pictured left) arrives with over 12 years’ senior experience in the sector, having handled over £1.2bn of institutional residential transactions throughout his career. He was most recently the group managing director of Livingway UK, where he was responsible for the investment and asset management of a Build to Rent portfolio in the North of England. Before that, Scott was at Lambert Smith Hampton for nearly 10 years, becoming the firm’s youngest-ever director and establishing its Build to Rent offering in 2015.

His appointment follows that of Lorna Havercroft (pictured right), who joined as chief financial officer earlier this year.

Scott commented: "This is a fantastic time to be joining Ocasa Homes, a company with a really strong track record in social impact investment. We have an incredible team of talented people who are committed to delivering real growth that will create long-term value for the communities we serve and our investors."

Dean O’Sullivan, Saint-Gobain

Saint-Gobain UK & Ireland has appointed Dean O’Sullivan as CEO for its UK & Ireland business, following the retirement of Mike Chaldecott.

O’Sullivan is an experienced managing director with 25 years’ experience in the construction sector. He has held a number of senior leadership roles within the Saint-Gobain Group in the UK & Ireland, most recently, since 2021, as MD of Saint-Gobain’s UK ‘Interior Solution’s businesses. Prior to that were roles at Saint-Gobain’s Gyproc, Okarno (formerly Artex) as MD in 2013 and then its combined Insulation businesses including Isover in the UK in 2019.

O’Sullivan commented: "It’s a great privilege to lead Saint-Gobain’s businesses in the UK & Ireland at a time when we release a new strategy that positions Saint-Gobain as a true solutions provider for customers."

He added of Chaldecott: "Serving Saint-Gobain for 42 years – from graduate to CEO – is an amazing achievement and everyone wishes him well for the future."

John Foster, Bowmer + Kirkland

Bowmer + Kirkland (B+K) has appointed John Foster as business improvement director to lead on digital transformation across each construction region.

Having spent his entire professional career in construction, he has worked across many disciplines, from overseeing pre-construction across a nationwide operation to establishing and leading regional teams, honing his skills to focus on continuous improvement, efficiency and excellence through digital transformation.

Foster said: "I am looking forward to playing a key part in the digital evolution of B+K, my priority will be to thoroughly understand the business from the ground up, reviewing current processes and getting to know the people that make it all happen.

"Digital transformation in construction isn’t about creating more data and workload, it’s about improving lives: reducing wasted effort, unlocking insights, and giving people back their time."