VolkerWessels UK announces leadership changes
VolkerWessels UK today announces that its chief executive officer, Alan Robertson, is stepping down from his role, and taking up a new position as chairman of the business on 1 August 2022. Richard Offord, currently VolkerWessels UK’s chief operating officer and managing director of VolkerFitzpatrick, will become chief executive officer of VolkerWessels UK from the same date.
Alan Robertson joined VolkerWessels UK in 2008, and since then has led the strategic development and growth of the group, which comprises 3,600 employees across five businesses: VolkerFitzpatrick, VolkerRail, VolkerStevin, VolkerHighways and VolkerLaser. He has seen revenue growth from £576m (2009) to £1,082m (2020) and has driven operational improvements, implemented robust management and governance structures, continued to reinforce a strong safety culture and has spearheaded programmes to promote and support sustainability, social value, EDI, and digital construction and innovation.
Richard Offord has been with the business since 1990, when he joined the former Fitzpatrick as an engineer. Since then, he has progressed through a variety of roles, growing and strengthening the VolkerFitzpatrick business, becoming a member of the VolkerWessels UK board, and heading up the group’s operations board, helping drive improvements and progress in operational delivery.
Alan Robertson said: “It has been an absolute privilege to head up a strong, robust and successful business for the past 14 years. I am proud to say that VolkerWessels UK has gone from strength to strength – not least, weathering the challenges of the pandemic over the last couple of years. I am hugely proud of our people and teams working across the business, in all roles and at all levels, whom I believe are second to none in our sector. VolkerWessels UK has a unique culture, and a phenomenal level of support from our shareholders. Thanks to this, and our strong balance sheet, and robust forward order book and opportunity pipeline, I know that we have an equally strong future ahead. It is a pleasure to be able to hand over to a colleague who is already well-known and respected, both within our own business and the industry as a whole.”
Richard Offord said: “I am proud to have been given the opportunity to head up the remarkable VolkerWessels UK business, and to be able to continue the excellent work of Alan and our teams across the group. Alan and I have worked closely together for the past 14 years, and in particular for the past year, since I took on the role of chief operating officer. I look forward to leading the business into the future, delivering ongoing excellence for all of our clients, and providing a safe, secure and forward-thinking business which values its people and indeed, all of our stakeholder relationships.”
Alfred Vos, chief executive officer of Royal VolkerWessels (VolkerWessels UK’s Dutch parent company), said: “Under Alan Robertson’s leadership, VolkerWessels UK has become a strong and well-respected business, operating across a wide range of sectors and offering a breadth of key capabilities and specialisms for leading UK clients, and nationally significant projects. As Alan takes this next step and moves to the role of chairman, I am delighted that the group will retain his knowledge and guidance, and I am equally pleased that we can pass the day-to-day leadership reins to someone with the experience and industry knowledge that Richard Offord brings. I wish both of them and the VolkerWessels UK team every success as they embark upon this next chapter.”