Sir Robert McAlpine has announced the sudden departure of chief executive Paul Hamer, and that he will be replaced with former Lendlease Europe boss Neil Martin.
A statement shared by the contractor on Friday (16 February) said that Martin will start in post on Monday (19 February) and is joining at an “exciting time”, with the business on track to deliver strong half-year results.
It added that he will be tasked with focusing on the firm’s core sectors: healthcare, commercial office, industrial, infrastructure, and major and special projects.
A spokesperson clarified that “Paul Hamer’s departure is effective immediately”, adding: “This was a mutually agreed and planned transition for all parties.”
Hamer has led the contractor since 2017, during which time he increased its engagement with the media and formed a data trust to share information across contractors.
In that time McAlpine also completed the restoration of Parliament’s Elizabeth Tower and the Royal Albert Hall, built British Land’s 100 Liverpool Street office block, won a £437m job to create the new Museum of London campus and worked on significant hospital and rail jobs, including building HS2’s Colne Valley viaduct as part of the Align JV.
In 2018 Hamer told Construction News that his “job is to transform and modernise the business completely, without changing it at all”.
McAlpine was the 17th largest contractor by turnover in the 2023 CN100. It saw its margin squeezed in the year to 31 October 2022, turning over £1.07bn, and posting a pre-tax profit of £9.3m.
In April 2023 it cut 40 jobs as part of a restructure that saw it focus on sectors rather than regions.
Martin led Lendlease’s European operations for four years until October last year, with the company declaring in April that he had “decided to retire”.
McAlpine chair Ed McAlpine said: “Neil brings the essential skills and experience required to lead our business, with a clear focus on project selection and excellence in delivery.
“As well as welcoming Neil, we wholeheartedly thank outgoing chief executive Paul Hamer for his leadership and work over the past seven years to well position the business for the future.”
Martin started his career as a site engineer at Bovis in 1990, later joining Kier as a construction lawyer, before returning to Bovis in 1999 as it was being acquired by Lendlease.
Prior to becoming Europe boss, he spent five years in the contractor’s global headquarters in Sydney, Australia.
Lendlease Europe made a £230m annual loss in the year to 30 June 2022, with the account including a £114m provision for fire-safety remediation work.
Martin said: “Sir Robert McAlpine is one of the most respected businesses in the sector.
“Its reputation for building excellence and enviable 155-year history sets it apart from others. It is an absolute honour to become chief executive of a company that has worked on some of the country’s most iconic landmarks.
“I am excited to join the team and look forward to what the business can and will achieve over the coming years.”
