A departing trade body boss and a new tier one director were among the big people moves in construction over the past seven days.
The National Federation of Demolition Contractors (NFDC) announced that its chief executive Duncan Rudall will depart in late May, after 22 months in the job.
The federation expressed its “deep gratitude to Duncan for his dedication, leadership and the transformative impact he has had during his tenure”.
Rudall will remain active in the NFDC but is stepping away to spend more time with his family following his wife’s cancer treatment, the demolition trade body announced last Friday (21 February).
Another industry organisation, the Building Engineering Services Associates (BESA) appointed a new technical director. HE Simm engineering manager Kevin Morrissey will take up the role in March.
Morrissey has 35 years experience in the industry and has held operational leadership roles at Wates, Lorne Stewart, NG Bailey and Axima/Sulzer Infra, as well as being chair of BESA’s technical committee since 2023.
Nicola Astafanous
Meanwhile, tier one contractor Skanska appointed a new commercial director to its UK building leadership team. Nicola Astafanous takes the job after 15 months as customer experience and strategic insights director at the firm.
Astafanous has spent 18 years at Skanska, holding other senior commercial roles across sectors and within Skanska’s Swedish commercial development business. She was previously a management trainee for three years at Willmott Dixon between 2004 and 2007.
Heidelberg Materials announced on Tuesday (25 February) that it had appointed Scott Cooper as its managing director for contracting.
Scott Cooper
Cooper, who began the role in January, was previously managing director of transport major project and design at tier one firm Kier for seven years until June 2024.
Altrad has named a new board adviser for its UK, Ireland, Nordics and Poland executive board. The scaffolding group has brought in business expert Julie Nerney, a former interim rail director at Nuclear Transport Solutions and former chair of Kent and Medway NHS & Social Care Partnership Trust.
Nerney currently holds a range of board positions, including as a non-executive director at the UK Supreme Court and independent director for Sussex County Football Association. She has also published a book about business and is a guest speaker at the Said Business School in Oxford.
Finally, building consultancy Workman has appointed Amy Farr as its new head of building safety and construction compliance. Farr was previously a partner at Calfordseaden, working on health and safety compliance, and has also worked as a principal designer at Arcadis.
