Regional contractor and family-run business Speller Metcalfe has announced the appointment of current pre-construction director James Speller to the role of managing director.

Founded in 1995 by owners Steve Speller and Andy Metcalfe, the construction firm generates an annual turnover of £120 million from their head office in Malvern, alongside a second base in Wolverhampton.

The company also carries out extensive major projects in Gloucestershire. It is the approved contractor for the new Forest of Dean Community Hospital and in the past year or so has carried out projects at the Cotswold School in Bourton-on-the-Water, Bourton Primary School and Leckhampton Primary.

Steve Speller and Andy Metcalfe, who set out with an aspiration to 'do things better', have grown the business from small contractor to a regional construction company that competes with industry household names across the Midlands and South West.

"We are extremely proud to have managed an incredible family of staff for the better part of three decades," says Andy. "However, over recent years both Steve and I have been moving away from the coalface of company management, with Steve taking full retirement at the end of last year.

"For both of us this has been made easier by the fact that a natural transition to a new management has been taking place. James is an instinctive leader who we have recognised as assuming the role of managing director over the last few years - if not in name - then certainly in action.

"As a result of his leadership, we have successfully navigated our way through the pandemic and are in an enviable position of strength two years on. Holding key experience and the right aptitude, we are delighted that having relinquished our MD responsibilities, we can now formally recognise his achievements by announcing him as Speller Metcalfe's managing director."

Following Steve's retirement, Andy will continue to have an active director role, supporting the management of special projects and assisting the leadership team on the executive board of directors. Both Steve and Andy will also retain joint ownership of the company.

The appointment signals the start of an exciting new chapter for the family business, which now moves into its second generation of management. With both James and his brother, technical director Adrian Speller at the helm, they bring a combined 40+ years of company experience to the board of directors.

James said: "Adrian and I are extremely proud of Speller Metcalfe, our staff and our company achievements. We are a business built on strong values; one that strives to continuously evolve and we hope represents an example of how construction should be delivered - honestly and fairly.

"We are lucky to employ some of the best in our field, and together our aim is to build upon Andy and Steve's incredible achievements and continue Speller Metcalfe's journey to establish ourselves as a trusted leader in innovation, collaboration and sustainable construction."

Alongside James's appointment, two of the group's long-standing divisional managers - Matthew Bailey and Mark Eaton - will be joining the board as divisional directors from April. This follows the appointment of Judith Lewis to finance director and Chris Short to non-executive director in November last year.

The promotions reflect the firm's strategy to ensure the ongoing strength of the group, whose results speaks for itself, including recent appointments to a number of established frameworks, namely ProCure23 (P23), NHS Shared Business Services, SCF Residential, Constructing West Midlands and the Crown Commercial Services Framework.