Willmott Dixon has promoted London & East regional managing director Stewart Brundell to the role of chief operating officer (COO) at its 拢1bn turnover construction business.
Brundell has been with Willmott Dixon for almost 40 years, having joined its trainee management programme in the 1980s and becoming the company鈥檚 first ever Trainee of the Year.
Stepping up at London & East to replace Brundell is Simon Ramage, currently director of delivery, who will initially be promoted to deputy regional managing director before taking on the full role in January 2026 following a transition period. Like Brundell, Brundell is also a former Willmott Dixon trainee and Trainee of the Year winner and has nearly 30 years' experience at the company.
The promotions follow John Waterman鈥檚 decision to step down as COO earlier this year after 10 years in the role.
Alongside these appointments, Willmott Dixon has allocated wider strategic roles within its Construction leadership team, with North managing director Anthony Dillon overseeing growth, and Midlands managing director Peter Owen supporting operational delivery.
In a separate move, Richard Cotter, a motivational speaker and author of The Zebra Reality, has been appointed a non-executive director of Willmott Dixon Construction.
Willmott Dixon chief executive Graham Dundas said: "Stewart's promotion to COO reflects both his exceptional track record and our focus on creating the right platform for our next stage of growth. His near 40-year career from trainee to COO is a tremendous success story and demonstrates the strength of our succession planning.
"These appointments come at an exciting time as we see exceptional opportunities across our core markets. With Stewart leading our construction operations and Simon taking the helm at London & East, we have the right leadership team in place to drive our ambitious long-term plans."
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