GMI Construction Group PLC has reiterated its commitment to the Midlands with the promotion of Gareth Jones to Joint Regional Managing Director.
Gareth, 36, from Stourbridge, takes on the role alongside existing Regional Managing Director Andy Bruce as part of GMI Construction’s long-term succession planning strategy as it continues to grow its activity in the Midlands.
With nearly 20 years’ experience in construction, Gareth has quickly risen in the industry. He started as a trainee Site Engineer aged 17, also studying for a degree in Construction Management and Civil Engineering.
This became the foundation of a 12-year career with Galliford Try in which time he progressed to site management and project management roles before the age of 24.
Prior to joining GMI Construction as Construction Manager he spent five years at Thomas Vale, which was acquired by Bouygues Construction. He has spent the last two years as Construction Director for the Midlands with GMI before taking on this new role.
He was the first person to be recruited by Andy Bruce to establish a presence in the Midlands four years ago and has since been instrumental in bringing both operational and commercial staff into the business to build dedicated site and support teams in the region.
Having originally started delivering projects in the region managed from its North West and Yorkshire offices, GMI Construction established a permanent base in the Midlands in the last 18 months, and has quickly secured a portfolio of significant developments.
It currently has a pipeline of £100m worth of commercial and residential property schemes in locations including Birmingham,
Among them is the £30m, 260 apartment Becketwell regeneration scheme in Derby, which is the most significant development in the city centre since 2007 and is due for completion in the first quarter of 2023.
GMI Construction is also delivering a 155,000 sq ft logistics warehouse for St Modwen in Longbridge, Birmingham, as well as a £18m, 105-apartment development at Cornwall House in the city’s jewellery quarter for HBD.
Gareth Jones said: “It has always been my ambition to progress my career to a senior position such as this and I am delighted it is in my home region and for a company like GMI Construction, which gives its regional managing directors autonomy and the ability to remain agile and build close collaborative relationships with clients and suppliers.
“The Midlands is exceptionally important to GMI Construction, and we are dedicated to supporting the region’s economic and social ambitions to level up through the creation of high quality, sustainable homes and commercial properties that generate long-term employment and investment into the area.”
Lee Powell, CEO of GMI Construction Group, said: “Gareth is a rising star, not only in our business, but in the construction industry and is at the core of our operations in the Midlands. He already works exceptionally closely with Andy Bruce, who has successfully established our presence in the Midlands, and will now work on an equal footing as part of our long-term succession planning and commitment to the region.”
