Willmott Dixon has promoted regional Managing Director (MD) Stewart Brundell to the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO) at its £1bn turnover Construction business.

Stewart has almost 40 years' service with Willmott Dixon, having joined its trainee management programme before becoming the company’s first ever Trainee of the Year. Most recently, he was MD of the company’s London & East region.

Stepping up at London & East to replace Stewart is Simon Ramage, currently Director of Delivery, who will initially be promoted into the role of Deputy MD before taking on the full MD role in January 2026 following a transition period. Like Stewart, Simon is a former Willmott Dixon trainee and Trainee of the Year winner with almost 30 years' experience at the company.

The promotions follow John Waterman’s decision to step down as the Construction division’s COO earlier this year after ten years in the role and underlines the company's commitment to developing a strong pipeline of talent and promoting from within.

Alongside the appointments, Willmott Dixon is giving extended strategic roles within its Construction leadership team, with Anthony Dillon, MD in the North, overseeing growth, and Peter Owen, MD in the Midlands, supporting operational delivery. Also, Richard Cotter, a leading specialist in business strategy and growth, has been appointed to support the Construction Board as a Non-Executive Director.

Graham Dundas, Willmott Dixon’s Chief Executive Officer:

"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."

Recent projects that Willmott Dixon’s construction business has delivered include Stockport Interchange and the restoration of the Bristol Beacon performance venue, while it is currently on site in Stoke-on-Trent building a student village for University of Staffordshire.

Alongside its Construction company, Willmott Dixon also has a thriving interiors fit-out business led by COO Roger Forsdyke, plus its sister company Fortem, which delivers repairs and maintenance, minor capital works and net zero upgrades to council and housing association owned homes, which is led by COO Chris Tredget.