Specialist contractor the O’Keefe group has put its money where its mouth is and appointed a former apprentice site operative as director of its Kent business.
Ross Halliday joined the group in 2004 and worked variously as apprentice general site operative, site engineering assistant, site engineer and site manager for the first 10 years.
For the past seven years he has been project manager for such schemes as the £16.7 million* Knole Academy for Willmott Dixon, £63 million Erith Park for Wates Living Space, £20 million Orchard Lodge for Fairview New Homes, and the £9 million Barking redevelopment for Mid Group.
Most recently, he worked on the £8 million Purfleet car storage package for Huber Systems which came in three weeks ahead of the 24-week schedule.
An APM (Association of Project Management) member and keen sportsman, his role as Kent director will be to oversee the overall performance of the business which is based at O’Keefe’s new headquarters in the county.
He said of his appointment: “It’s been an amazing and challenging journey from apprentice to director. The business has supported me throughout for which I’m grateful but the hard work begins again now. I’m looking forward to bringing a strategic and driven approach to an already solid region of the group. The Kent region has a fantastic group of employees which I’m looking forward to working closely with in achieving our business goals.”
O’Keefe group CEO Patrick O’Keefe said: “We have a strong record of bringing people through the ranks and Ross is a prime example of that. We are excited to see what he will do with one of our most successful divisions.”
Former Kent director Derek Gilburt remains with the business, taking up a new role in pre-construction.
