Paul Wills has joined Beard from Bowmer & Kirkland, where he had been a regional quality manager since March 2023. Before that, he worked for Willmott Dixon, briefly, Midas group for 14 years and ISG for five years.
In his new job, Wills will work across all five of Beard’s offices – Swindon, Bristol, Oxford, Guildford and Southampton – implementing processes to enhance construction practices and minimise defects.
“My role focuses on being proactive in our approach to managing quality and mitigating defects,” he said, “rather than reactively and retrospectively responding. I am responsible for bringing continuity across Beard’s approach to quality in every element of the build process.
“I want to support Beard colleagues and subcontractors, and work collaboratively on processes and procedures across the business, from site teams to commercial and finance, to our approach to training and recruitment.”
Kirsty Lever, Beard’s head of business improvement, said: “Quality has always been a cornerstone of our business and Paul’s appointment marks a significant step in our commitment to continual improvement and demonstrates our focus on delivering outstanding projects.
“The construction industry has seen a cultural shift in its approach to quality in recent years, driven by new regulations and evolving client expectations. Having a dedicated specialist focusing on this, we are positioning ourselves to stay ahead of these changes – proactively identifying root causes of issues or defects, addressing gaps in design or process, and ensuring the highest standards are maintained across every project.”
Wills’ appointment comes as Beard celebrates a record year of growth. It has added 65 new staff in 2024, growing the team to more than 350.
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