The former boss of Galliford Try, Graham Prothero, will replace James Thomson as chief executive of MJ Gleeson.
Prothero, currently chief operating officer at Vistry Group, will join the board of the housebuilder and land promoter on 1 January 2023.
Prothero became COO of Vistry in January 2020 following the acquisition by Bovis Homes of Galliford Try’s housing businesses. He was formerly chief executive of Galliford Try from 2019, having previously served as finance director since 2013.
Vistry said it would not be appointing a new COO and that, from October, Prothero’s responsibilities would be distributed among members of the executive leadership team.
Vistry CEO Greg Fitzgerald said: “Graham has been a valued colleague at Vistry since joining the group in 2020 on the acquisition of Linden Homes, Drew Smith and Partnerships from Galliford Try, which has been an important period of transformation for the company. I would like to take this opportunity to thank him, on behalf of the board and colleagues across Vistry, for his commitment and contribution during his time here and the central role he has played in creating ‘One Vistry’. He will leave with our best wishes for his future career.”
Prior to joining Galliford Try, Prothero was finance director at Development Securities, which subsequently became U+I Group.
Prothero said: “I am very proud of what we have achieved at Vistry since the acquisition, but the time is now right for me to take up the opportunity of being a CEO, and I am hugely excited to join Gleeson. I wish Greg and the rest of Vistry all the best for the future. The business is performing strongly and has great potential.”
Outgoing Gleeson CEO Thomson was appointed in 2019 with a remit to implement cultural and structural changes which the board said were needed to deliver the company’s medium-term strategic objectives.
In an announcement this morning, Gleeson said: “Having successfully delivered those changes, James now wishes to stand down as CEO and will do so with effect from 31 December 2022.”
Thomson said: “We have achieved much over the last three years, during which time I have been supported by a strong and talented team of colleagues. Gleeson is now even better-placed to deliver the quality low-cost homes our country urgently needs. I am delighted to have been asked to remain on the board when I step down as CEO at the end of the year and, in the meantime, remain fully focused on delivering the results for the current financial year and ensuring that the business continues to perform into 2023.”
Chair Dermot Gleeson said: “We are delighted to have secured Graham Prothero as the group’s next CEO. His outstanding track record and experience in housebuilding make him the ideal choice to lead the group in the next phase of its development. I am also delighted that James has agreed to remain on the board as a non-executive director, where we will continue to benefit from his knowledge of the company and industry.”
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