Wates Group, the UK’s leading family-owned development, building and property maintenance company, has appointed Steff Battle as Managing Director of Wates Construction.
Steff has held the role of Managing Director on an interim basis since October 2023, and following a full recruitment process, he is now being confirmed in this position on a permanent basis.
Steff has been at Wates since 1995, spending his initial 18 years in a regional capacity including five years as Regional Director. Following this, he led the pre-construction function for Wates Construction Group, which includes SES Engineering Services, for more than six years.
Employing more than 1,300 people, the construction business is Wates’ largest operation, with annual revenue in the region of £1bn. With a national footprint, the business has a balanced portfolio of projects across the public and private sectors.
More recently, it has grown its major projects capability, with iconic schemes like the £140m transformation of the Lucent building behind the iconic Piccadilly Lights in central London. Current schemes include the design and build of the AESC gigafactory in Sunderland which, once complete, will deliver a six-fold increase in UK electric vehicle battery production, and we are working with British Land to create the first new town centre in London for 50 years at Canada Water.
As Managing Director, Steff will maintain a sharp focus on delivering to time, cost and quality, while ensuring the highest standards of safety across all projects. He is also committed to nurturing an inclusive culture for everyone and collaborating with supply chain partners to find innovative solutions to address the climate crisis.
Steff Battle said: “I’m delighted to be continuing in my role as Managing Director of Wates Construction. Our business is full of talented, committed people doing amazing work across the country. I will nurture an environment that enables people to thrive, a place where their voices are heard, respected and valued. I am an advocate of working with delivery partners and stakeholders to create the optimum balance between quality, cost and programme. It’s really important to me that we always seek to build a more customer-focused, value-enhancing offering. It is a great privilege to be given the opportunity to lead this great business.”
Paul Chandler, Executive Managing Director, Wates Construction Group commented: “Developing our people and providing exciting career opportunities is a priority for us at Wates. So, it is great to be able to confirm that Steff will be continuing in this vitally important position on a permanent basis. With almost 30 years’ industry experience, Steff brings a wealth of experience that will be invaluable as we continue to work across the Construction Group and our supply chain to deliver the very best for our customers.”
