The West Midlands Centre for Constructing Excellence (WMCCE) has strengthened its expertise, by appointing two new members to its board.
Martin Chambers, programme executive at Bovis Lend Lease, and Mark Wakeford, managing director at Stepnell, were both invited to join the board at the end of 2009. They bring over 50 years worth of combined experience to the team.
Originally qualifying as a Chartered Quantity Surveyor, Martin Chambers moved on to manage projects and to become a Chartered Builder with the CIOB. He was responsible for the £600 million Birmingham Gateway project, which included the regeneration of Birmingham New Street station. More recently he has led the way on Birmingham’s £1.3 billion Building Schools for the Future programme.
Mark Wakeford joined the construction industry in 1989 after graduating from Cambridge University. As managing director of Stepnell he has extensive experience of public sector and design and build contracts. Additionally, Mark is a member of the Strategic Forum for Construction Integration Task Group and also sits on the Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT) committee. An important figure for the future of the West Midlands construction industry, Mark has been vocal in expressing the importance of training and development, pioneering the Local Skills Academies.
Michael Thompson, Executive Director of WMCCE, says:
“It is important to WMCCE to have board members who represent key areas of the West Midlands Construction Industry. With the addition of Martin and Mark on the board, we are confident that this will strengthen the expertise of WMCCE greatly and will help us in our work towards a stronger regional construction industry for the future.”
Martin and Mark join 11 other members who already sit on the WMCCE board. The organisation is always looking to recruit additional members, where such additions will add strength, experience and knowledge to the group.
Martin Chambers says: “I was delighted to be invited to sit on the WMCCE board. The organisation has really driven best practice within the West Midlands construction industry and plays a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the sector in the future. I look forward to being able to share my experience and ideas on how to make sure the construction industry continues to thrive in the region”.
The new additions to the WMCCE board come shortly after the appointment of David Bucknall as chairman, replacing George Marsh who had previously held the role. During his time as chairman, George, who is a director at Bullock Construction and will remain on the WMCCE board, has helped WMCCE develop into a very successful regional centre for constructing excellence.
