FMJ Facilities Management magazine providing industry-specific intelligence to FM and property professionals
Wates Group has appointed Esther English as its new Corporate Development Director responsible for leading the Group’s strategic planning activities.
In her new role, English will oversee the work that is underway to achieve the Group’s diversity, inclusion, and environmental goals, and will explore new opportunities to make Wates more progressive, more trusted, and more sustainably profitable.
Reporting to Chief Executive, David Allen, English will also support the Group’s Executive Committee.
A Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, English joined the Wates Group in August 2020 as maternity cover for the Chief of Staff. Prior to this, she worked at Crossrail for five years, most recently as Head of Reporting, and at KPMG and Reed Global. She holds an MA in Experimental Psychology from St. Catherine’s College, Oxford and was Treasurer of the Association for Business Psychology from 2015 to 2019.
Speaking about her new appointment which takes place with immediate effect, English said: “Wates is a fantastic business. I’m delighted to be joining the team and to have the opportunity to contribute to and shape the changes that will ensure that it continues to thrive and to provide leadership to the sector in the future.”
David Allen, Wates Group’s Chief Executive, added: “The need for our sector to change has never been clearer. We are committed to transforming our business. To do so, we need to blend the deep expertise of our existing team with the new capabilities, varied experiences, and fresh perspectives that people from different academic and professional backgrounds can bring. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with Esther as we find better ways to meet our customers’ needs and to fulfil the enormous potential of the Group.”
As workplaces open up and restrictions lift the role of the FM has become more important than ever.
The challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic are now providing a valuable opportunity for FMs to demonstrate their skills and adaptability. Whilst on a practical level FMs are responsible for making buildings safe and comfortable, they are also crucial in attracting people back to the office.
In speaking with industry leaders, it is clear that there are six key areas of focus. Zip has published a white paper which looks at each one, suggesting ways that facilities managers can tackle the complexities and pace of a return to the workplace, whilst demonstrating clear and effective leadership along the way.
To find out more download the white paper here.
