Murray Coleman removes senior roles, including head of regions and UK chief operating officer

Murray Coleman, the new UK chief executive of contractor Bovis Lend Lease, has overhauled the structure of the business by stripping out layers of management.

Coleman has done away with Doug Chalmers’ role as head of the regions so that the southern, northern and Scottish divisions report directly to him.

John Howell, who has worked at Bovis for the past 34 years, has been replaced as head of the southern division by Julian Daniel, but will remain within the business in a role yet to be defined. Daniel previously held a global health and safety role.

Coleman said: “Historically, the UK south division has been the heartland of the business, so I wanted to think long and hard about how to take it forward.”

Colin Harvey will retain his role as head of the northern division.

Chalmers will also remain at Bovis and his focus will shift initially to four major projects in the north, including Bridgewater Place in Leeds, the office tower that has proved problematic for Bovis.

The role of chief operating officer in the UK has also been removed. Phil Wade, its previous holder, has been promoted to take on a strategic role at a global level, reporting directly to global chief executive Bob Johnston.

Coleman said: “What I need to develop is far greater transparency and line of sight to the business. What I need is a sense of how the business is operating and identify the key talent.”

Coleman was due to announce the changes to staff yesterday after Building had gone to press. They come after a difficult period at Bovis during which it took a £14m hit on Bridgewater Place and BBC’s Broadcasting House headquarters in London, before parting ways with former UK chief executive Jason Millett.

Coleman, an Australian, was brought in to replace Millett in August.