Private equity owner continues rejig at former Kier Living

The renamed Kier Living is continuing to ring the changes under its private equity owner with the firm bringing in a former Linden Homes chief executive as its new divisional managing director and confirming its chief operating officer is leaving.

Andrew Hammond will initially take on duties from Mike Coker, who was only appointed COO last May, and will effectively serve as number two to new chief executive Nigel Greenaway who joined last month to replace David Bridges.

A spokesperson said Coker would go in the spring and added: “Mike was brought in alongside David Bridges to execute the sale of Kier Living and subsequent separation process from Kier Group. Following the successful completion of that sale to Terra Firma in June 2021, Mike has decided that now is the right time to hand over to a new leadership team to drive forward a new vision and chapter for Tilia. He is currently considering future opportunities.”

Speaking about Hammond’s arrival, Greenaway said: “His key priorities will be to work with our wider senior management team to introduce operational efficiencies, open up new geographical areas, review our current housetype range and ensure we deliver a five-star customer service.”

The move means the firm, now called Tilia Homes, has changed its two most senior executives in just over four weeks with former boss Bridges leaving at the end of last month after less than two years in the role.

When the firm rebranded last May after being bought by Terra Firma the month before for £110m, Bridges said: “We have a great team across the business, and I look forward to working with them and our new owner on a shared vision and strategy for Tilia Homes.”

Terra Firma chairman Guy Hands, best known for buying collapsed music label EMI in 2007 just before the credit crunch struck, said at the time he was looking forward to working with Bridges “and the management team to drive the business into this new and exciting phase”.

Greenaway is the fourth boss of Tilia since 2019 when John Anderson left that summer after more than nine years at the firm.

Hammond was boss of Linden, then part of Galliford Try, for 10 months after Galliford chief Peter Truscott left to join Crest Nicholson three years ago.

After Linden was sold to Bovis Homes two years ago, Hammond stayed on as a divisional chairman for eight months at the enlarged group which changed its name to Vistry.

He previously worked for Persimmon for 13 years with Greenaway, another former Persimmon executive.

Last week, Terra Firm snapped up regional housebuilder Hopkins Homes for an undisclosed sum.