At the 2018 West Midlands Finance Awards in Birmingham last month, our very own Ben Harwood, Finance Director and National Head of Asset Recovery Solutions, was presented the ‘Highly Commended – Finance Director of The Year’ award.
Awarded to the Finance Director with a demonstrable legacy of delivery in financial performance, leadership and management, judges of the category were looking for nominees who provided examples of providing strategic direction to their company.
“It was amazing to be recognised and win an award in the Finance Director of the Year category. I Couldn’t have done it without a great team and company with me! Really proud of everyone and everything we have done over the past year.” – Ben Harwood
Being dubbed “an early and unexpected Christmas present”, for the sector and wider economy, the latest Purchasing Manager’s Index came in better than the market expected.
Speaking in the Evening Standard, Naismiths MD Blane Perrotton reacted to the discovery of the unexpected recent market stability…
Speaking to Sam Hare, a Naismiths Project Manager based in London, Building Magazine cover his journey from Carpenter to Project Manager, as they report on those who are making the move across different disciplines within the construction industry…
Naismiths have been talking to the Financial Times. Managing Director, Blane Perrotton, gave his take on the decline of new orders within the sector.
“The inescapable truth is that Brexit deadlock has choked investor appetite and the chances of the impasse ending before a deal is struck remain minimal.”…
At an industry roundtable breakfast event hosted by Blane Perrotton of Naismiths, development lenders met to discuss current topics and potential concerns within the UK market.
The event, attended by a number of journalists, unearthed that the sentiment from most of the lenders was that development is still strong and appetite is still there.
A key topic was modular housing, whilst considered to still be in its infancy, no doubt we will start to see significant growth in the sector could see more lenders start to get involved with the funding of these schemes…
When asked by Mortgage Strategy what he’d like to see in the upcoming autumn budget for the benefit of our industry, Gareth Belsham, Naismiths National Head of Building Surveying, believes “cash-strapped” planning teams within local authorities are due a boost in order to lend a helping hand to developers…
“If the government wants to even come close to achieving its target of building 300,000 new homes a year, it really needs to lend a helping hand to developers. Housebuilders are already constrained by the red tape and walls of bureaucracy imposed on them by cash-strapped local councils.”
The 2018 Building list of the Top 150 Consultants has been published and Naismiths are very proud to be among them. Ranking 104 of the 250 firms assessed, we are delighted to be recognised.
“Everyone here is extremely proud of this achievement and industry recognition. This is once again another key example that demonstrates the quality and capability of the people we have here at Naismiths.” – Blane Perrotton, Managing Director
With new data from the Office for National Statistics showing that Construction has dropped from 7th to 12th of the top ranked jobs for young people aged between 22 and 29, Building Magazine asked Naismiths MD Blane Perrotton for his thoughts:
“If Brexit shuts off the tap of skilled European workers on which UK construction relies, there’s a real danger we could reach a point where the industry can no longer deliver everything that is asked of it. It’s vital that the construction industry pulls together to shrug off the negative stereotypes that make it harder to attract young blood,”…
As part of Building Magazine’s graduate panel, “talking to the next generation of construction professionals”, Naismiths’ own James Hart was selected as one of 12 young professionals to form this important part of the ‘Building Your Future Campaign’.
Speaking to the Magazine, Naismiths Assistant Surveyor James, described one of his hopes for the future;
“I would like project monitoring to be more widely respected, and seen as an integral part of the construction industry – as it is a crucial service that is often overlooked.”…
When asked if Lenders should have the right to withhold valuation reports, Naismiths Managing Director, Blane Perrotton had this to say to Development Finance Today;
“If the developer has grossly exaggerated the value of the finished project or hugely undervalued the projected cost of construction, the valuation will send alarm bells ringing, allowing the lender to make an informed decision. However, in these instances, the lender would almost certainly share the valuation with the developer, so any shortcomings, exaggerations or uncertainties can be addressed.”