Lovell managing director Stewart Davenport said: “This is a key appointment for Lovell and we are delighted to have secured someone with Kevin’s wealth of social housing expertise to head up our business development team at a time of major expansion for the company.”

Lovell has significantly expanded its Lovell Respond housing maintenance business with the recent acquisition of Powerminster Gleeson Services to create a UK-wide maintenance and estates management services business.

Willetts said: “Lovell has an impressive brand and track record of service delivery in social housing new-build, regeneration and maintenance.

“I’m excited about working with the team to take the business forward and ensuring that we continue to delight our existing customers and win new business by delivering the highest standards of service and quality and becoming the number one provider of housing to the sector in the UK.”

Kevin spent the first 18 years of his career in the public sector working with Coventry Churches Housing Association (now part of the Midland Heart group) and as development director of Mercian Housing Association.

He was then group social housing director for Mansell Construction before joining Rok where he spent seven years as group housing director and more recently as group director of sales and marketing.

Wates Construction has appointed former Laing O’Rourke education head Stephen Beechey as its Group Investment Director to oversee its existing and future involvement in project financed and private public partner schemes.