The contractor is creating a new director of technology role, with Paul Connolly stepping up from head of construction technical services to lead its growing data centre division.

He will report to Rob Lemming, who leads the Public, Science and Technology business unit, and take charge of one of the firm’s fastest-expanding sectors, as demand surges for high-performance digital infrastructure schemes.

The move comes after the managing director of technology Alister Grey decided to pursue opportunities outside the business.

He will leave Mace this summer after nearly a decade, having helped establish the firm’s position in the hyperscale data centre market across Europe.

The leadership switch signals a shift towards a more technology-driven, engineering-led delivery model as Mace targets further growth in the sector.

At the same time, the contractor is sharpening its interiors offer, pulling it firmly into its specialist services arm under managing director Gavin Seager.

The business will now focus purely on London Category A and B fit-out work, aiming to deliver a faster, more agile response to commercial clients.

The operational changes follow Mace Construct’s move to a simplified structure paring its operating model from five to three business units built around commercial; public sector, science and technology; and infrastructure, supported by a cross-cutting building services function.

Chief executive Jason Millett said the changes marked the next phase of the contractor’s reset as a standalone business, with a sharper market focus and stronger internal leadership pipeline.

• Mace’s non-executive directors Nina Bjornstad and John Holland Kaye, have made the decision to step down from the Mace Group Board to focus on other non-executive commitments. Kaye was appointed as Chair of Sizewell C in February 2025 and Chair of Cadent Gas in February 2026. Bjornstad was appointed to the Etraveli Group Board in January 2026 and has a number of other active board roles.