25 January 2021
Civil engineering Director, Declan Sherry, has been appointed to Clifford Devlin’s newly established Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) Board. He joins the London-based contractor as a Non-Executive Director with a remit to provide independent governance and oversight of its ownership restructure.
“I look forward to using my experience at Board level of various construction and civil engineering businesses to help Clifford Devlin transition to the EOT,” says Declan, “The company has an excellent reputation in the industry and I am convinced the new ownership structure will allow continued stability and help facilitate its further potential.”
In February Clifford Devlin announced it was transitioning its ownership structure to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT). The restructuring, which saw members of the company’s management team appointed as Board Directors of Clifford Devlin Ltd, with one, Ian O’Connor, also being appointed to the EOT Board of Directors, is designed to provide the company with stability and continuity while existing members of the Clifford family gradually reduce their influence and handover more responsibility over time.
“Declan’s experience of managing major infrastructure projects across a wide range of sectors will help develop and enhance our ability to deliver complex, multi-disciplined schemes which has been Clifford Devlin’s forte for many years,” said Managing Director Tim Clifford, “His presence on our new board will provide the additional knowledge and expertise we need to manage our ownership transition.”
The company, which specialises in inner-city, enabling works projects featuring demolition, asbestos removal, structural alterations and groundworks packages, recently completed a £7.5m project to facilitate the development of the Euston hub of HS2.
Declan Sherry has over 30 years’ experience in the construction and civil engineering industries having specialised in delivering projects across a wide range of sectors from infrastructure to defence, energy, commercial and residential both in the UK and Europe.
Most recently he was part of the governance team at the £9 billion project to redevelop the iconic Battersea Power Station.
Declan has been a Chartered Civil Engineer since 2000 and a Fellow of the Institute of Directors since 2016. Declan career began in 1989 and spans three family run businesses: O’Rourke Civil Engineering Ltd, Lancsville Construction & Henry Underground & Rail Services Ltd and McGee Group. Declan founded Red Key Ltd in 2016 as a management consultancy.
In addition to his work at Battersea Power Station Declan has been involved in the successful delivery of a number of other major infrastructure and nationally strategic projects including Hinkley Point C, Kings Cross, Urenco’s Tails Management Facility, a number of London Underground station and infrastructure upgrades, iconic headquarter projects including BAA Riverside and Bloomberg London as well as several Hospital PFI developments.
Declan is a keen advocate of behavioural safety improvement and is passionate about mentoring staff, passing on knowledge and experience to aid staff progression.
“I am looking forward to working with the new Board, the greater Clifford Devlin team and of course our clients.” says Declan.
