The Chairman of JF Finnegan, Philip Hollister, has announced his retirement after 50 years of service at the Sheffield-based contractor and developer.
The announcement comes shortly after JF Finnegan revealed its successful financial results which saw turnover boosted by 35% to £34.2M at the year ending September 2013. Major projects such as the completion of a sleeper factory in Doncaster for Network Rail, new stores for Costco and a 151,716 sq ft letting to Royal Mail at Magna 34 in Rotherham all contributed to the firm’s successful year and the recent sale of the Elizabeth House office scheme in Leeds shows that 2014 is progressing equally well.
Mr Hollister joined the Ecclesall Road firm in 1963 as a school-leaver and worked his way up to the role of Commercial Director before taking the helm from long-standing colleague and outgoing Chairman, Philip Ryan in 2010. Mr Hollister promoted Gary Smith to the newly created role of Managing Director in 2012 as a move to strategically place the company for the future and Mr Smith will retain this role, driving the business forward.
During his time at JF Finnegan, Mr Hollister has been involved with some of JF Finnegan’s most notable projects such as; Sheffield Parkway Business Park, Commercial Street offices, Wards Exchange and Butcher Works which really put the firm on the map and showcased its capabilities with new build, restoration and design-led projects. Mr Hollister has also led the delivery of some of the firm’s most iconic schemes such as the award-winning Charles St Q-Park ‘Cheesegrater’ and the innovative, highly sustainable Sheffield City College.
He has witnessed the firm move from purely a contractor to becoming very development-focussed in the early 2000’s when around 40% of its construction turnover was generated from its own developments. In recent times the contractual business has accounted for around 85% of turnover as it has undertaken a lot of public sector work and looked to capitalise on new and emerging markets such as supermarkets, retail, education and waste facilities with live projects all over the country.
Reflecting on his time with the firm, Mr Hollister said; “Having spent my entire working life at JF Finnegan, it hasn’t been an easy decision to step down but we have been preparing the business for some time now and I am confident that the team is ready to enter a new phase under Gary’s capable leadership. I’m incredibly proud of everything that JF Finnegan has achieved and whilst my time as Chairman coincided with one of the most challenging economic climates on record, our recent results demonstrate how well we have weathered the storm.
“We employed a new strategy of diversification in the late 1990’s, identifying that a varied portfolio of work in both our contractual and developmental projects would enable us to ride out the inevitable peaks and troughs which different sectors experience. This approach still remains key as opportunities emerge from the recession and those who are poised and ready to capitalise on them will flourish. What stands JF Finnegan in such good stead is its ability to adapt to the changing market whilst retaining its ethos for quality, reliability and deliverability. The retention of existing clients and quest for identifying new sectors has ensured the firm’s long-term success along with its staff who are all multi-functional, highly trained and much sought-after within the industry.
“Whilst JF Finnegan works all over the country, the heart of the company is in Sheffield and as recovery within the property market is being readily acknowledged, South Yorkshire is uniquely placed to capitalise on this. There is a real drive among those working in the sector to ensure its success and the region benefits from key factors such as excellent connectivity, great resources with its power supply, lots of land opportunities, the Advanced Manufacturing Park which is a coup for the region and a superbly skilled workforce.
“It has been an honour to be part of the delivery of some of the region’s most exciting regeneration work and to have worked with such fantastic people both within the company and externally across the whole region and industry. I look forward to watching the company flourish as it continues to serve the industry, true to its core values.”
