Galliard chief exec to leave firm

The chief executive of Galliard Homes is to step down in a move that will see the firm’s co-founder to re-take day-to-day control of the £300m turnover residential developer.

The firm said in a statement that Don O’Sullivan, a long-time Galliard Homes stalwart who was appointed chief executive in 2017, will leave the business in March next year in order “to seek new challenges elsewhere”.

The firm’s co-founder and executive chairman Stephen Conway will then retake control as chief executive of the business, while a host of other senior execs will receive promotions.

The business, which reported a pre-tax profit in the year to March 2021 of £62.6m on turnover of £294m, will promote construction director Darren Maguire to the board of the firm, making him managing director of construction.

The business is at the same time promoting its current group financial controller Amanda Dijk to the role of finance director.

O’Sullivan’s departure from Galliard will come after 21 years at the business he joined as a contracts manager in 2001. Prior to being appointed chief executive in 2017 he was made construction director and then managing director. He is now looking for a CEO-level role elsewhere with a volume housebuilder or major developer.

Stephen Conway, executive chairman of Galliard Homes (pictured, right), said he will be “forever grateful” to O’Sullivan for his commitment and energy wished him well for the future. He said: “The Galliard of today is unrecognisable from the Galliard of 21 years ago and that is, in large part, due to Don’s dynamism and will be his legacy.”

O’Sullivan said that working with Stephen Conway for 21 years had been an “extraordinary privilege”. “I wish Stephen and the Conway family every success,” he said.