Vistry appoints former pub company boss as new chair

Vistry has appointed Ralph Findlay as its new chair.

The £2bn-turnover housebuilder today announced that current chair Ian Tyler will not seek re-election after more than eight years in the role and will step down next May.

He will be replaced by Findlay, who has been on the board of Vistry and predecessor Bovis Homes since 2015.

Findlay previously worked at pub and hotel chain operator and former brewer Marstons for 26 years, serving as chief executive for 20 years and finance director for six.

Findlay will stand down from his role as chair of the audit committee at Vistry. Vistry’s board will now seek to recruit a replacement audit committee chair and new board member.

Findlay said: “On behalf of the board I would like to thank Ian for his invaluable contribution as non-executive chair of the company since 2013. Alongside Greg and the senior team, Ian has played an instrumental role in helping this business become one of the UK’s top housebuilders.”

Greg Fitzgerald, chief executive officer at Vistry, said Findlay will provide “important continuity for Vistry as we pursue the group’s growth strategy and continue the great progress towards our medium term targets in both housebuilding and partnerships, with a firm focus on maximising the strengths and opportunities from our unique combination .”

The announcement follows Vistry last week telling the stock market it is on course to hit its twice-upgraded profit expectations this year.

The house builder, formed last year from the merger of Bovis Homes with the housebuilding operations of Galliford Try, is aiming to deliver 8,000 homes per year from its traditional housebuilding business in the “medium term”. At the same time, it is seeking to raise annual revenue from its partnerships business from around £1bn to £1.6bn within five years.