Esh Group has appointed Andy Radcliffe as new group chief executive in line with the wishes of the late Brian Manning.

The promotion, which follows the premature death of chief executive Manning last month, is part of a succession plan already in place to facilitate his impending retirement.

The plan also included the transition of John Davies into the newly created role of chief operating officer, alongside his existing position as managing director of Esh Construction.

Andy joined Esh in 2010 as chief financial officer while John has worked for Esh Group for 27 years, having joined Lumsden & Carroll in 1991 – one of the founding business of the Esh Group.

Andy said: “Brian was passionate about building a high performing leadership team at Esh in readiness for his retirement. We have a huge sense of responsibility in taking up our new roles, and are committed in building upon Esh Group’s position as a high quality construction company founded upon a strong balance sheet and cash position.

“We have a great team at Esh, with a wealth of talent and experience across the entire organisation, and this puts us on an excellent footing to deliver the best service for our clients. We have so much to look forward to in the growth of Esh – including exciting projects, opportunities for staff and continued support of the communities in which we work.”

John Davies added: “Thanks to the brilliant capabilities of our business, our staff and clients can be confident the business will continue to lead in the construction field. Brian’s legacy is an incredible one, and we’re all determined to take this position his leadership afforded us and build on it. The core principles of Esh Group’s work continue to be delivering value for the economy, the communities in which we work and the environment.”