Former CALA Group director Gerry More has been appointed as managing director of Stewart Milne Homes to drive growth in the central belt.

A well-known, respected expert in housebuilding, Mr More will take up his new position with one of the housebuilder at the beginning of April with responsibility for growing Stewart Milne Homes’ presence in and around Edinburgh and Glasgow.

A qualified chartered accountant, Mr More has extensive sector and UK-wide experience gained over the course of a career spanning more than 25 years. He has been involved as consultant and director with a number of housebuilding and property related companies in recent years across the UK.

A board member and former chairman of Homes for Scotland, Mr More has most recently, as Private Rented Sector Champion and through this industry body, advised the Scottish Government on policies and regulatory matters designed to encourage institutional investment in new purpose-built for rent homes for the private rented sector.

Previous roles included chief executive officer of stock market-listed, residential mezzanine funding provider Wolsey Residential Finance plc and a main board director of CALA Group.

Mr More said: “I’m excited to be joining one of Scotland’s largest independent house-building companies with a strong track record in both the craftsmanship of its homes and its focus on customer service excellence.

“With a mandate to grow the business, enhancing our already strong brand and presence in West Central Scotland and building our market position in East Central Scotland, I’ll be leading a team with strong and respected management skills. This exciting role is an excellent fit with my expertise in growing a profitable business with homes in desirable locations across Scotland.”

Commenting on this appointment, Glenn Allison, chief executive of Stewart Milne Group, said: “Central Scotland is a key market for us and one with significant growth potential which we are committed to accelerating in 2017. We are investing in land and in bringing exciting new developments forward to meet demand for the range of high-quality homes that we provide. Gerry is a significant appointment for us and his impressive credentials in our sector means that he brings a wealth of experience and a network of contacts which will have a major impact on our homes business across the central belt.”