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When Neil Martin said that he was leaving Lendlease last year, having spent most of his career with the firm, former colleagues didn鈥檛 think it would be too long before he would be back in the industry.

鈥淗e knows the sector and he鈥檚 good at construction,鈥� says one. 鈥淗e鈥檚 well-liked among the construction guys and I think it鈥檚 a really good move for them.鈥�

The 鈥渢hem鈥� in question, of course, is one of the industry鈥檚 grand names, Sir Robert McAlpine.

While it鈥檚 difficult right now to describe any contractor as blue-chip 鈥� possibly with the exception of Morgan Sindall given its reliability to turn in healthy profits 鈥� McAlpine is certainly blue-blooded, with a rich heritage and years-long traditions.

One first-time attendee at its recent Christmas party was caught off guard when his full name, including prefix, was introduced to the throng, town crier-style. 鈥淭he MC looked at my name badge and the next moment I was being introduced to the crowd. It was a bit of surprise.鈥�

Two decades ago, Sir Robert McAlpine took action against Alfred McAlpine 鈥� Alfred was the son of Robert 鈥� over the latter鈥檚 move to drop Alfred from its name and become McAlpine. Alfred was deemed a bit too old-fashioned for a modern support services firm, as it had morphed into back then, and under the plan a new purple lozenge logo was drawn up. Alfred was dropped and the relaunch went ahead with minimal warning to Robert the change was coming.

McAlpine went to court, arguing that people would confuse the two. The hearing, which lasted for several days at the High Court on the Strand, eventually resulted in a victory for Sir Robert and Alfred was given just a few weeks to rebrand all over again. It was attended every day by the late Malcolm McAlpine, grandson of Robert. He would arrive at court in a McAlpine green London cab.

But firms, no matter how grand or historic, can lose their way and there has been a growing feeling that the contractor which built the Bloomberg building and, further back, the Emirates stadium, has been missing a beat these past few years.

鈥淭hey鈥檝e lost their way a bit,鈥� says one consultant. 鈥淚n London, McAlpine was good at complex projects. They were famous for problem-solving, a family-friendly builder. Now they do random projects and we鈥檙e not sure what they鈥檙e about.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not uncommon for firms to lose their way, but they need to re-energise the business. It鈥檚 a good appointment. He [Martin] has a track record, a good reputation and he鈥檚 probably still got the hunger.鈥�

Martin, who turns 57 in April, has been brought in to replace Paul Hamer, who was in charge for seven years.

Hailing from Saddleworth in Greater Manchester, Hamer came from White Young Green, the listed consultant bought by US firm Tetra Tech in 2019, having spent nine years there. Before that he had roles at British Nuclear and Costain.

Last year, he announced a major rejig at the company which saw the firm swapping a previous regional focus for a sector-based one. It caused some head-scratching in the industry. 

鈥淣eil will get rid of that weird model they brought in last year,鈥� says a former colleague of Martin鈥檚. 鈥淚 think that will get kicked into the long grass.鈥�

Another rival is blunter. 鈥淚f I were Neil, my first speech would be my easiest: Rip everything up and get back to basics.鈥�

Martin held a Teams meeting with staff on his first day last Monday and has been touring offices and sites, which include its Museum of London rebuild and Ritz hotel revamp, with chair Ed McAlpine in his first week. A company spokesperson says: 鈥淣eil brings the essential skills and experience required to lead our business, with a clear focus on project selection and excellence in delivery.鈥�

No doubt many will be wondering whether last year鈥檚 rejig is to be junked after just a matter of months. Some think it inevitable that it will be.

鈥淢cAlpine had a strong regional business,鈥� one former staffer explains. 鈥淪ectors don鈥檛 work. For them, it should be a simple, relationship model structure.

鈥淪ectors create a lot of mini heads, lots of little fiefdoms. It鈥檚 difficult to grow sectors, especially when you have lots of firms already established in them.鈥�

鈥淚t will be interesting to see whether Neil returns the business to a geographic, rather than sector, based structure,鈥� one firm says. 鈥淚t will also be interesting to see whether he sticks with infrastructure or returns to the traditional SRM heartlands of the private sector.

鈥淭he challenge is that both markets are very mature and you need to be at the top of your game across the board to be successful. SRM have been a little off the pace of late so will have a job on their hands with both to be frank. Neil will also need a good deal of support from across the family.鈥�

Another firm adds: 鈥淚t鈥檚 all about relationships. It鈥檚 quite simple, really. They have to give key clients confidence going forward and hopefully they get back to what they do best. [The change] needed to happen, in my view.鈥�

Some expect Martin to go back to Lendlease and try and poach staff. He was originally in charge of the construction business before being given a wider brief in summer 2019 when he was promoted to chief operating officer for Lendlease Europe, which also took in its developments and investment arms.

鈥淗e was good on construction but out of his comfort zone with the development and investment side,鈥� a former colleague says. 鈥淭his job is perfect for him.

鈥滻 wouldn鈥檛 be surprised if he tried to pick up some of the Lendlease project guys. He surrounded himself with good people there. He connects well with the construction guys.鈥�

Hamer was considered by some to be too remote and too often based at his home in Cheshire, which perplexed some, certainly those working in London.

鈥淣eil is a fairly straightforward fellow. You can have a laugh with the man,鈥� says another colleague. 鈥淗e knows the construction models and is a good advocate for it. He thinks contractors are the ones who pick up the risk and then get the rap. He thinks that鈥檚 unfair.鈥�

>> See also: In Business: Where McAlpine sees its future

One senior figure at a rival firm remembers that, within the first few days of starting a new role, he received a couple of messages of support. 鈥淭wo people sent me congratulations and he was one of them,鈥� he adds.

鈥淗e鈥檚 a proper builder. He has got a good profile in the industry. He gets out. Paul wasn鈥檛 really like that. I was surprised he lasted so long given that he didn鈥檛 really do all the glad-handing stuff.鈥�

Hamer, a Manchester City fan, left with the best wishes of McAlpine but everyone knows that firms don鈥檛 bring in replacement chief executives for more of the same.

As well as working out what to do with a restructure he has inherited 鈥� and one that McAlpine said last summer had already cost it more than 拢8m 鈥� other issues in Martin鈥檚 in-tray include dealing with the cost of finishing jobs which the firm said last year would be up to 拢33m more than it expected because of delays and inflation.

One of these is believed to be the 21 Moorfields scheme in the City, which was finally handed over to fit-out contractor ISG last September, 18 months late.

Also on his to-do list is lifting morale at the business, which has seen several senior figures go among wider job cuts. 鈥淭hey used to be fairly stable but they鈥檝e seen a few people go the past couple of years,鈥� says one industry source.

Around 40 roles went last spring with the initial rejig and then more people were put on consultation towards the end of last year, with back-office roles the latest understood to have been affected at the tun of the year.

鈥淧eople were coming off big jobs and being put onto consultation,鈥� says one source with knowledge of the situation. 鈥淸Martin鈥檚] got quite a lot of work to do and it won鈥檛 happen overnight. He needs to instil positivity at McAlpine 鈥� but having him there is a start.鈥�