Exclusive: 鈥楧riving force鈥� behind contractor鈥檚 fit-out division looks to double turnover at interiors specialist BWI

Steve Elliott

The former top team from Morgan Sindall鈥檚 拢400m fit-out businesses, Overbury and Morgan Lovell, have been appointed to lead a transformative growth plan for 拢80m-turnover rival BW Interiors.

Steve Elliott (pictured), who was managing director of Overbury from 1996 and the group鈥檚 overall fit-out division from 1998, and Paul Newton, who was finance director of the division from 2000, have joined the London and South-east fit-out firm BW Interiors (BWI).

Elliott has been appointed chairman and chief executive of the company, with Newton appointed as its finance director.

Elliott said he had also taken a 鈥渟mall鈥� stake in BWI, which works in the same high-end commercial fit-out market as Overbury and ISG, and that he was looking to more than double the turnover of the firm to as much as 拢200m.

Founders and co-owners Mark Richards and Craig Foster will now take a back seat as non-executive directors.

It is a bit early to say how big the firm [BWI] could be, but turnover of 拢150m-拢200m is very doable

Steve Elliott, BWI

Elliott was one of a number of senior departures from contractor Morgan Sindall last year, where Chris Booth now runs the firm鈥檚 lucrative fit-out division.

Elliott, who joined Overbury in 1989, was widely seen as the principal architect of the firm鈥檚 success over the last decade.

He was the driving force behind the group鈥檚 鈥淧erfect Delivery鈥� ethos, which measures the performance of Morgan Sindall businesses according to their ability to complete projects on time, on budget and without defects.

Elliott said the intention was to grow BWI 鈥渂y being the best鈥� but that a detailed business plan would not be finalised until early next year. He said: 鈥淚t is a bit early to say how big the firm could be, but turnover of 拢150m-拢200m is very doable in the current market and sustainable.鈥�

He said clients were 鈥渃rying out鈥� for choice in the fit-out market and his ambition was to provide an alternative to the major players.

He added: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a very buoyant market to come in to and, at the moment, there鈥檚 a lack of choice 鈥� it鈥檚 basically ISG or Overbury.鈥�

BWI turned over 拢71m in the year to September 2013, making 拢667,000 in pre-tax profit, but will turn over around 拢80m in 2014.

Elliott said he was looking forward to growing the business in the same way he contributed to the success of Overbury.

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