Chief executive Iain Napier's ambitious plans for housebuilder include keeping directors on their toes
Taylor Woodrow chief executive Iain Napier has hinted at a boardroom shake-up at the housebuilder in the next three years, which could include his own departure.

Speaking to 好色先生TV, Napier said that executive boards should be revamped every five or six years. Napier joined Taywood in 2002, suggesting that he might make some changes in 2007 or 2008.

He said: "No CEO should stay on too long 鈥� you need to get fresh blood. Around the five to six-year mark you should refresh either the CEO or team below."

However, Napier said he is enjoying his current job: "I'm still very happy with what I do. The company has enormous potential, although it frustrates the life out of me that we don't make progress faster."

Taylor Woodrow has adopted an aggressive growth strategy 鈥� last year the company acquired rival Wilson Connolly for 拢480m.

It has rebranded 80-85% of Wilcon's operations as Bryant, Taywood's existing subsidiary.

Four out of Taywood's 11 regional offices are now run by former Wilcon directors.

No CEO should stay too long 鈥� you need to get fresh blood

Ian Napier, Taylor Woodrow

The Taywood boss also predicted that housebuilders are close to being able to build 20,000 homes a year. He said: "No doubt that within three years you will see two players doing 20,000 homes."

This size would suggest that housebuilders might break in to the FTSE-100, the holy grail of ambitious firms. At the moment housebuilders are poorly regarded in the City, despite strong profit figures.

Napier said: "Probably the big four housebuilders are running at a profitability that would place them 60th to 70th in the FTSE, but the market still believes that this is an interest rate-driven business with unsustainable profits. However, this business has been a boom market for 13 or 14 years."

Taylor Woodrow is concentrating on growing its North American business this year. In contrast with 2003, a large proportion of its capital will go into North America.

The company has been operating in the USA for 35 years.

Taywood hopes to build 3500 homes there in 2004, up from 2800 last year.