executive committee

Paul Drechsler
Chairman and Chief Executive
Paul joined Wates in 2004.

He was born in Ireland and after studying Engineering at Trinity College, Dublin, spent 24 years with ICI, where he became a main board director.

He is an international businessman who has spent much of his career in the USA, Latin America and Continental Europe. Paul is also a member of the CBI Energy Policy Committee and Chair of the BiTC Education Leadership Team.

Helen Bunch
Group Strategy Director
Helen joined Wates in 2006.  She has 15 years of international sales, marketing and business management experience, having worked in a number of different divisions of ICI plc, based at various times in Europe, Japan and America.

Ian Burnett
Managing Director, Wates Living Space
Ian began his career as a quantity surveyor in 1977 with R.M. Douglas on Teeside. Having established their Leeds office in 1988, he moved to A.F. Budge before setting up a partnership called Trafford J Feekins.

After 6 years managing the business, Ian missed the day to day involvement in construction and he joined Wates as Managing Surveyor before becoming MD of Living Space in 2005. Ian also holds the position of Chair for the Opportunity for All Group.

Huw Davies BA MBA FCA
Chief Financial Officer
Huw joined Wates in 2005.

Huw started his career with accountants, Ernst & Young, before progressing to a position in the Arabian Gulf working for the Government of Oman. After a spell at KPMG focusing on risk management, Huw became Group Finance Controller and then Head of Corporate Finance at Taylor Woodrow plc, where he gained in-depth experience of the construction and development sector.

Andrew Laird FICE
Group Commercial Director and Head of Legal
Andrew joined Wates from AMEC in 2006 as Group Commercial Director.

He began his career as a surveyor in the British Coal Corporation, becoming a senior
planning engineer before joining Thyssen in 1989 as chief quantity surveyor. Three years with Shanks & McEwan Construction as commercial manager led to
a position in Fairclough/AMEC, where he held several Commercial Director positions. Andrew was elected to the CBI South East Council in January 2010.

Steve Price
Managing Director, Retail
Steve Joined Wates in 2000.

Steve has first hand knowledge of what his customers want, having started his career at Marks & Spencer in Birkenhead and working his way up over 13 years to the position of Operations Manager.

In 1988 he left M&S to join PSD, one of its major shop-fitting contractors. He set up their project management and European divisions, working for customers across the continent.

In 1996 he moved into major contracting, taking a position at Tarmac which he equates to going from the conference league to the premiership and finally joined Wates in April 2000. Steve is also Executive Sponsor for the Wates Carbon Reduction Programme.

David Smith MRICS
Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of Construction  
Dave started his career in construction as a trainee surveyor with Robert McAlpine Ltd. He joined Wates in 1985, being promoted to divisional manager with overall responsibility for the specialist refurbishment division in London in 1995.

In 1999 he became MD of Wates’ public sector business, where he oversaw major projects such as the renovation of HMP Wormwood Scrubs, building the Queen’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace and the very first social housing frameworks.

After Wates’ restructure in 2005, Dave was appointed MD of the construction business, taking responsibility for the company’s education, commercial and public sector work.

He is also on the Steering Group of the Housing Forum and Executive Sponsor for our Target Zero Programme.

Julia Tyson
HR Director 
Julia joined Wates in September 2006.

After graduating, Julia joined the Boots Company in Graduate Recruitment and Training.  With her career path including working for a subsidiary of Marconi, a logistics company and financial services companies Barclays and RBS, Julia developed her generalist HR skills.

As a career HR professional, Julia has acquired over 23 years’ experience of working with businesses to generate success that can also create opportunities for staff.

Julia is also the Executive Sponsor for our Skills and Employability Programme.