Steve Beechey

Group Public Sector DirectorLinkedin

Stephen Beechey is Group Public Sector Director at Wates Group, where he leads all public sector engagement across central government

His remit includes strategic relationships with the Department for Education for whom Wates is a strategic supplier, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Justice, Department of Health and Social Care, Cabinet Office, Treasury and other key departments. A key sponsor of the Ministry of Justice’s pioneering Alliance model, Steve is currently overseeing Wates’ delivery of the new super-prison at HMP Gartree—one of the UK’s most ambitious justice infrastructure projects.

In addition to his sector leadership, Steve heads the Group’s Government Affairs function and has been instrumental in developing a Group-wide customer experience strategy to drive consistency and excellence in client engagement.

With over 35 years of experience in the built environment, Steve has delivered PFI projects with a combined value exceeding £3.8bn across education, social housing, defence, and justice. He is the author of the Wates Alliance Investment Model launched publicly in May 2025 – a next-generation PPP model developed in consultation with senior civil servants, investors, and industry stakeholders to address the evolving needs of public infrastructure delivery.

Steve’s influence extends across the wider public sector. He sat on the NHS 10-Year Plan Infrastructure Taskforce, the Cabinet Office Construction Playbook Taskforce, and the CBI Competitiveness Committee. He also serves as a commissioner on the Purposeful Finance Commission and sits on the Building Magazine “Funding the Future” panel, helping shape the national conversation on infrastructure investment and delivery.

As a supporter of industry collaboration and engagement, Steve sits as a gold-partner member of the Centre for Construction Best Practice and is a Build UK Council Member, as well as Board member and Chair of the Remuneration and Nomination Committee for the Construction Skills Certification Scheme Ltd (CSCS) and the Construction Leadership Council’s Building Safety Regulatory Clarity Group.

A Chartered Surveyor and Chartered Builder, Steve brings a strategic, purpose-led approach to infrastructure delivery—combining commercial acumen with a deep understanding of public sector priorities. He also serves as a Non-Executive Director at Alumasc plc and was founding chair of the Net Zero Advisory Board for the Business Services Association.