McLaren Construction Midlands and North has made a series of leadership appointments and promotions.
Rejoining the business in the new role of regional strategic director, Adrian Barnes plays a key role in the team and will support the business’s continued diversification across sectors. He will also enhance the region’s strategic approach to frameworks, two-stage procurement, and public sector opportunities.
Adrian brings extensive experience across complex public sector projects and local authority engagement, aligning with McLaren’s goal to strengthen and expand beyond its core industrial and logistics market.
Alongside Adrian’s appointment, several significant internal promotions have seen Luke Arnold become regional director, bringing a wealth of experience and a long-standing professional relationship with managing director Gary Cramp.
Since joining the business last year, Luke has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership in managing the Midlands and North business alongside Gary. His contributions have been instrumental in the successful delivery of high-profile developments, and he will play a key role in strengthening and expanding McLaren’s presence across a diverse range of markets, leading the Midlands and North business with Gary.
Guy Smith has been promoted to commercial director having played a key role in strengthening client relationships and expanding the commercial portfolio. Joel Casstles has stepped into the role of operations director, following a series of successful project completions and Paul Johnson has been promoted to operations director after joining the business in 2024, bringing 25 years’ experience leading high-performing delivery teams.
Several key project leaders across the business have also stepped into more senior roles – Harry Marles has been promoted to senior quantity surveyor, John Hobson to managing quantity surveyor, and Jonathan McGarry, Lee Brown and Oliver Cramp to senior site managers, further strengthening delivery capability at site level.
In addition, Tommy Bordicott, trainee planner and a current apprentice, has been shortlisted for a national award.
Adrian Barnes, regional strategic director, said: “I’m excited to join rejoin McLaren Construction in a region that’s already performing exceptionally well, but also has huge untapped potential. My focus is to support the team in building on this foundation, bringing in opportunities through frameworks and tapping into wider public sector pipelines, while continuing to deliver the high-quality projects McLaren is known for.”
Luke Arnold, regional director, said: “We’re in a great place – we have strong leadership, a brilliant team on the ground, and clear direction. The business is growing fast and we’re focusing on consistency, care for our people and a clear view of what our clients need.”
Gary Cramp, managing director of Midlands and North, said: “McLaren’s strength lies in the quality of our people and the relationships we continue to build. These appointments and promotions are more than just new titles – they represent the journey we are on as a region and the confidence we have in the future. We’re growing as a business, but doing so with the right structure, talent, and a clear strategy.”
