Richard Kilner

Independent Non-Executive Chairman

Appointed to Board: 2016

Richard is a chartered civil engineer and a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers. Educated in South Africa, he has a BSc degree in Civil Engineering.

Richard has held a number of senior positions in construction and private equity and also has specific experience of property development, business process outsourcing and healthcare.

He was a partner at 3i Group plc, where he was involved in significant investments in Asia, the USA and Europe. Richard also spent five years (including a year as acting Chairman) as a Non‑Executive Director of University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.

Core strengths and experience

  • Significant M&A experience following 20 years’ experience with private equity companies
  • Qualified civil engineer with over 20 years’ experience within the civil engineering and construction sectors
  • Strategic development, risk management, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, commercial

External appointments

  • Non-Executive Director of Great Bowery Holdings LLC (US registered company)
  • Director of Glebe Meadows Developments Limited
  • Director of Deltex Consulting Limited
  • Chair of True Lens Services (Holdings) Limited
  • Non-Executive Director of Hercules Site Services plc
  • Non-Executive Director of PH Realisations 2020 Limited (in administration)

Charles Sweeney

Chief Executive Officer

Appointed to Board: 2023

Charles is a Chartered Director and a Chartered Engineer with more than 40 years experience in the civil infrastructure and energy sectors, both in the UK and overseas. His career has included several C-suite, Managing Director and Director positions, including nine years on the Executive Board of Costain Group plc and Managing Director of its Energy & Process Division.

He joined Nexus in September 2016 as Chief Operating Officer and subsequently took on the additional interim role of Tamdown Managing Director through to September 2018. As COO, he led various significant business development and performance improvement projects and worked closely with the Board on Group strategy. He was appointed as Chief Executive Officer in February 2023.

Charles originally graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Chemical Engineering from the University of Leeds and later was awarded an MBA from Webster University, Leiden, The Netherlands. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors and also a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers.

Core strengths and experience

  • Extensive Board-level experience in listed companies involved in the energy, civil infrastructure and residential construction sectors
  • Strategy development and implementation
  • Business transformation, performance improvement, Commercial and operational risk management

External appointments

None

Dawn Hillman

Chief Financial Officer

Appointed to Board: 2023

Dawn is a Chartered Management Accountant and Chartered Secretary with ​experience within the infrastructure, construction, and engineering sectors.​

She has worked within or closely alongside the Tamdown business for over 35 years and is an experienced Executive Board Director and Company Secretary.​

Dawn was instrumental in taking the business through IPO to AIM market listing in 2017.

She has previously held Finance Director roles for Tamdown and other construction businesses.

Core strengths and experience

  • Over 35 years experience in the construction industry
  • Experience in privately owned, equity backed and plc businesses
  • Accounting and finance, corporate governance, process improvement, risk, IT, strategic development, commercial

External appointments

  • Trustee of Nexus Community trust, independent charity

Appointed to Board: 2016

Richard is a chartered civil engineer and a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers. Educated in South Africa, he has a BSc degree in Civil Engineering.

Richard has held a number of senior positions in construction and private equity and also has specific experience of property development, business process outsourcing and healthcare.

He was a partner at 3i Group plc, where he was involved in significant investments in Asia, the USA and Europe. Richard also spent five years (including a year as acting Chairman) as a Non‑Executive Director of University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.

Core strengths and experience

  • Significant M&A experience following 20 years’ experience with private equity companies
  • Qualified civil engineer with over 20 years’ experience within the civil engineering and construction sectors
  • Strategic development, risk management, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, commercial

External appointments

  • Non-Executive Director of Great Bowery Holdings LLC (US registered company)
  • Director of Glebe Meadows Developments Limited
  • Director of Deltex Consulting Limited
  • Chair of True Lens Services (Holdings) Limited
  • Non-Executive Director of Hercules Site Services plc
  • Non-Executive Director of PH Realisations 2020 Limited (in administration)

Appointed to Board: 2023

Charles is a Chartered Director and a Chartered Engineer with more than 40 years experience in the civil infrastructure and energy sectors, both in the UK and overseas. His career has included several C-suite, Managing Director and Director positions, including nine years on the Executive Board of Costain Group plc and Managing Director of its Energy & Process Division.

He joined Nexus in September 2016 as Chief Operating Officer and subsequently took on the additional interim role of Tamdown Managing Director through to September 2018. As COO, he led various significant business development and performance improvement projects and worked closely with the Board on Group strategy. He was appointed as Chief Executive Officer in February 2023.

Charles originally graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Chemical Engineering from the University of Leeds and later was awarded an MBA from Webster University, Leiden, The Netherlands. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors and also a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers.

Core strengths and experience

  • Extensive Board-level experience in listed companies involved in the energy, civil infrastructure and residential construction sectors
  • Strategy development and implementation
  • Business transformation, performance improvement, Commercial and operational risk management

External appointments

None

Appointed to Board: 2023

Dawn is a Chartered Management Accountant and Chartered Secretary with ​experience within the infrastructure, construction, and engineering sectors.​

She has worked within or closely alongside the Tamdown business for over 35 years and is an experienced Executive Board Director and Company Secretary.​

Dawn was instrumental in taking the business through IPO to AIM market listing in 2017.

She has previously held Finance Director roles for Tamdown and other construction businesses.

Core strengths and experience

  • Over 35 years experience in the construction industry
  • Experience in privately owned, equity backed and plc businesses
  • Accounting and finance, corporate governance, process improvement, risk, IT, strategic development, commercial

External appointments

  • Trustee of Nexus Community trust, independent charity

Mike Morris

Non-Executive Director

Appointed to Board: 2006

Mike led the Group through a period of significant growth since the management buyout with 3i in 1999.

Mike is an entrepreneur and business leader and those talents saw Nexus Infrastructure organically start-up TriConnex and eSmart Networks, which were sold in February 2023.

Mike is passionate about continuous improvement at a business and personal level.

Core strengths and experience

  • 30 years’ experience in the essential infrastructure industry
  • Angel investor
  • Leadership, health and safety, strategic development, commercial, organisational and culture, business development

External appointments

  • Director of Advanced Utility Networks Ltd
  • Director of Advanced Utility Asset Networks Ltd
  • Director of Advanced Water Infrastructure Networks Ltd
  • Director of Advanced Electricity Networks Ltd
  • Director of eSmart Networks Ltd
  • Director of TriConnex Ltd

 

Ffion Griffith

Independent Non-Executive Director

Appointed to Board: 2018

Ffion is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and has over 30 years’ experience in senior roles across a range of sectors including professional services, technology and private equity.

Ffion is HR Director at the global procurement consultancy firm, Efficio. Prior to this she held interim roles in a private equity house and in a PE-backed steel trading business. She spent ten years as Global Director of Human Resources at the law firm Olswang LLP, seven years as Director of Human Resources at SJ Berwin LLP and, earlier in her career, held senior roles at Vedaris, Pearson Professional and The Royal College of General Practitioners.

She has previous Non-Executive Director experience in a large Academies Trust and a Business Improvement District. She holds a BA (Hons) in English Literature and an MA in Human Resource Management.

Core strengths and experience

  • Over 30 years’ experience in senior human resources roles
  • Significant experience in professional services, technology and private equity sectors
  • Organisational and culture, corporate governance, strategic development, compliance and regulation

External appointments

  • Member of Burnt Mills Academy Trust
  • Trustee Chair of Relate Charity

Clare Lacey

Independent Non-Executive Director

Appointed to Board: 2022

Clare is a Chartered Accountant with nearly 20 years experience, focused on the infrastructure and renewable energy sectors.

She holds a portfolio of non-executive director roles in these sectors. As one of the founding partners of QMPF, an Edinburgh based infrastructure and energy advisory business, she was heavily involved in the management buy-out from Quayle Munro in 2012 and growing the business over its first 10 years.

While still a part of Quayle Munro, Clare undertook fund management of an AIM listed PFI fund, PFI Infrastructure Company Plc, among other PFI and corporate finance remits.

Core strengths and experience

  • Significant experience in infrastructure and renewable energy sectors
  • Qualified Chartered Accountant

External appointments

  • Non-Executive Director of NYOP Education
  • Non-Executive Director of Scot Roads Partnership Project Ltd
  • Non-Executive Director of Woodland View Project Co Ltd

Appointed to Board: 2006

Mike led the Group through a period of significant growth since the management buyout with 3i in 1999.

Mike is an entrepreneur and business leader and those talents saw Nexus Infrastructure organically start-up TriConnex and eSmart Networks, which were sold in February 2023.

Mike is passionate about continuous improvement at a business and personal level.

Core strengths and experience

  • 30 years’ experience in the essential infrastructure industry
  • Angel investor
  • Leadership, health and safety, strategic development, commercial, organisational and culture, business development

External appointments

  • Director of Advanced Utility Networks Ltd
  • Director of Advanced Utility Asset Networks Ltd
  • Director of Advanced Water Infrastructure Networks Ltd
  • Director of Advanced Electricity Networks Ltd
  • Director of eSmart Networks Ltd
  • Director of TriConnex Ltd

 

Appointed to Board: 2018

Ffion is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and has over 30 years’ experience in senior roles across a range of sectors including professional services, technology and private equity.

Ffion is HR Director at the global procurement consultancy firm, Efficio. Prior to this she held interim roles in a private equity house and in a PE-backed steel trading business. She spent ten years as Global Director of Human Resources at the law firm Olswang LLP, seven years as Director of Human Resources at SJ Berwin LLP and, earlier in her career, held senior roles at Vedaris, Pearson Professional and The Royal College of General Practitioners.

She has previous Non-Executive Director experience in a large Academies Trust and a Business Improvement District. She holds a BA (Hons) in English Literature and an MA in Human Resource Management.

Core strengths and experience

  • Over 30 years’ experience in senior human resources roles
  • Significant experience in professional services, technology and private equity sectors
  • Organisational and culture, corporate governance, strategic development, compliance and regulation

External appointments

  • Member of Burnt Mills Academy Trust
  • Trustee Chair of Relate Charity

Appointed to Board: 2022

Clare is a Chartered Accountant with nearly 20 years experience, focused on the infrastructure and renewable energy sectors.

She holds a portfolio of non-executive director roles in these sectors. As one of the founding partners of QMPF, an Edinburgh based infrastructure and energy advisory business, she was heavily involved in the management buy-out from Quayle Munro in 2012 and growing the business over its first 10 years.

While still a part of Quayle Munro, Clare undertook fund management of an AIM listed PFI fund, PFI Infrastructure Company Plc, among other PFI and corporate finance remits.

Core strengths and experience

  • Significant experience in infrastructure and renewable energy sectors
  • Qualified Chartered Accountant

External appointments

  • Non-Executive Director of NYOP Education
  • Non-Executive Director of Scot Roads Partnership Project Ltd
  • Non-Executive Director of Woodland View Project Co Ltd