13 August 2025

Severfield plc

('Severfield', 'the Company' or 'the Group')

Appointment of Chief Executive Officer

Severfield plc the UK's market-leading structural steel group, is pleased to announce the appointment of Paul McNerney as its new Chief Executive Officer following a comprehensive executive search process. Paul will take up this new role in the Autumn, an announcement will be made once a firm start date has been agreed.

Paul brings over 25 years of extensive leadership experience within the construction and engineering sector, most notably from his long-standing career with Laing O'Rourke. He is currently Director, Clients and Government at Laing O'Rourke and has previously been Managing Director of the UK construction business, Select Plant Hire, Explore Manufacturing, and Crown House Technologies. He has operated at an enterprise level overseeing strategic commercial leadership and stakeholder management across complex, large-scale projects. 

Throughout his career, Paul has been instrumental in driving transformation, profitable growth, and operational excellence in construction and in manufacturing. As Managing Director of the UK construction business at Laing O'Rourke, he led a £1.3bn business across key sectors including stadia, healthcare, life sciences, data centres, aviation, and mixed-use developments. He also played a pivotal role in securing and delivering complex schemes such as the Oxford University Humanities campus and Everton's new stadium (both of which were also Severfield projects). 

Paul's international experience includes establishing infrastructure operations in New South Wales Australia, where he led heavy civil and marine projects for Laing O'Rourke, and was key in opening up new business in oil and gas markets. 

Paul is a Chartered Surveyor by profession, a member of the CBI UK Competitiveness Committee and is currently also a member of the Liverpool - Manchester Railway Partnership Board.

Charlie Cornish, Chair of Severfield plc, commented: 

"We are delighted to welcome Paul to Severfield. His blend of strategic acumen, operational delivery, particularly in construction, and international perspective, along with his proven ability to lead transformation, makes him an ideal choice to lead the Group through its rebuilding process to the next phase of its growth and innovation. The Board is confident that Paul will bring the energy, experience, and clarity of leadership required to deliver long-term value for shareholders." 

 Paul McNerney added: 

"I am delighted to be joining Severfield at such a pivotal time in its journey. The company has a proud heritage, strong values, and a clear opportunity to lead with innovation and excellence in the structural steel sector. I look forward to working with the Board, our talented teams, and customers to continue building Severfield's market leadership and long-term success." 

There are no further disclosures required for the purposes of UKLR 6.4.6R and UKLR 6.4.8R. 

ENDS

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Notes to editors:

Severfield is the UK's market leader in the design, fabrication and construction of structural steel, with a total capacity of c.150,000 tonnes of steel per annum. The Group has seven sites, c.1,800 employees and expertise in large, complex projects across a broad range of sectors. The Group also has an established presence in the expanding Indian market through its 50/50 joint venture partnership with JSW Steel (India's largest steel producer).