Sir Neville Ian Simms (born 11 September 1944) is a British businessman and civil engineer who was CEO of Tarmac plc from 1992 to 1999.
Sir Neville Simms FREng | |
|---|---|
| Born | Neville Ian Simms 11 September 1944[1] |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | Newcastle University |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Title | former CEO, Tarmac plc |
| Term | 1992-1999 |
| Predecessor | Sir Eric Pountain |
| Successor | Roy Harrison |
Career
editSimms was born in 1944 in Glasgow, Scotland, the son of naval officer[3] Arthur Neville Simms MBE and his wife, Anne Davidson McCulloch.[1] Simms was educated at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Crediton and King's College, Durham, which had become Newcastle University by the time he graduated with a first class honours degree in civil engineering in 1966,[3] and then completed a post-graduate degree in engineering at Glasgow University in 1970.[4] After training at Ove Arup, he joined a civil engineering contractor, A. M. Carmichael, on the M9 motorway out of Edinburgh and, when that firm went into liquidation in 1970, the contract was taken over by Tarmac.[3][4] He went on to become head of Tarmac Construction in 1988 and Group CEO of Tarmac in 1992.[4] Simms became executive chairman of Carillion on its demerger from Tarmac in July 1999.[5] He stood down as CEO in January 2001[6] but continued as non-executive chairman until May 2005.[7]
Simms was heavily involved in the construction of the Channel Tunnel and served as Joint Chairman of TML for the last three years of the contract.[4] He chaired the Business in the Community regional teams in the West Midlands and the Solent areas and served as Chairman of the Building Research Establishment Trust and Deputy Chair of Ashridge Management College.[4]
Simms was chairman of International Power plc from October 2000 until its acquisition by GDF Suez in July 2012 and became chairman of the Thames Tideway Tunnel in December 2013.[8] He has also served as a non-executive director of Courtaulds plc and was a Member of the Court of the Bank of England for seven years.[9]
Simms was appointed a Knight Bachelor in the 1998 New Year Honours,[10] and holds Honorary Doctorate Degrees from the Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Wolverhampton.[11]
References
edit- ^ a b Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood (107 ed.). Burke's Peerage & Gentry. p. 3624. ISBN 0-9711966-2-1.
- ^ "Statutory registers - Births". Scotland's People. National Records of Scotland and the Court of the Lord Lyon.
- ^ a b c Connon, Heather (24 April 1993). "Profile: A solid brick in the wall: Tarmac needs clear vision from Neville Simms for the road ahead". Independent. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ a b c d e "Neville Simms appointed Chairman of the Thames Tideway Tunnel". Tideway. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
- ^ "Tarmac investors threaten revolt". The Guardian. 2 July 1999. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
- ^ "John McDonough to leave Carillion". constructionnews.co.uk. 24 August 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
- ^ "Final Results". Carillion. 9 March 2005. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
- ^ "Sir Neville Simms becomes chairman of Thames Tideway Tunnel". FT. 9 December 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
- ^ "Bank appoints two directors". The Independent. 6 August 1999. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
- ^ "No. 54993". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1997. p. 2.
- ^ "Honorary degrees". Times Higher Education. 28 November 1997. Retrieved 26 August 2024.