The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
New partners named as Hardies expands
Hardies Property & Construction Consultants has appointed a senior partner and unveiled plans to expand its UK-wide operations.
The firm has also appointed three other partners amid a major restructuring of its business.
There has only been one previous senior partner in the history of the firm, Charlie Downie, who retired in 1998.
Twenty-three years later the vacancy has been filled by chartered surveyor and project manager Danny McArthur, who was previously head of Hardies’ central division.
Mr McArthur joined the firm as a student 25 years ago, becoming a graduate quantity surveyor two years later, a salaried partner in 2010 and then an equity partner in 2015.
Hardies has offices in Aberdeen, Inverness and eight other locations around Scotland.
The company said its comprehensive operational restructure would see it expand from three to four geographical divisions.
Mr McArthur added: “These far-reaching rearrangements have been made to get the company in a shape fit to take it forward for the next five years in order that we can meet our challenges and take advantage of growing opportunities for a number of UK national clients.
“These opportunities have prompted our expansion from three to four geographical divisions, due to the growth we have achieved in Glasgow and the west of Scotland in particular, following our recent acquisitions of Binnie McKenzie Partnership and Allan & Hanel Chartered Surveyors.
“With the firm now working across the whole of the UK, we have plans to open further divisions in England and Ireland next year.”
The changes see a shift from a north, central and south divisional structure, with the former south division being divided between east and west activities.
And the firm has replaced its “strategic partner” designation with the introduction of managing partners to bring it into alignment with the organisational structure of sister firm Shepherd Chartered Surveyors.
That means former strategic partners Murray Warner and Darron McKay become managing partners of the firm’s east and north divisions respectively.
Graeme Davidson is promoted to managing partner for the west division and Martin McConnell to managing partner for central.
Hardies’ three new partners include David Alexander, who now leads the quantity surveying team in Edinburgh. He is joined in the enlarged partnership by Shaun Buchan, who has relocated from Dunfermline to Edinburgh, where he now leads the building surveying team, and Graham Rolfe, who is leading the quantity surveying team in Dunfermline.
Mr McArthur said: “The combination of this restructure with these promotions means we are now best positioned to maximise the opportunities arising over the years ahead as we progress our growth ambitions, while maintaining and enhancing the level of service we are renowned for delivery to our expanding client base.”
Hardies has also launched a new website.
Founded in 1913, the firm is one of the largest independent firms of chartered surveyors in Scotland.
It specialises in construction services, project management and building and quantity surveying, while it is also highly regarded for its valuation department.