The Miller Group appoints Stephen Dunn as Group HR Director

The Miller Group, the UK’s largest, privately-owned housebuilding, property development and construction business, has appointed Stephen Dunn as its new Group HR Director.

Mr Dunn, 48, was Corporate Services Director at ScottishPower, a part of the Iberdrola Group, one of the world’s five biggest energy companies.  He was responsible for a variety of functions at ScottishPower, in particular, Human Resources, Media and Internal Communications, Information Systems and Estates.

Mr Dunn has a wealth of corporate experience and an exceptional track record in merger and acquisition (M&A). He played a significant role in the integration of Manweb into ScottishPower following the takeover of the regional electricity firm in 1995, he also played a central role in the group’s takeover, integration and subsequent sale of the US utility company PacifiCorp. 

In his last major deal at ScottishPower, he was part of a three strong team that sold the business to the Spanish energy group Iberdrola on 24 April 2007, creating significant shareholder value. He is widely acknowledged as the father of the fastest and smoothest integration in any significant merger of this size, achieved in under nine months, which was described by the Iberdrola Chairman Ignacio Galan as text book and a model of best practice.

He replaces Group Personnel Director Chris Briody - who has retired after 13 years with The Miller Group - and takes up his duties with immediate effect.

“The Miller Group is a company of great quality and strength. Keith Miller and the management team have a long-term vision for the group and a great deal of confidence in the future. Fourteen years of year-on-year increasing profitability is not about luck, but about talent, determination and a will to succeed.” said Mr Dunn, who is also a former non-executive director at Hibernian Football Club.

“These are challenging times for the whole of the industry, but challenges can, and often do, extend the hand of opportunity and I’m excited to be joining the Miller team at this time.

“What I like about the business is its forward focus and the passion, drive and attitude of everyone involved at all levels in the organisation.  That means that when the economic upturn occurs, the Miller team will be in a very strong position to take advantage, and to return to what has been a tremendous growth trend over more than a decade.”

Keith Miller, Group Chief Executive of The Miller Group, said Mr Dunn was a powerful addition to the Miller management team.

He said: “The breadth and depth of Stephen’s experience and his track record of successful and high-profile roles in all the major deals ScottishPower have been involved in over the past 15 years speaks for itself.

“His contribution in turning ScottishPower into one of the UK’s biggest energy supplier before concluding a very successful sale of the company to a major European peer clearly demonstrate the high level at which he has operated. I look forward to working with Stephen as we steer The Miller Group forward.”

Mr Miller also praised Mr Briody for his considerable contribution to The Miller Group over the past 13 years. “Chris’s input to the business has been tremendous. He has been a vital and dynamic member of the management team and his contribution to the success of the Group has been immense.

“The biggest component in the success of The Miller Group is the outstanding quality of the people we have developed within the company and Chris’s leadership in that respect has been transformational.”

Mr Briody, who joined The Miller Group as Group Personnel Director in March 1995, said: “The Miller Group has been one of the most successful private companies in the UK over the past decade and I’m certain that the appointment of Stephen as Group HR Director will help underpin further significant progress and success in the years ahead.”

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For further information:
Marie Dunsmuir/ Kerry Davidson/ Jim Stanton
Tel: 01324 602 550
www.beattiegroup.com