Houlton Executive Team

Richard went to Hymers College and gained his Building degree at Brighton. Following a period with a Sheffield builder Longdens he joined the firm in 1970. He started out in the Building & Maintenance division before working in other parts of the business and became joint Managing Director in 1980 before becoming sole Managing Director in 1981. In 1996 he became Chairman and then Life President in August 2018 where he continues in the role today. He has been instrumental in diversifying the company's remit into development projects and property portfolios alongside the building and construction business.

Thomas began working for the Company from a young age, doing summer jobs in the health and safety, drawings and commercial departments in the 1990s before working onsite for the Building & Maintenance Division in the early 2000s, and then going on to write copy for the promotional materials and marketing campaigns, as well as the website. Starting in 2009 he digitised and catalogued the Company's extensive archives, and curated an exhibition to celebrate 130 years of the Company's history. The archive provides a unique photographic record of the buildings of Hull from the 1880s to the present.

Mike joined Houlton in October 2000 as a Joiner, quickly progressing to Leading Joiner. In 2003, he was promoted to Site Supervisor, gaining valuable experience in managing and delivering a wide range of projects. He progressed to Site Manager in 2006, where he oversaw a number of notable schemes, including extensive works for local government and public sector clients. Mike was promoted to Contracts Manager in 2014 and then Operations Manager in 2016, continuing to demonstrate strong leadership, technical knowledge, and commitment to the business. Well respected throughout the company and industry, Mike was appointed Operations Director in January 2020. As part of the company’s continued succession planning, Mike was promoted to Joint Managing Director alongside Andrew, working together to lead the business through its next stage of development. Following Andrew’s planned retirement, Mike will become The Managing Director from July 2026, continuing to drive the company forward and support its long-term success.

Jamie joined the Company as Senior Quantity Surveyor in 2004 and was employed on two projects as Project Surveyor and managed Quantity Surveying duties on a Design and Build residential and retail development in York. Promoted to Managing Surveyor in March 2005 further to the Company's increased workload and recognition for an accessible point of management for the Construction Division's Commercial Department. Success in this role led to his appointment as Surveying Director in January 2008. A key achievement has been the development of commercial procedures and a re-defined Quantity Surveying approach.

Paul joined the company in 2002 as Quantity Surveyor and progressed to Senior Quantity Surveyor, managing a small team of Estimators and Quantity Surveyors within the Building & Maintenance Division. He has extensive experience of estimating and surveying schemes from the private and public sectors, including industrial, commercial, retail and education projects ranging from GBP5k to GBP2.5m. His commitment and hard work led to promotion to Commercial Manager in 2017, then Commercial Director in January 2020.

Dean joined Houlton in 2017 as Contracts Manager, bringing a strong focus on project delivery, operational efficiency, and client relationships. Through his commitment, leadership, and continued development within the business, Dean was promoted to Operations Manager in 2025, taking on increased responsibility for the management and performance of the company’s operational activities. In May 2026, Dean was appointed Operations Director, continuing to play a key role in driving the business forward, supporting the company’s strategic objectives, and ensuring the continued delivery of high-quality services across Houlton’s operations.

Paul joined the Company in 1980 in the Building & Maintenance Division, becoming Manager and then Director in 1986. Promoted to the main Holdings Board, he became Managing Director in 1996. In July 2017 he became Joint Managing Director with Andrew Kingston as part of the company's succession planning. Paul took on the role of Chairman in August 2018 from Richard, becoming only the second non-family member to take on this position. Paul retired in April 2022 but remains a director of the company.

Andrew joined the company in January 2000 as Head of Building & Maintenance and, following a period of success, was promoted to Director in 2002. During a period of sustainable growth, he provided strong leadership, clear direction, and developed the Division into a cohesive and professional operation. This team has since become a substantial and significant part of the Houlton business. Andrew was promoted to Joint Managing Director in July 2017 and then Managing Director in August 2018 as part of the company’s succession planning and the future development of the business. In his role as Managing Director, Andrew successfully guided the company through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and a significant company restructure and re-sizing in 2021, helping to establish a stable, successful, and sustainable business for the future. Having led the company through these important periods of change and growth, Andrew is now moving towards retirement. From July 2026, he will continue to support the business in the background, providing guidance and continuity as the company enters its next chapter.

Keith became a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales in 1979 and joined the company in 1997 as Finance Director, becoming Group Finance Director later that year. He ensured company compliance with regulatory matters and made significant input into strategic direction. Keith retired from the finance role in November 2017 after handing over to Nick Travis, but remains a non-executive director of the company.