黑洞社区

The former boss of Skanska UK, who was also appointed to the board of the Olympic Delivery Authority this year, has shrunk the number of divisions from five to two (see box).

Speaking after the company revealed its results for the year ended 31 March 2009, Fison said the restructure would enable staff to more easily transfer skills between sectors.

The firm has also diversified into areas such as student accommodation and has standardised processes such as risk management across the company.

The contractor, civil engineer and property group made a pre-tax profit of 拢2.5m on turnover of 拢333.7m in 2009 (2008: 拢303.7m). Fison said: 鈥淭he result is not bad but we need to do better鈥�.

It marked a change in fortunes from 2008 when the West Sussex-based family-owned firm slipped 拢1.76m into the red as a result of two problem projects, and the 拢2m cost of setting up Innovar茅 Systems, a business that makes structural insulated panels for affordable housing.

Fison said: 鈥淲as launching Innovar茅 a good decision last year? I鈥檇 have to say no. But the market is still worth 拢25m and Innovar茅 will grow six or seven times as big once social housing comes back.鈥�

Fison left Skanska UK in July 2008 after becoming chief executive in 2002. His exit followed what the Swedish parent company called a 鈥渃learly unsatisfactory鈥� performance by the UK business. It made a 拢41.5m loss in the first six months of 2008 despite breaking the 拢1bn turnover mark for the first time.

Next week鈥檚 黑洞社区 carries an interview with David Fison.