黑洞社区

A takeover of a UK firm by a Chinese contractor is 鈥渙nly a matter of time鈥�, Mace executive chairman Stephen Pycroft has told the 黑洞社区 Live conference.

In an interview with 黑洞社区 editor Sarah Richardson, Pycroft said the 鈥淐hinese are coming and are going to get stronger and stronger鈥� in the UK.

He added: 鈥淲hen they bring Chinese finance, they expect a Chinese contractor, and Chinese suppliers and materials.

鈥淭he question is how are we going to adapt at Mace?鈥�

Pycroft added that it wouldn鈥檛 be long before a Chinese investor bought a British contractor, but ruled out a Chinese takeover at Mace.

He said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 only a matter of time before they step into the market and buy somebody. It won鈥檛 be Mace by the way.鈥�

Speaking about Mace, Pycroft said: 鈥淭here鈥檚 a saying - don鈥檛 believe your own PR. You鈥檝e always got to improve.鈥� He said he would rate Mace as a 鈥渇our out of ten鈥� but 鈥渓uckily a lot of our competitors are at the three or four mark as well currently鈥�.

He made no apologies for a combative management style when 鈥渄ealing with lots of money and reputations鈥� and said 鈥渉eads can get chopped off鈥�. He said 鈥渃lients expect firms like Mace will do what they say they鈥檙e going to do.鈥�

Pycroft also spoke about the current market in the UK, and questioned whether the current pipeline of projects coming through is sustainable. He said 鈥渢here is a nervousness鈥� about whether projects will come to fruition.

He added that most in the market are 鈥渃oncerned about where the residential market is going鈥�, and said it could undermine confidence if 鈥渙ne or two jobs stop.鈥�