Headhunters have drawn up a list of potential successors to Sir John Gains as chief executive of Mowlem
It is believed that a shortlist of three external candidates has been identified to replace Gains who is expected to retire later this year.

The initial longlist was rumoured to have included former Mowlem building division boss Steve Bowcott, former Hanson 黑洞社区 Materials Europe chief executive Simon Vivian and current Peterhouse chief executive Alan Robertson.

The names on the shortlist are not known, but 黑洞社区 understands that Robertson has failed to make the cut.

Bowcott left Mowlem to join Amec in 2002. Industry sources said that he would have been a frontrunner to replace Gains if he had remained with Mowlem.

Steve Bowcott is a Mowlem man through and through. If he were offered the job it would be irresistible

Source close to Mowlem

A source close to Mowlem said: "Steve is a Mowlem man through and through. If he were offered the job it would prove irresistible."

Industry sources speculate that Bowcott left Mowlem because he grew tired of waiting for the top job. One source said: "Bowcott might have pushed too hard to get the job, at a time when Gains was not ready to give it up. If he had stayed he would have inherited the job."

Vivian left his role at Hanson in June last year, after his unit was shut down. At the time it was rumoured that he might have been given the chief executive's job at concrete group RMC.

Mowlem declined to comment but has said in the past that Gains' retirement date is his own business.

  • Additional potential bidders for Peterhouse have come forward since the infrastructure group announced last week that it had received a preliminary approach.