Stephen joined Ruddle Wilkinson & Partners, Architectural Practice in Peterborough, directly from school. From 1973 to 1977 he attended further education to gain qualifications in ONC & HNC Building Construction.

 

As a Senior Architectural Assistant, he joined the National Bus Company Architectural Service in Peterborough, working on designs and implementing schemes for the various Bus Companies that formed the group.

Major projects successfully completed being a new servicing depot at Central Milton Keynes, consultancy for the bus station at the Queensgate Centre in Peterborough, and many varied projects to depots and bus stations around East Anglia, East Midlands and the Home Counties. He studied again at the North London Polytechnic on a day release BSc Architecture course.

 

On the break-up of NBC, Stephen took a major career step, and broke into the “hustle and bustle” of the retail world, and for 3 years held the position of Regional Building Surveyor for Woolworths plc. He had total control of all refurbishment and major maintenance works for over 100 properties, and also opened new stores within his geographical area, schemes ranging from £100K to £3million. He moved in 1988 to a sister company within the Kingfisher Group to become Property Services Manager with Entertainment UK. In just over 12 months, he and a small team obtained sites and managed the complete construction process, including all Local Authority permissions, to open 60 new retail units within the UK.

 

After a further year with Allied Carpets, again holding the position of Property Services Manager, and dealing with new stores, refurbishments and maintenance for a portfolio of some 300 properties, Stephen joined a private Project/Facilities Management Company in High Wycombe, PDA Group Ltd.

 

From 1991 to 2000, he held various positions within the group, acting as Senior Project Manager working with large retail chains such as Bhs and Littlewoods, and assisted with major refurbishment programmes for BT Retail,

Dixon Group, Etam, Allied Carpets, Farmfoods and Makro. For many of these clients, he acted as Planning Supervisor as well as Project Manager.

From 1996 to 1999, Stephen held two senior positions for the group, one being “Controller” of the facilities contract with Somerfield Supermarkets, having a team of 30 personnel with an annual budget approaching £30million,

and the other position of Account Manager for the facilities contract with Woolworths plc.

 

Stephen is now cba’s Managing Director and will oversee the project management and design & technology sections as necessary.

 

Stephen is a member of the British Institute of Facilities Managers and the Faculty of Building.