Engineering and fabrications business, Francis Brown has broken tradition by appointing its first leader outside of the family as the firm continues to expand into several markets.
New managing director, Mark Roddy is the first non-Brown to be at the helm of the Stockton-based family run Company in 113 years of trading.
Mark brings with him a wealth of experience in global markets, having previously been responsible for driving quality whilst maintaining the highest standard of health and safety at Aker Solutions in Malaysia and, most recently, MHWirth in Norway.
His career started in the UK where he worked for BEL Valves, in Newcastle, and Harkers Engineering – at the same site now occupied by Francis Brown.
Mark Roddy said: “Francis Brown is a business I’ve followed throughout my 30 years of working in the industry and I’m delighted to be given the opportunity to help take it to the next level. The role presents an exciting challenge but I believe my experience – and the Company’s hugely supportive team – puts me on track to succeed.”
The business, which currently employs 75 people and supplies to a range of global industrial markets including chemicals and oil and gas, is aiming to grow its presence in the renewables, rail and nuclear sectors in the coming years.
He takes up the post vacated by Jamie Brown, who has been named as the group’s CEO, creating a new management team to oversee a period of projected growth.
Jamie Brown said: “Mark has a vast amount of sector expertise and a proven track record of delivering results in global markets. He will be instrumental in extending our network and growing our customer base.”
As well as welcoming its newest employee, the business also celebrated three of its longest serving team members earlier this month. New CEO, Jamie Brown, plater, Ivan Elgie and support worker, George Foster have all this year passed their 25th anniversary of joining the firm. The triple milestone was marked with a charity fundraising event in aid of Cancer Research UK.
Francis Brown was established in Stockton in 1903 as a small family business which subsequently developed into a lead supplier in global markets.
The Company continues to be owned and operated by the Brown family, with Jamie’s father David still working at the business he joined 54 years ago.
Simon Brown, finance director at Francis Brown, concluded: “This is a massive and exciting change to how the business has been run over the past 113 years with it being the first time we’ve had a non-Brown at the helm.
“I’m very much looking forward to this new chapter in our history and hope to build on the success the firm has sustained over the years.”
For more information on visit, www.francisbrown.co.uk.