Dave Rhodes - Managing Director
Dave has 22 years experience in the asbestos removal industry. He is currently Managing Director of Silverdell UK responsible for overseeing operations, implementing strategy, and ensuring consistent quality to Silverdell UK’s diverse client base. Dave started on the tools at removal level in 1989 and moved right through to operational/consultancy level and now key senior management within the PLC Group.
Dave’s career began after leaving school in 1989 where he trained as a thermal insulation engineer and then an asbestos removal supervisor for midlands-based IES Group until 1998. After a brief spell as an analytical consultant for an asbestos consultancy firm, Dave joined Silverdell in 2000 as Regional Manager for the Midlands where he was tasked with developing a strong and profitable business for Silverdell UK Ltd. Within 8 years Dave had grown the regional business from £0 to £6million turnover.
After being promoted to Associate Director in 2004, it wasn’t long before Dave was appointed to the role of Managing Director. Dave brings a wealth of experience and with his understanding of clients needs he is able to drive Silverdell UK forward into its next stage of growth and to ensure that Silverdell’s clients interests are always protected. Dave’s experience spans the public and private sectors from defence, retail, NHS, local authority, nuclear broadcasting, utilities, and insurance. He is also working with clients and partners internationally.
Terry Cross - Operations Director
Terry has over 16 years experience within the industry, of which all of this time has been spent with Silverdell UK. Terry initially worked on site as a sub contractor working on a local housing authority project. Terry’s commitment to quality and ability to understand a client’s need was quickly recognised and in 2002 Terry was runner up in ARCA supervisor of the year award and in 2003 he won the award outright.
Terry was promoted to project manager responsible for major clients in the retail and local authorities sector in 2002. In 2005, Terry was promoted to the role of Regional Manager for London West where he developed the business successfully supporting key clients across the region. 2006 saw Terry involved with 2 major projects, BBC studios and Shell Tower. Terry then became Regional Manager at UKs Head Office before being promoted to Associate Director in 2009 and again in 2010 as Operations Director, his current position.
Terry takes an active role in most aspects of the business and is responsible for functionality whilst continuing to drive standards to the next level. Terry is also extensively involved in overseas projects and has recently taken the role of President to the newly formed Silverdell Canada Inc, where he is looking to develop and integrate the UK standards into the Canadian market.
Adrian Smoothey - Finance Director
Adrian has been in finance for 33 years. He was appointed Finance Director of Silverdell UK in March 2009. Adrian’s background before Silverdell UK spanned the HVAC, construction, sales and house building sectors – all with a leading financial hat on, with most positions being held at Director level. Adrian’s key skills and attributes cover financial planning and controlling, together with unique merger and acquisition knowledge, which has proved a key asset at PLC level within the Group.
Adrian was brought into Silverdell UK to re-establish systems and controls and to create a financial infrastructure for the business. Adrian involves himself in all aspects of the business including job reviews, IT, HR and property.
Mark Roberts – Group Sales Director – Silverdell PLC
Mark’s career has spanned 34 years in the Specialist Environmental Support Services and construction, predominantly working for specialist trade contractors. He had a brief spell in local government as a Senior Technical Officer with special responsibility for Asbestos, followed by a Graduate Entry into BT as a District Building Surveyor.
Mark returned to contracting when he was brought in to lead the Business Development of regional Construction Company RobertLeigh and in 2001 he joined Silverdell in a supporting role to the Sales Director.
In 2002 mark took over the role of Sales Director for Silverdell (UK) Limited, and also at this time became a shareholder in the company. He took charge of Silverdell’s European operations and was responsible for operations in France (Arras), and Belgium (Brussels). In 2009 Mark took over the position as Chairman of the Asbestos Removal Contractors Association (ARCA). As a result of the acquisition by Silverdell Plc of Kitsons Environmental Europe Limited Mark was seconded to the organisation to assist in the implementation of a Business Development strategy, and in 2010 he was promoted to the role of Group Sales Director.
Darren Wickins - Estimating Director
Darren has over 15 years experience working in the Specialist Environmental Support Services sector specialising in asbestos management. He is currently Estimating Director for Silverdell UK. His previous experience includes working for Clifford Devlin and Keltbray as a contracts manager and operations director before joining Silverdell UK in 2010.
Darren’s experience includes delivering programme driven complex asbestos removal projects with a variety of client including Skanska, Bovis & Lend Lease, Sir Robert McAlpine, Land Securities, Mace, Mace Plus, Costain, British Land, Carillion, Grosvenor Estates, Crown Estates, Hammerson, ISG and Stanhope. His experience includes being responsible for delivering large contracts of £50m plus in a variety of sectors including defence, local authority, banking, transport, nuclear, leisure, and government. He was also involved in the consulting stages with the Olympic committee. Silverdell has benefitted from Darren’s broad and extensive contract experience for just over 12 months now, and already he is making a noticeable impact in the areas of estimating, tender planning and submissions, business development, strategic development supporting key client relationships. Darren has extensive experience in the nuclear sector, including more recently, the decommissioning and asbestos removal of the Winfrith reactor.
Wayne Farmer - Regional Director
Wayne has 19 years experience in the Specialist Environmental Support Services Sector majoring on asbestos management. He is currently Director of Silverdell UK responsible for overseeing operations, in the Southern Region.
Wayne started with Silverdell UK on the tools at operative level in 1992 and quickly moved through the ranks including roles as Supervisor, Site Manager, Contracts Manager, Head of Contracts, Associate Director and the current Director role that he now holds.
Wayne has been a specialist roofer since 1981, which led to an introduction to Silverdell UK.
Wayne’s experience includes the public and private sectors from defence, retail, NHS, local authority, rail, utilities, and insurance. Major projects worked upon include The Royal Opera House, BBC Studios Refurbishment, Freemasons Hall with project values up to £3Million.
Dean Howe - Regional Director
Dean has over 22 years experience within the Specialist Environmental Support Services Sector. He is currently the Director for Wales & South West Regions, which include the Cardiff and Exeter business units.
His experience and knowledge of the industry prior to coming to Silverdell UK, was gained from starting within the industry as an acoustic and insulation engineer operative in 1988. He was quickly identified as having the potential to become a site manager and within 2 years was promoted to a site supervisor. This was then quickly followed with a promotion as site manager, where he was responsible for the managing a £6.6m asbestos removal and re insulation refurbishment contract for General Electric on a Power Station in South Wales. He then progressed through to a Regional Manager at Mowlem Special Projects, which was then disbanded in 2006 after a takeover. Dean joined Silverdell UK in 2006 as a Regional Manager and was promoted to Associate Director in 2009 then Regional Director in 2010.
Dean has vast experience of managing large scale Projects across different sectors. These include both local and national clients such as defence, nuclear power, insurance, local authorities, education, banking, utilities and NHS.
James Watkinson - Regional Director
James is Regional Director for the Midlands and the North for Silverdell UK and runs the Leicester and Manchester Offices. He brings 18 years experience in the Specialist Environmental Support Services sector majoring on asbestos. James has military background where he served 5 years in the Royal Air Force as a Safety Equipment Fitter. On leaving the RAF, James trained as an asbestos operative for a small firm in Leicester. He joined Silverdell as an asbestos operative in 2001 and then fast tracked to Operations Manager in 2004, before taking the responsibility of Silverdell’s Midlands region by 2006. The next few years saw James work successfully with clients such as Bovis, Persimmon, Yorkshire Water and Marks and Spencer on contracts ranging from £100,000 to £2.8million. He has experience in many different sectors, namely Retail Broadcasting, NHS, Leisure, Local Authority, Defence and Utilities.
Roy Lewis - Divisional Director
Roy brings over 35 years of scaffolding experience to Silverdell (UK) Ltd. He has worked on a variety of large and small projects on building sites to Specialist Environmental Support Service projects and has a track record for successfully developing good long term relationships with clients.
Roy has moved up through the scaffolding industry from working on the tools to become Managing Director of a major scaffolding company, building it up to a £3m a year company.
As the Scaffold Division Director Roy’s aim is to develop Silverdell Scaffold into being one of the UK’s foremost provider of Scaffold and Access solutions from new build, refurbishment, commercial and also the specialist side of remediation related contracts. The aim is that Silverdell Scaffold will be considered as a premier Scaffold and Access provider, providing engineered solutions that may be complex in design or which demand logistical flexibility.
