Wates has appointed Matt Johnson as Regional Director for its construction business in the Midlands.

Matt brings more than 20 years' experience within the construction industry, most recently as our Operations Director in the Midlands. Before he joined the firm in 2022, he worked as a Project Director for Lendlease and Balfour Beatty, as well taking up an executive director position for leisure contractor Pulse Design & Build.

Throughout his career he has focused on large, complex projects for both public and private sectors, including overseeing some of our largest projects in the Midlands such as Sandwell Aquatics Centre, Hartshill Academy in Nuneaton, and Coundon Court School in Coventry. Before joining Wates he was responsible for the delivery of National Automotive Innovation Centre at the University of Warwick and 60 Holborn Viaduct Amazon’s head office in City of London.


His experience spans multiple sectors including leisure, commercial, education and heritage, encompassing all aspects of construction from pre-construction to project delivery and operations.

In his new role, Matt will be responsible for leading our Midlands operations and contributing to the overall growth of the Northern region, strengthening partnerships with existing clients such as the Department for Education and Ministry of Justice, as well as overseeing the delivery of major public and private sector projects.