Leadership Team

Meet our Board

Our board plays a significant day-to-day role in the business. They’re responsible for providing leadership, setting the business’s strategic direction, and ensuring that the group lives the beliefs of people, safety, and service. Combining many years of industry and engineering experience, they work with teams across our companies to deliver success. Find out more about the people who define the direction of our business.

Christopher Kehoe Chief Executive Officer

Qualifications/Notable Work:

• Institute for Sustainable Leadership (University of Cambridge)
• Exec Director EMCOR Group
• ICW Fellow and Non-Exec Director

Christopher joined Edwin James from EMCOR Group (UK) plc in 2020. An engineering graduate, Christopher has over 25 years of experience in P&L-responsible operational and service delivery roles, including 17 years in senior executive leadership.

A strong track record of driving sustainable, profitable growth in challenging outsourced services environments, he brings a depth of experience of working across complex, regulated, and high security industries.

Christopher is a founding Fellow and Non-Executive Director for The Institute for Collaborative Working (ICW), the leading body helping people, organisations, and businesses understand the value and benefits of collaboration.

Mark Orpin Chief Operating Officer

Qualifications/Notable Work:

• Commercial Director, Mitie Projects
• Head of Energy, Asda

Mark joined Edwin James Group as commercial director in 2019 with over twenty-five years multi-sector experience across oil & gas, retail, engineering, building services and facilities management. An effective, forward-thinking and hands-on business leader, Mark has a wealth of risk management expertise and a keen eye for detail.

Mark was responsible for retail giant Asda’s in-house carbon reduction plan which reduced their carbon footprint by 25% and troubleshooting across Mitie’s projects portfolio unlocking performance benefits.

Gregor Roberts Chief Financial Officer

Qualifications/Notable Work:

• CIMA qualified accountant
• Finance Director Bilfinger Europa FM

Gregor was appointed as EJ Group CFO in March 2019 and joined with a depth of experience in manufacturing, construction and service engineering environments across both private equity and multinational organisations.

Gregor has 10 years of experience operating in CFO and Finance Director roles including most recently going through a successful PE cycle. He is a commercially focused CFO with a drive to deliver sustainable results. Strong strategic financial management skills are underpinned by an analytical approach and in-depth technical base.

Derek Smith Non Executive Director

Qualifications/Notable Work:

• CEO Ramco
• CEO ASCO Group
• 20 years with EJ Stiell Group

Derek is an engineer by training. He started his career as an apprentice with E.J. Stiell staying with the business after its purchase by Alfred McAlpine plc and progressing to executive director. He was appointed as chief executive of Edwin James Group in 2017 from his previous role as CEO at Asco oil and gas logistics.

With a track record of delivering increased shareholder value in corporate and investment-backed businesses, Derek has seen the company through a number of key acquisitions that have built the group into a national force in asset engineering.

Our
Values

Safety
Safe working practice is non-negotiable. Whatever it takes, safety first.
Service
Exceeding the needs of our clients is fundamental to us. Going beyond what is expected, is key.
People
Our people make the difference. We value them, train them and help them reach their potential

Engineering a Better Way

Environmental Social & governance report

Our roadmap to 2030 continues to drive our efforts to become a more responsible company. A great amount of work has been completed by our teams to progress our goals, made even more challenging by the strange backdrop of the post-pandemic world. This has highlighted an even greater need for us to take responsibility for our impact on our people and wider communities.

We remain committed to our ambitions to; achieve net zero through leadership and innovation, ensure safe and healthy work practices, increase diversity and inclusion, and develop the talent of our workforce.

Download the report

WHERE WE OPERATE

We operate across England, Scotland and Wales with sixteen offices and service centres located in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness, Burton on Trent, Swadlincote, Louth, Newcastle, Manchester, Warrington, Peterborough, Daresbury, Tapton, Reading, Mildenhall, Whitehaven and Birmingham.