David Johnson will take up his new role and join the Gleeds group board on 1st March 2025.
Johnson has been with Gleeds for more than 40 years and most recently held the position of managing director for Gleeds Europe, based in Madrid. His new role will see him return to the UK, overseeing operations across all regions.
Salar Farzad, who previously held the COO role, will retain the position of chief financial officer (CFO) and assume the new responsibilities of chief administrative officer (CAO). As dual CFO and CAO, Salar will oversee Gleeds鈥 financial strategy, ensure fiscal responsibility, and provide oversight for various administrative functions.
Gleeds Worldwide chair Richard Steer said: 鈥淒avid is one of our longest-serving senior executives, originally joining Gleeds in 1983 and growing his expertise over four decades. As a result, he has unparalleled knowledge of the business, so is the ideal candidate for this position. I鈥檓 grateful to Salar, who has acted as a driving force behind our recent operational success, helped deliver our migration to LLP status and is playing a pivotal role in creating a solid foundation upon which David can build.鈥

He added: 鈥淲ith this excellent team, working alongside the rest of the operations board, we are now well-placed to take full advantage of the opportunities that lie ahead. Over the last four years, Gleeds has achieved a cumulative average revenue growth rate of nearly 15% with record group profitability in 2024. We are on a tremendous trajectory of sustainable growth and David鈥檚 previous attainment in developing our European operations stand him in good stead to continue that success worldwide.鈥
David Johnson said: 鈥淚鈥檓 extremely proud that my career has been spent helping Gleeds grow. I have seen us evolve from a predominantly UK-focused cost consultancy into the global, multi-disciplinary organisation it is today. It鈥檚 been a privilege to have been involved in that journey and I look forward to continuing it as chief operating officer, supporting colleagues and clients as we begin the next exciting chapter.鈥
The latest changes to the operating structure coincide with the firm鈥檚 relocation to its new London head office, as it prepares to take up residence at 60 Berners Street in Fitzrovia n March.
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