Hill & Smith PLC (LON:HILS), the leading provider of solutions that enhance the resilience of vital infrastructure and the built environment, has today announced that following a comprehensive selection process Chris McLeish will become the Group’s Chief Financial Officer and an Executive Director. He is expected to join Hill & Smith on 13 October 2025.
Chris joins from Ibstock PLC, the FTSE 250 building products and solutions group, where he has been Chief Financial Officer since 2019. Prior to this Chris worked at Tate & Lyle PLC and has over 30 years of experience in a wide range of international finance leadership roles. Chris currently has no other external appointments.
Mark Else, Group Financial Controller, will continue as interim Chief Financial Officer until Chris joins.
Rutger Helbing, Chief Executive Officer of Hill & Smith, said:
“On behalf of the Board, I am delighted to welcome Chris to Hill & Smith. We are excited to have found a great candidate who has the experience and skills to help deliver the next stage of the Hill & Smith growth strategy.”
Chris McLeish said:
“I am very excited to be joining Hill & Smith at such an important time. I look forward to working with Rutger and the leadership teams to deliver on the Company’s growth ambitions.”
Chris McLeish will receive a base salary of £450,000 and a Company pension contribution of 6.5% of base salary (aligned with the arrangements of the wider UK workforce). His incentive arrangements have been set to be consistent with the current Directors’ Remuneration Policy. Chris will receive replacement awards on a like-for-like basis as compensation for remuneration that will be forfeited on leaving his previous employer. These replacement awards will remain subject to performance conditions and holding periods where appropriate and will mirror the vesting and release schedule of forfeited awards.
Full details of Chris’s remuneration arrangement will be disclosed in Hill & Smith’s 2025 Annual Report.
Hill & Smith PLC is a provider of sustainable infrastructure products and services. It operates through three divisions: Galvanizing Services, Engineered Solutions, and Roads & Security. Galvanizing Services division includes structural steel work, lighting columns, agricultural equipment and other products for the industrial and infrastructure markets. Engineered Solutions division supplies engineered steel and composite solutions for a range of infrastructure markets, including energy generation and distribution, marine, rail and housing. The division also supplies engineered pipe supports for the water, power and liquid natural gas markets and seismic protection solutions. It offers composite pipe, conduit, and bridge drain infrastructure systems. Roads & Security division supplies products and services to support road and highway infrastructure, including temporary and permanent road safety barriers, intelligent traffic solutions, street lighting columns, and bridge parapets.
