Hargreaves Services plc, the multinational AIM-listed business (LON:HSP) delivering critical services to major UK industries, has announced the appointment of a new COO to spearhead ambitious growth across the infrastructure market, including emerging opportunities in the energy, logistics, and environmental sectors.
The news comes as the 30-year-old business, headquartered in Durham, has reported double-digit growth over the past three years in the services sectors, and is set to deliver a fourth in the current financial year.
The company, which includes Blackwell Earthmoving, a logistics, land development, environmental, and industrial services division, has seen high demand for its earthmoving activity, while its nascent environmental business, which operates a waste management provision, has doubled in size during the same period.
New business opportunities have also emerged with the provision of niche turnkey services for green-tech companies, renewable asset projects, and next-generation sustainability schemes, which draw upon Hargreaves’ unique expertise and wide-ranging capabilities, an area the company is keen to grow, along with its other business with the help of new COO, Simon Hicks.
Gordon Banham, CEO, commented, “Hargreaves is in a strong and secure position. The last five years have seen the company secure a raft of prestigious contracts across the Group, which is testimony to our ability to deliver challenging, technically complex and specialist services to significant tier-one businesses through to emergent green infrastructure businesses.
We have an enormous wealth of experience and expertise across the Group, which, when combined, is unrivalled. Coupled with our asset bank and our sustainability focus, we are readying Hargreaves for its next era of growth, and with Simon at the helm, I’m confident we will succeed. He has an impressive track record of operational excellence and strategic advancement and is poised to play a pivotal role in our aspirational plans.”
Simon Hicks, Chief Operating Officer, joined Hargreaves in May and brings significant market experience and valuable expertise to the company, having held senior positions in infrastructure, energy, utilities, construction, and waste management firms, including new-generation energy business Evero Energy, and leading multinational industrial service providers such as Altrad and Bilfinger.
Simon commented, “I am delighted to join Hargreaves, particularly at such an exciting and opportune time. The company is performing well, is in a strong commercial and financial position, and boasts an impressive project portfolio across multiple traditional and newer sectors.
With such strong foundations, an incredible team of talented people, and a nationwide presence, there is huge potential for growth, value enhancement, and market development, and we are well-placed to seize such opportunities, particularly those premised on net zero and circular economy practices.”
As Chief Operating Officer, Simon will have overall management responsibility for the Services business, including, Blackwell Earthmoving, Hargreaves Environmental Services, Industrial Services (Asia, South Africa, and UK), Land, Logistics, and Minerals. He joined the company’s Board in June 2025.