SAPPHIRE BALCONIES - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Founder
- Technical Consultant
Andrew has been allied to the industry for over 40 years, and following a hands-on grounding in general construction has for the last three decades focused his attention entirely on balustrades and balconies.
His passion for aesthetic, structural and technical detail regarding design has led to many of the innovative and creative solutions which Sapphire now offer the UK and Global market, and his enthusiasm toward continual development is an inspiration to all their employees.
Building on his practical background, he has been instrumental in developing an impressive test facility at Reading to gain a deeper understanding of the range of materials they work with and to provide backup evidence to verify complex structural and thermal calculations.
Andrew has now formally retired, however he now places a role as technical consultant and trusted advisor, together with his contribution to the BSI committee for balconies, gives testament to his technical expertise and specialist industry knowledge.
Job Titles:
- Contracts Manager
- Design Manager at Our Reading
Angus became a design manager at our Reading head office in 2019. Before joining he had worked for a safety workwear and equipment supplier, which gave him a background of serving clients including Berkeley Group in the construction industry. Angus now works as a design manager, attending coordination meetings and working with site technical teams to be able to turn their key design intents into practical, safe balconies.
Anita joined Sapphire in 2020 to support the team with admin related tasks. She mainly works with the design team supporting them in the critical role of supporting with project progress and customer liason.
Carl started his career as a professional tiler after studying building studies. He initially worked with one of the UK's upmarket tiling brands before working for a high-end stone and tile brand where he then spent many years. In 2019 Carl joined our commercial team where he works with others to agree terms of our commercial contracts with customers.
Cassia joined Sapphire after she relocated to Berkshire in 2016. Her previous background was working for a construction product manufacturer where she worked as a receptionist and a marketing assistant. Cassia facilitates our internal newsletter and oversees the collation and judging of our monthly MOT (Moment Of Truth) scheme which recognises employees who have stretched beyond expectation to better a customer experience. She will be off most of 2019 on maternity leave.
Job Titles:
- Digital Marketing Manager
Charlie started his career in construction working at a safety and site equipment supply company. Charlie joined our team in 2022 where he works within our marketing department. His role primarily focuses on our digital marketing, although Charlie has quickly risen to take responsibility for the content creation area of our marketing team where he coordinates marketing projects and oversees the creation of relevant and inspiring content to help inform and solve customers balconies issues.
Chris joined our team in 2020 as a Buyer within the Supply Chain team. He will be working in close collaboration with the purchasing team to source materials for our balcony projects. He began his procurement career in 2016 working at Optima Systems as a Procurement and Sustainability Officer moving on to be an Estimator before joining the Sapphire family.
Job Titles:
- North American Site Operations Manager
Chris started his career as a sheet metalwork fabricator before becoming more involved in site-based installation of steelwork, balustrades and balconies. Chris worked for a number of specialist balustrade and balcony companies before joining our team in 2014. Chris now works with others internally to coordinate site requirements to ensure that balcony installs can be met with fulfilling deliveries and ensuring the correct Sapphire install equipment is on site when needed. Chris has numerous site qualifications and is one of our certified Appointed Persons as well as being SMSTS trained. Chris now lives in North America supporting our operations there and also supports the UK activity through his extensive knowledge and skill set
Job Titles:
- Sapphire in 2022 As a Business Development Manager
Clyde joined Sapphire in 2022 as a business development manager. Clyde came to Sapphire having worked in a different but related industry. He energetically keeps in touch with our clients to assist them through their projects and handsover once the clients need a full quotation.
Dom joined Sapphire in 2021 beginning as a business development manager. Dom came to Sapphire with construction experience having worked for a construction product supplier, then a drainage and infastructure company. He is now responsible for UK early stage engagement and lead generation. He reviews all incoming technical enquiries, arranges and presents CPDs and Design Meetings. Dom runs our ‘Break-through Breakfast' sessions and along with Nick works with clients to educate them about changes to regulations, standards and new innovations from Sapphire. Dom also facilitates some of our virtual panel debates.
Job Titles:
- Business Development Manager
Elston joined our team in 2017 moving into our sales team from a past career in finance. From a background of hospitality supply and refurbishment, Elston has quickly become a key cog in our sales process with the management of the early pipeline stages as they build lasting relationships with our customers.
Emmanuel joined the Sapphire family as IT Project Manager in 2020. His role involves the delivery of digital solutions that aim to optimise corporate processes and promote efficiency throughout the organisation. In the past, he has delivered digital solutions for tech startups, family businesses and for large enterprises such as JLR, Shell, Huawei, Novartis and Center Parcs.
Job Titles:
- Joint Managing Director
- Factory Manager at the Reading
Having originally started in the factory at Barnet, Evan became factory manager at the Reading balustrade factory until 2009 when he became a contract manager. Evan became operation director in 2016 and leads the team delivering our balconies in line with our Rigid.Ready.Right. brand guarantee.
Garry began his construction career in 2004 working for Carillion as an Apprentice Bricklayer. He was then a self-employed builder for 12 years before joining the sapphire team in 2018. He is responsible for estimating project enquiries received from clients and working with the sales team to ensure client needs are met.
Job Titles:
- Manager
- PreConstruction Manager
Glen Joined our team in 2019 from one of the smaller balcony and steelwork manufacturers, also having worked previously for a specialist balustrade supplier to the retail sector. Glen joined our team and realised the benefits of Glide-On balconies rather than traditional bolt-on. Glen manages projects similar to his previous experience, making sure that he understands what project requirements are and delivers the personal service and the quality standards Sapphire reputation has grown on.
Job Titles:
- Supplier Quality Engineer
Glenn joined our Quality and ESH team in 2017 as a quality engineer. Glenn's career has been mainly focused around quality and has included working in sheet metal fabrication companies supplying the aerospace industry. Glenn spends much of his time auditing the quality of products and finished balconies at the 3PL storage locations and our three balcony production facilities, ensuring balconies are Rigid.Ready.Right.
Graham joined the Sapphire team in 2017 and works within the purchasing team as a Purchasing Assistant. It is his responsibility to turn requests for goods and materials into orders with suppliers, with the aim of getting the best price possible so that we as a company are competitive in the market place. He also monitors and tracks those orders from their inception right through to their delivery and completion, ensuring that we deliver what is needed on time and of the right quality.
Grant moved his career to Sapphire, joining us from the packaging industry. Grant started working in telemarketing where he followed up the early stage schemes and coordinated early stage design meetings. Grant is now a project lead working within the sales team where he meets with customers to understand their needs, solve their challenges and build lasting relationships.
Greg is responsible for the design and project management of balcony projects we win in the UK and Globally. He works to understand project requirements and design balconies to suit customer needs and manages the manufacture and installation deadlines.
Howard comes from a background of balustrading and balconies having worked for Delta Balustrades for over 24 years. He joined Sapphire in 2021 as a contracts manager. He is responsible for the design and project management of our balcony projects. It is also his responsibility to ensure the balcony design meets the needs of the client
James first started working with our team at the Winchester balcony production facilities, where he was predominantly involved with the logistic movements of balconies to storage and loading them onto lorries for dispatch to site. He has more recently joined our team at our Reading head office, where he first worked on logistics movements from balcony production facilities to third party storage locations. He now is a contract manager.
Jane previously worked with builders' merchants and IT specialists. She first dealt with our marketing team whilst working for one of our suppliers before later coming onboard at Sapphire. As our finance manager, she oversees the applications and invoices of our project works to our customers.
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Contracts Manager
Jocelyn joined the Sapphire team in 2021 as Contracts Manager Assistant which involves freeing up the Contract Managers to help them deliver their projects on programme, with correct information and quality product outcome, within budget.
Kevin has been in the construction industry for over 20 years. Kevin joined Sapphire to take the already successful Sapphire brand in the UK to the global stage through a network of aligned Licensee's. Kevin moved to Sapphire from an International Scandinavian composite Window and Window Walling company, VELFAC. At VELFAC Kevin started in 2004 as an Area Sales Manager, then moved on to a Key Account Management role for 3 years. In 2015 Kevin headed up a new division as House Building Workstream Leader to focus a specialised team of people to disrupt the window House building sector with a high-end composite window system. Previous to VELFAC, Kevin enjoyed 5 years at Fischer Fixings where he began as an office-based technical adviser, then moving out into a field-based Engineer role where he focused on conducting pull out tests on heavy-duty anchors and helping Architects and engineers specify a revolutionary undercut façade fixing into stone, marble, and glass. Kevin furthered his education at Gloucester college obtaining a GNVQ and NND in building studies and the built environment.
After joining us as a fabricator in the Reading factory, Konrad progressed into running the production schedule at the Winchester balcony factory. He then returned to Reading and took over the supply chain management team, sourcing and coordinating the supply of products to ensure production is kept on track, whilst keeping within budget and to the expected quality standards.
Laura joined our team as soon as an office had been established in Reading at the end of 2006, with a background of working at a builders' merchant. She worked with our team during the balustrade days until leaving our team in 2013. Laura worked for a workwear and safety equipment provider and a flooring contractor until re-joining us again in 2017 as a sales assistant and a facilitator for management meetings and goal tracking.
Lloyd Parsons originally joined Sapphire in 1998 at our London location in Barnet. He started as a fabricator and installer, giving him a sound grounding in the way balustrades were made. He became a competent contract manager in the Barnet office and relocated with Sapphire Eastern in 2007 to the Hertfordshire office where he was a key cog in the management of that branch and factory. Lloyd now works as a contract manager based remotely from Norfolk and has run some of the largest balcony schemes we have delivered. All testament to his technical ability and capability of hitting Sapphire's stringent budgets, program and client satisfaciton requirements.
Luke originally joined Sapphire with an accounts-based background and has led our sales team, initially for Barnet, then our Reading branch through our balustrade days. Luke has a wealth of experience in building strong and lasting relationships with all positions through most of the UK's top housebuilders and developers.
Martyn is responsible for the facilities management of the head office and warehouse, including maintenance and organisation. His role also includes the management of company vehicles for services and maintenance. He also works closely with the Environment, Safety, and Health team to ensure staff are kept safe when on the property and any safety risks are promptly dealt with.
Murray joined us shortly after we relocated our Reading facilities to our current premises. At first Murray managed our balustrade factory before becoming a project manager. Murray now heads up our design team, who rise to the challenge of turning design intents into workable balconies which are Rigid.Ready.Right.
Nick originally joined our team at the Barnet office as an estimator. After relocating to the Reading office when it was established, Nick managed both the purchasing and marketing teams. He then progressed into also managing the Reading Balustrade factory and the Winchester balcony factory until 2016. Nick now heads up our Marketing team for both UK and Global at the forefront of educating the market through the delivery of technical CPD presentations, early-stage design meetings, events, and industry thought leadership. Nick has also taken the lead on key thought leadership topics which has resulted in the government asking for his contribution on key fire related topics as well as regular invites to contribute as a guest speaker at events. He also heads up our ESG strategy and runs the ESG committee driving sustainable focused progress into our business activities and plans.
Nigel comes from a background of hands-on landscaping and general construction. At Sapphire, his role is equiment management in which he coordinates the install equipment provided to accredited installers to ensure we continue to deliver rapidly installed balconies.
Job Titles:
- Project Lead, Major Projects
Paul joined our Reading head office in 2019 and quickly settled in as a key member of the team. He's had a long career in the bespoke design and construction processes and brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience. Paul helps customers by discussing the best balcony solutions for each project and building lasting relationships.
Phil came on board in 2015 when our previous H&S manager retired and brought with him a wealth of enthusiasm. Phil previously worked for the likes of Berkeley Group, Sir Robert McAlpine and Amey, always in health and safety. Phil is an appointed person and his qualifications also include MIIRSM, first aid (including mental health) and is an IOSH member. Phil is always active in furthering our H&S standards for balcony install and accesses sites to ensure the right equipment is provided by us for each project's needs.
Job Titles:
- Content Marketing Executive
After qualifying in Film Production, Sam joined our marketing team, having worked in previous roles producing content for the NHS and Legal industries. Sam is the editor of our quarterly Insight Magazine along with facilitating our customer service marketing activities including our social media platforms, collating our Rigid.Ready.Right. statistics, NPS scores and arranging post project meetings.
Selwyn is a Contracts Manager and joined the Sapphire team in September 2018. His responsibility is the design and project management of balcony projects. This involves the design of each balcony type for his projects and the management of the manufacture, storage, and installation of balconies. This includes close coordination with site teams along with our Supply Chain and Install teams to ensure the balcony manufacture is on track.
Steve joined our QESH team in 2020 as a Quality Coordinator. His responsibilities include working with the contracts managers to ensure we meet our Rigid.Ready.Right. brand promise. He has worked in quality for 13 years. Industries he has worked in include precision cold drawn copy alloy and aluminium tubing within the maritime and naval industry; Rubber and Plastic moulding.
He has previously done voluntary youth work for 10 years at various churches including Wycliffe Baptist church in Reading.
Stuart's career at Sapphire has been considerable from his initial role in the management of Sapphire Midlands as the company grew. He is now responsible for the assessment of project enquries, as his vast experience enables him to quickly assess projects which are of interest to our company. He also completes an important role of market research which involves reviewing thousands of planning applications and project data each year to add projects suited to our Glide-On balconies to our telemarketing pipelines from sources such as Barbour ABI.
Job Titles:
- Event Marketing Executive
Tanya joined the Sapphire team in 2022. She spent many years working in the central business district of London for corporate multinationals. At Sapphire Tanya is responsible for managing and coordinating Sapphire's marketing events and CPDs and works with the marketing team to ensure all of our events meet the team campaign objectives whilst being aligned with the business's strategies.
Teresa's job role at Sapphire is Project FinanceAssistant. She works with the finance team to ensure accurate applications and invoices are made to customers and oversees the credit control process.
Tim Haughton is responsible for the vesting process at Sapphire Balconies. He joined the team in 2006.
Job Titles:
- Director of Client Relations
Tim joined our team at Sapphire Eastern (our Hertfordshire branch) in 2009, during our balustrade days, having had experience with powder coating along with a variety of other industries. Since our shift in business model to balconies, Tim has worked closely with our clients meeting directors and key contacts at the UK high-rise residential developers. Tim meets with key personnel to understand what is important to them and build strong company-to-company relations.
Warren joined Sapphire in 2021 as site coordinator. He is a qualified AP and Crane Supervisor and has worked for himself and has also spanned different sectors from the national Grid Construction to TV and film.
Warren joined Sapphire as a fabricator of balustrades in our Barnet factory. Warren relocated to our Reading offices when it was established in 2006 where he became a design manager. Warren now runs our preconstruction team which includes R&D and our estimating team.
Job Titles:
- Marketing Campaign Manager
Zdravka joined us in 2021 to run our marketing campaigns in the UK and in our global territories (at that stage NZ, USA, Canada, Holland, Ireland). She joined having perviously worked in the hospitality sector and at Airbus. She quickly became the manager of the customer communication part of our marketing team where she oversees the success of our events, marketing communications plan and customer campaigns.